Day 2 - Don't Text and Drive!

10.30am, after about two hours’ sleep, I dragged myself through the shower and went off in search of a restorative coffee.

The coffee kiosk in the foyer of Bally’s had what I needed. I ordered a small coffee and the only non-sweet thing they had on the menu, which was a plain croissant. Apparently eating sugar for breakfast is quite normal in America. 

Sipping my “small” latte, which appeared to actually be an extra-large (but tasted amazing), I wondered vaguely where Emma and Nigel were. It turned out later that they had actually texted me, but to my usual number, whose SIM was sitting safely on my dresser at home. So Keely and I decided to hop on a tour bus and get our first orientation of Las Vegas. 

Our tour guide, Jessica, was the funniest little Texan woman I’ve ever come across. Insane, fiesty, and prone to cackling with crazed mirth at any given moment, she had a special aversion to people who text while driving, pointing these out loudly whenever we passed one, and embarrassing them thoroughly. 

Down the strip we went, past mammoth themed hotels and casinos, endless eateries and souvenir stores, on top of the bus in the hot sunshine. The Eiffel tower on the top of Paris, its legs descending down into the casino itself. The statue of Liberty at New York, New York. The Hard Rock with its massive guitars. Camelot, with its courtyard, towers and turrets. Too many sights to name. We headed out to the ‘Welcome to Vegas’ sign, and past the part of the airport earmarked for private jets – where Jessica claims to hang out on a Saturday, looking for her next ex-husband (anyone with a decent size jet, not the skinny little ones  - and not ‘Leo DiCrapio’, because he’s crazy). 

Then on to ‘Old Vegas’, where The Hangover was set, which has all the wedding chapels and the glitzy alternative glamour of Fremont Street with its neon signs everywhere and flying fox on the ceiling. Also, a LOT of ads for Bail Bonds, shady-looking lawyers and pawn shops. Hmmm. 

 

Keely, Jessica and Me. 

Later, we joined up with the others for dinner at Bubba Gump. The quantities of food were astounding - I didn't even make it through half! - and regretted having ordered an appetiser as well as an entree. I did end up with a commemorative glass from the cocktail I ordered (a jam jar on a stem) which was surprisingly heavy.