The Journey: Wrapping up Las Vegas, I Hope

Here we are still stuck in Vegas! Obama is the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, yesterday Tim Russert died and I can't get out of Vegas!!!

The Saga continues ... We stood a moment outside the 'entrance' (I now use this term loosely, very loosely) to the Las Vegas Monorail. My feet were killing me -- rubbed quite raw, to be explicit. We were both hungry and getting grouchier by the minute/second. There was momentary temptation to cross over the road to see the lights and fountains at Bellagio -- and how I wish we had done that. It was buzzing with people, to be sure. But we opted for the 'entrance' and disappered down the walking sidewalk and into the bowels of 'somewhere' that turned into a hotel with slots and no restaurants other than cafeteria/buffet uninviting places. We did check out two places in some corner somewhere -- 30 minutes wait -- we think this is de rigeur for any restaurant along the strip.

No matter who we asked or which direction we turned it was not easy to find the monorail station. And so we walked and walked first one way and then the other, the slots clanging in the background. It was all very strange. I limped along ever more slowly; Neil moved along ever more quickly before me. The search for the station seemed interminable. We asked guards, we were pointed to this direction and that. And finally around the corner after the swimming pool -- there it was: The entrance to the monorail station. Success.

Neil went along to the ticket machine. NINE dollars for the two of us -- but we splurged and victorious at long last climbed on board the car and I collapsed with relief.

Boy oh boy, were we dumb. One short stop later and the sort of melodious voice over the speaker explained that this was the last stop! What! I couldn't believe. By this time, we were both hating Las Vegas more than any place we had ever ever been to. What a rip-off place. What a -- a -- Oh hell, let's get out of here and back to our hotel and eat at the restaurant there. We asked the guard for the exit. He explained, but we did not understand his directions well enough and it took at least ten minutes to find a way outside again. And then it took minutes to orient ourselves to where the hell we were. Not far from where we had first entered the entrance to the station, I don't think. Then we had to find a safe place to cross the street. We had managed to confuse the Las Vegas Monorail with the Monorail that connects the Mandalay Bay Hotel and the Excalibar Hotel. So both of us were entirely unprepared when we found ourselves not immediately outside the Luxor, but across the street and down the road apace! Oh, headache, oh, sore feet. We were kind of across the street from the Excalibar. And so continued the trek back to the Luxor, which was long and wearisome and meant that we complained a lot. And of course we were full of regret at ever having come to this god-forsaken place, etc. etc.

We found our way back, found a restaurant, The American Bistro, which served adequate food that was very expensive for what it was. We both had the chicken, which was slightly undercooked. It was dark and dreary in there -- but at least we could eat at last. And no 30 minute wait, either. Back to our rooms, I mended my feet, as best I could and had a pretty good nights sleep!

The best part of the stay was waking up early to see the sunrise over the desert. Soon we were up and out and on our way again -- to the Hoover Dam and beyond. We drove up the strip and were amazed at how little we had seen of it, but not amazed enough to want to stay any longer. Neil says never again. I wouldn't mind going again with someone who knows what's what. But overall it's not my 'cup of tea'. Liked the fact we found a Marie Callender's for breakfast. I can highly recommend the Eggs Benedict!

The Journey: How not to Do Vegas

It was still light when we left the hotel for our self-tour. It's definitely a mistake to do a self-tour when only there for one night. It's bound to be a cock-up. But when we left we were rather excited. There were lots more people than I expected on a Sunday night. Not for Las Vegas probably, but it seemed a lot to me. Shortly after we started out I took the only two pictures I shot that night. I had intended to take loads, but I just never did. I'd planned to get a definitive picture of the Strip. Then I discovered it was not an easy task -- it's just too big and too overwhelming to be captured by my simple skills as a photographer.

Soon after we began our walked Neil heard a familiar accent and we met a young British couple from Manchester. She was dressed quite unlike anyone else on the street wearing high leather boots as is the British fashion. We chatted to them for a short time and were amazed to learn that this was their 5th visit -- I think they had driven to Las Vegas from Nashville! We did get a good piece of information from them and that was to be sure to see the water show in front of the Bellagio Hotel. Fortunately, for us the hotel was not much further along our way and we were able to get an excellent view of the water show -- though in daylight, which I understand is not as spectacular as at night. But the our plan was to get dinner and then see the show again on our way back. HA! How I wish we'd thought to ask them for a recommendation as to where we might eat!

We took the escalator up to try and see New York New York. There were all these bars and pubs -- very crowed and lots of parts seemed to be unoccupied. I couldn't make head nor tails of the place. We certainly didn't see anywhere inviting to eat. Impresseive from the outside, but rather mysterious to us from inside. By the time we wandered down to Caesar's Palace, my feet were growing blisters and I knew that I was heading for the role of party pooper. But I did gamely try to soldier on and on ...

