Las Vegas

So .... Vegas. The very first thing that struck us was the intense heat. I mean, we expected it to be hot (it is the desert after all) but whoa!!! The day we arrived it was 107 degrees which was about 15 degrees higher than the normal temperature for this time of year. And it stayed that way until the last day of our visit when it finally got down below 100!!!!!

Night time temperatures were around 95 degrees so we spent the rest of the first day checking out the hotel. The pool at the Tropicana was fantastic and filled with gorgeous people standing in waist high water clutching beers!! I gave it a miss!!!

I hit the pokies and managed to double my money ..... yep turned $5.00 into $10!! Could be a new career in this!!!

Had a pretty lazy morning the next day and then an essential appointment at the spa to have my nails done. Some things just have to be done!!!! After that I felt more like my old self. We went out for a very yummy dinner and then went to see a show. We saw Dancing with the Stars. It was fantastic. Carson Cressley was the host and Joey Fatone one of the celebrity dancers. The costumes were just amazing and the professional dancers were inspiring to watch. Makes you want to get up and do it yourself, except at my feet (or body) would never be able to move like that!!!

After the show we went for a walk down the strip to check out some of the lights. Truly fantastic and every bit as spectacular as they look in photos.

We had been looking forward to the next day for ages, our trip to the Grand Canyon. Our driver picked us up right on time and it was a 20 minute drive to the air field. After completing the paperwork and the compulsory weigh-in (I discovered I had managed to lose another 2 kilos even on holidays!!!) we met our pilot Mike and made our way across the tarmac to the helicopter.

I was sooooooo excited!!!! Russ and I got to sit in the front for the first part of the tour. The take off was so smooth and I loved the way we just hovered off the ground as we turned and went down the runway. We were following two other helicopters and were soon soaring up over the mountains. Below us, we had a great view of Lake Mead which was formed when they built Hoover Dam. Before too long the dam itself was visible on our right and we curled around to get a great view. It is a very impressive structure.

We continued on and the scenery became even more amazing. Over a vast ridge and then, there it was .... the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. It is impossible to describe adequately the immense size and depth of the canyon. In fact even being in there it is difficult to get perspective until you see the other helicopters ahead of you. They looked like tiny specks compared with the sides of the canyon.

Before we knew it we were through the canyon and heading towards the refueling point for the helicopters. We landed, had delicious icy cold waters and cool towels ..... just the perfect thing ..... while Mike refueled. Then we reboarded and our English fellow fliers took the front seat. On the trip back we saw the town of Boulder which looked like a huge green oasis, and miles of roads which seem to lead to no-where!!

I could have kept flying forever but sadly our time had come to an end. We landed and were driven back to the hotel with memories that will last forever.

That night we went to the Comedy Factory and I swear, I have never laughted so much in my entire life. We saw three comedians, none who I had heard of before, and they were so funny. It was a great night after a truly great day.

Our last day in Vegas we did a bit of gambling (came out ahead although not enough to keep us going for more the a day!!!!). At night, it was slightly cooler, we took a double decker bus tour of the strip and Fremant Street. It was fantastic to see all the amazing resorts and hotels. They are such elaborate displays and the lights are just huge. Fremant Street is a special street downtown which has a domed roof over the street which is used as a neon display. I believe there are more neon lights in this street than anywhere else in the world.

There are live bands playing (that night it was a Bon Jovi tribute band) and heaps of souvenir shops, pubs and food outlets. We had hot dogs and pretzels while we listened to the music, checked out an incredible aquarium surrounded by a pool at the Hyatt hotel and people watched, before getting back on the bus and back to the strip.

Vegas was fun and I am glad I have had the chance to visit but I don't feel like I ever need to go there again. It is for the young, gorgeous, energetic and very very rich. Get there some time, just for the experience, if you can!!