18 Sept 2013 Viva Las Vegas

18 September Viva Las Vegas

We took turns to sleep until almost noon, then headed out intending to catch a Subway and then check out the Timeshare Presentation offer. As it happened, we joined a Timeshare group that were about to head off in a bus, on the basis that we would be fed sandwiches there.

We had a 15 minute ride around a bypass road, noticing swarms of planes taking off from the airport. There were 3 visible in a straight line in the air barely 20-30 seconds apart. The hotel in question was out on its own in the middle of nowhere and we were ushered into a lounge where they gave us forms to fill in. We had already been briefly screened for suitability at our hotel and these were the same questions.

Then some woman came over and wanted to see our photo id and look at the credit card. She noticed that J’s driving licence had expired. She wanted to see some other id and we asked why? We were there to consider a real estate proposal not to take control of motor vehicles and the licence clearly identified Janine. We also happened to have her passport but we chose not to get it out because our bullshit detectors were going off.

She took us over to a counter where some dude in a suit comes and says he hears we asked to see him. We said no we want to get into the presentation or be taken home. So he goes – ok come with me and we will get your deposit back and you can catch the shuttle back to your hotel.

We were first in the bus, followed within 15 minutes by another 6 couples who had just escaped after being harangued for 3-5 hours to buy time shares in the resort. The price had come down from $44,999 to $4,000 and they had been offered cruises and airfares etc. None of them had signed up – or so they said. Apparently they had been browbeaten endlessly to sign up and told they should sign anyway because they still had 5 working days to revoke. They were happy to have got their deposits back and the ticket vouchers for various shows. We had wanted to get Cirque du Soleil – it seems there are actually 7 of their shows currently running in Vegas. Aussies are represented by ‘Human Nature’ and ‘Thunder from Downunder’ (which is sold out – No wonder!)

We took the opportunity to get off the bus at the first stop – The Luxor Complex.  Beautifully done Egyptian statues and hieroglyphics set in and around a pyramid (holding casino and rooms) and a sphinx.  Next was Excalibur with its castle frontage and medieval interior.  On to New York complete with skyline, Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty.  We then wove our way up the strip going into shops and various casinos with different themes.

 Luxor

 Just to prove that I am really here

 New York

 Arc de Triumph                             (with Gordon Ramsey! Ewww)

 Paree

 Fountains @ Bellagio (Which has more rooms that the total population of the town in Italy)

 

We were keeping an eye open for package deals into the Grand Canyon. There were packages via bus, plane or chopper and combinations of the above. The West Rim is closer and cheaper but less spectacular. I had seen the best bits in 1980 and would have gone by bus but didn’t need to pay that much to fly. We chose J a fly/bus package that avoids 12 hours in a bus and provides aerial view from both sides the whole way up the river, including the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. They then land at the park village and bus you to 2 key locations on the South Rim at the best spots, allowing you to view from both or do the walk between. Sounds good. We chose the later pickup time of 8.30 am.

There was a stretch of the strip with cheaper souvenir shops and we browsed through there, eventually picking up a shirt each in our own hotel! Hey guess what I found – one of those techno exercise shirts with ventilation panels and sweat channels. Noo just joking  . . I wouldn’t wear those.

 Is this the biggest Golden M you have ever seen in your life?

 Showgirls and McDonalds all at the entrance to our hotel. What more could you want.  'Viva Las Vegas'

 

Upstairs, we took time respectively to nap and shape some photos to go in the blog. Hey did I mention we are keeping a blog this time? We left at 8pm, had a Big Mac next door (guess what we can see out of our window?) and sauntered up the Strip in the other direction (North). The Venetian is right next door and is amazing.  Travellators take you up and over the Rialto Bridge.  You can then walk along the front of The Doge’s Palace.  We used this vantage point to view the eruption volcano over the road. Awesome.  And watched the gondoliers in the lagoon out the front.  On entering the building you are inside the palace complete with lavishly frescoed and gilded ceilings. Amazing.  The shopping arcade stretched for a long way and you amble along either side of the canal with the shops having the look of Venice.  The street scape even has realistic blue skies.  If you hadn’t just been standing outside in the night sky you would reckon it was still the middle of the day.  It  eventually opens into St Marc’s Piazza which is surrounded by restaurants with people dining.  The buildings replicate the piazza and include several bridges and also ‘The Bridge of Sighs’.  Magic.

 Gondola anyone?

 Bell tower and volcano

 Waterless canal, but look at the sky

 St Marc's Piazza

 Bridge of Sighs

 

We then briefly visited Wynn Hotels.  They have an awesome waterfall at the entrance and very lavish Italian looking shopping mall with ALL the big name retailers there.  It’s very plush.  Close to the casino was a beautiful grove of trees, lit with fairy lights and hanging balls of flowers.  Very pretty.

That left us with another km or so of thinly populated pavement up to Circus Circus, a very run down old place. I had stayed in the camp site next door for a week in 1980 when our London double decker bus with 20 passengers broke down. This in the height of the 1980 Great Texas Heat Wave. The site was still there and half full – we didn’t try to determine whether it was a trailer park or an RV centre. Looking back, the collection of debauched colonials who populated the bus back in 1980 could have been described as the precursors of Trailer Trash J

A pleasant stroll back to the hotel, during which it dawned on us that, rather like 2 years ago, we had taken the time while grappling with problems to phase out and allow ourselves to dream dreams. We had not made the connection until last night that we were once again living a dream. Is this philosophising or just hedonist escapism? It beats the hell out of being miserable and we are making a point of being grateful for our good fortune.