Caesar's Palace was a puzzle to us. You see we were such novices. We had no idea how all these hotels work. Everything is about luring you to the slots or the tables. Everything is about parting you from your money. Everything, with the possible single exception of the water fountains at Bellagio's, which are free! Back to Caesar's Palace -- it is huge -- and probably not the largest, but so many towers. We tried to find a restaurant, but I couldn't figure it out! We saw a bride and groom -- she all in white and veil in the middle of the corridor with all these tourists milling around as well. And lots and lots of noise as well as the continuous and strangely melodic slots humming away swallowing lots and lots of lucre. Oh, musn't forget the replica of Michaelangelo's David! Good lord -- it was not easy to get a good look at, posing in a small claustrophobic circle in all his glorified carerra marble. An exact replica, they say. It's probably cheaper to buy the ticket to Florence and stay there, than to risk all you own in Las Vegas. At least it and Florence are the real thing and not some ludicrous fantasy of -- but I digress ...

I summoned the courage to get to my feet again -- they still hurt. We found our way out and were across the entrance to the Flamingo, which was at least somewhere I'd heard of. We crossed the overhead bridge to get to the other side -- an also what seemed to be a restaurant. My hopes of taking a night picture of the strip were dashed there -- dirty see through partitions and I decided it wasn't worth the trouble. By the time we got to where we might enter the Flamingo

By now it was getting dark and I was getting hungrier. Both Neil and I were also getting grumpier. He was at least fit enough to walk. We descended to the sidewalk, it was now dark and the lights were impressive, though I was surprised not to be able to take them in as more of a whole. Lots and lots of traffic and people. We went in to the steak house near the Flamingo and tried to get a meal. Thirty minute waiting time. Now it occured to us this was probably not true -- we thought that it was an attempt to get us to wander around the hub-bub of the gaming room and part with some of our cash. So we left. Diagonally across the street we could hear the sounds of the Bellagio and Celine Dion singing to the fountains, or the fountains burbleing along to Celine, I'm sure. It had been our intention of wandering back there for the splendour of the lights and the water, but on our way across the street we saw a sign pointing the way to the 'monorail' and a ride back to our hotel.

Now anybody who knows Las Vegas well, is laughing at us as pathetic. And we were -- at least I was -- blame my feet. But the monorail was a big mistake. We should have crossed the street to the light show. We should have walked back to the Luxor. Should have, should have, should have.

The Journey: On to Las Vegas

We set out from Bakersfield to Las Vegas around 9.00 am on Sunday, May 4th. It would be the hottest weather of our entire trip -- mid to upper 80's. I had never experienced the desert before and found the bleak landscape rather interesting, if not exactly inspiring. Into the Mohave and I was surprised to discover the mountainous terrain -- and a mountain of windmills! (Tehachapi)

We took a diversion to a supposed ghost town, Calico, but Neil turned around when he felt it was a tourist trap. En route to Calico we saw a small sign to Fort Irwin which was interesting to me as my son had done maneuvers there when he was in the army several years ago.

And so to the State of Nevada, which I found uninspiring from the moment we arrived. Lots and lots of casinos along the road. Everything is about getting the traveller to part with his money -- and trying to convince everyone that a wonderful time will be had by all. I had managed to book us a room in the Luxor the night before. To be honest I was greatly looking forward to looking around this famous playground and to experience the over-the-top atmosphere that so many of my friends and acquaintances had waxed lyrical about. I had once seen the 'Strip' from the air, and until that moment had no real desire to visit the place. But from the air it had looked very magical and maybe even 'fun'!

We arrived at the hotel around 4.30 pm. We booked in, the woman who took our details was professional and helpful, but clearly this was a very busy hotel -- over 4.000 rooms --. It was the only hotel where we would have to pay for the Internet -- $12.00 for the night. We did without! Nevertheless, we found the 'inclinator' and our room in the Pyramid. And I admit it was fun to look down on the goings on 9 floors below. Our room was very nice and the price was very good! In fact that was the best part of the experience for me. And Neil enjoyed just looking out past the sphinx and across to the airport.

But we were game to see the strip and wanting to look a bit chic made my big mistake and changed my shoes. Now I'm not so daft as to put on new shoes, but changed into a pair of slightly dressy sandals that I knew to be comfortable. However, since I had not worn them for several months, I would pay the price for my small vanity. Our plan was to walk the 'Strip' and find a good place to eat.

The best laid plans ...