What do you give someone who has everything? Las Vegas.
Have you ever had one of those moments of sublime people-watching that keeps you entertained better than any Hollywood movie could? You know, one of those times when you are sat in a cafe, or pub, or wherever. You spot some minor drama happening nearby and for the duration, you are enthralled. Well, that's what Las Vegas is like 24/7.
From the moment you drive out of the empty, featureless Nevada desert up onto The Strip, you are under sensory attack. Flashing neon stretches into the distance. Giant monolithic hotels line the road, each broadcasting its' own over-the-top theme. You want the Statue of Liberty? It's there on the left. The Eiffel Tower? To the right. Arc de Triomphe? Straight ahead. It's a one-country shrine to excess.
But the first night we stepped out, it wasn't the neon that defined Vegas. It's the people. Maybe it's the heat that does it, dry and in stark contrast to the air conditioned casino interiors. It makes people loco.
The streets of The Strip are like the bastard son of MTV Spring Break and Patpong, Thailand. Pneumatic-breasted barbie dolls of indeterminate age jostle on the sidewalks with packs of college jocks, whooping and high-fiving as they go. Flocksof Mexicans hand out cards offering cheap sex to whoever wants it. Old and young pour forth from convenience stores, fast food joints and roadside bars, novelty oversize cocktails glasses in hand.
Occasionally, it all gets too much. You have to dash back into a casino to gain respite. But then, even in the early hours of the morning, you are assailed by endless halls of tables and slot machines, never-endind shopping malls and the most weird and wonderful things you could ever imagine seeing under the roof of a hotel (lions? roller coasters? the Trevi Fountain? Yep).
I am really struggling to get it all into a post that doesn't read like an chapter of War and Peace. Vegas is nuts. Brian, a fellow poker at my table in Planet Hollywood last night, told me the average loss per person in Las Vegas is $6,000. It seems unbelievable, but look around and the evidence is everywhere.
I'm glad we're only here for three days. Any more and I think it would begin to eat at the soul. If Roman Emperors could be brought forward in time to Vegas, they would see it for what it is. It's an orgy. Pure and simple.
Photos to follow, as soon as we can get access to a reasonably-priced internet cafe.
Click here for the Las Vegas photos
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What this is all about?
This is a story. Unlike most stories, I haven't worked out the ending yet. Imagine a real life "Choose your own adventure" book, only one where you can't peek at the last pages to work out the best ending. There may not be a best ending.
Anyway, the plot goes a bit like this...
A boy and a girl are on a road. They know where they want to go, even if they don't know exactly how to get there.
The boy and girl have travelled together for some time now. The journey has been good to them. The road has been smooth and food plentiful. They are happy.
However, deep down they feel that their journey, whilst enjoyable, has become mundane. They had wished to scale mountains, instead they have strolled up hills.
One sunny day, they come to a fork in the road . A solitary signpost stands before them.
The signposts says that the road on the left is well travelled. It is marked on the map. It is safe and secure and the going is easy. However, it is much like all other roads. It poses few challenges and fewer surprises.
The road on the right is different. The boy and girl have not seen it before. It is not marked on the map.
Peering ahead, they see the road on the right plunges deep into a dark valley covered in cloud. Further afar, it soars up into the mountains, disappearing far above the snow line. The clouds look ominous. Occasionally the sun peeks out from behind.
They boy and girl observe that the road on the right is narrow. The boy and the girl know they would need to leave behind much of their equipment to travel it. If they decided they didn't like the road, they may not be able to come back this way again.
So, the boy and the girl sit down to talk about it. They talk about the fork they are at, where they want to be. They talk about the path they are on, and where each of the roads will take them. They know this may be their only chance to travel a road less travelled. They know that despite the unknown risks that may lie along the road less travelled, the opportunity is great.
Finally, after many hours spent talking, they agree. They stand up. Carefully, they empty their packs of many of the things they have gathered along their journey.
Then they set off.
Anyway, the plot goes a bit like this...
A boy and a girl are on a road. They know where they want to go, even if they don't know exactly how to get there.
The boy and girl have travelled together for some time now. The journey has been good to them. The road has been smooth and food plentiful. They are happy.
However, deep down they feel that their journey, whilst enjoyable, has become mundane. They had wished to scale mountains, instead they have strolled up hills.
One sunny day, they come to a fork in the road . A solitary signpost stands before them.
The signposts says that the road on the left is well travelled. It is marked on the map. It is safe and secure and the going is easy. However, it is much like all other roads. It poses few challenges and fewer surprises.
The road on the right is different. The boy and girl have not seen it before. It is not marked on the map.
Peering ahead, they see the road on the right plunges deep into a dark valley covered in cloud. Further afar, it soars up into the mountains, disappearing far above the snow line. The clouds look ominous. Occasionally the sun peeks out from behind.
They boy and girl observe that the road on the right is narrow. The boy and the girl know they would need to leave behind much of their equipment to travel it. If they decided they didn't like the road, they may not be able to come back this way again.
So, the boy and the girl sit down to talk about it. They talk about the fork they are at, where they want to be. They talk about the path they are on, and where each of the roads will take them. They know this may be their only chance to travel a road less travelled. They know that despite the unknown risks that may lie along the road less travelled, the opportunity is great.
Finally, after many hours spent talking, they agree. They stand up. Carefully, they empty their packs of many of the things they have gathered along their journey.
Then they set off.
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5 comments:
The question is Did you both just love it anyway???
Nice entry love, i could just about taste Vegas... xx
The funny thing is that Vegas used to be fairly reasonably priced. Then it decided it wanted more than gamblers (this is sometime in the '90s) and became all "family-friendly." All of a sudden, just about every casino seemed to have a mini theme park.
A crazy place, it is.
I want to go!!!
I did enjoy it, but was happy to leave after four nights. Too much of a good thing?
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