I rented a car on Friday and in true independent woman style, drove myself across four states this weekend. I totally underestimated this trip on so many levels.
The traffic was intense, the exits were surprisingly difficult to find, the conditions difficult to navigate, the cold, oh, so cold and the drive really, really long. In all though, it was grouse!
On Friday night, after a really long drive, I called my housemate all excited to announce that I was just driving into Vegas and was wondering where to go... She laughed at me when she realised that I thought the fluro town of Primm was Las Vegas. Once I got to LV, I realised why....
I have mentioned on here the giant food, the giant roads (and I don't know that I have yet mentioned the giant vehicles that consume many, many gallons of 'gas' while their owners complain about the rising fuel costs - even though they have the cheapest fuel I have ever seen) but the 'mega' resorts are PHENOMENAL!
Each themed mega-resort is like walking into another land, another country and/or another time period. Each resort is a city of impressive themed displays, interesting shops, plentiful rides and rollercoasters as well as exuberant performances. Each complex also contains a casino I have been lost in more than one time, and so many beautiful tourists. (Please note that this picture of The Venician is taken on the third level of the building, in the middle of the night...)
As you can imagine, I was so cut I couldn't share the experience of Vegas with you all but decided not to let it hinder my experience. I decided to make random new friends... Before long I found some young punkers that looked like fun. Unlike in Bris-vegas (ha! Bris'Vegas'), when people dress up like young punkers in the States, the likelihood that they are famous is very, very high. The fun crew I approached and said "Hey! You guys look cool, where do the 'cool kids' hang out?" happen to be a band called End Ever After and were in Vegas looking for a recording studio as part of their quarter million (US$) contract with Sony. I ended up spending my Friday in Vegas with these really nice guys who let me into their world and home for the night. If you like old-school rock and roll, I recommend you keep an ear-out for them...
Anyway, Saturday I headed off to Bryce Canyon (after mum told me that it is a better version of the Grand Canyon). The drive was amazing, or at least it was aesthetically impressive until I stopped briefly to refuel and ended up leaving just on dark (after having locked my keys in the rental at the gas station and had to wait for a locksmith...). Anyhu, that night while the band headed off to see Aerosmith and Lenny Kravitz before partying with Paris Hilton (for her 25th birthday of which there was a problem with her underage boyfriend not being able to get in), I drove through a random mountain range and was really surprised to come across snow-kissed roads. When the snow started to fall as I was well into the road I started to get a bit freaked. After pulling over and consulting the Lonely Planet guide for advise and finding none, a man who had passed me a while earlier drove back to ask if everything was okay. He then advised me to carry on and just drive really slowly. This is good advise and advise I tried to listen to. This is advise that didn't stop me from loosing control of my vehicle and spinning out of control until I hit the side of a snow-covered embankment.
That terrifying experience aside, I carried on up to Bryce Canyon where I slept the night with all my clothes on and wrapped in a dona. I lie. I tried to sleep. Being the tropical friendly Brisbane girl that I am, I was completely unprepared for the cold. I froze my extremities off trying to sleep in my car. I decided in the middle of the night that car heating was the best idea ever until I realised I had no idea where I was and where the nearest petrol station was, and that I should probably resolve to freeze rather then run out of fuel... I later found out it had been -16 degrees Celsius in the night...
In the morning I was greeted by a stunning sunrise over Bryce Canyon. It was so gorgeous and impressive that if my eyeballs had of stopped freezing over*, I could have looked at all the amazing and varying views that each lookout presented all day.
Next I headed to Zion National Park which was so different and amazing compared to Bryce Canyon. I will have to head back there sometime though because the snow clouds followed me and obscured most of what would otherwise be breathtaking views....
Sunday night I was back in Vegas. I soaked up as much free nightlife (of which I could never have even hoped to get all the way through) before tiredness forced me to resolve coming back to Vegas another time. I did manage to explore the dodgy area of town including Stardust, the Wynn Hotel and Circus, Circus before moving to a much nicer area of 'the strip' to see a show and shop at Caesar’s Palace, watch the volcano water show at The Mirage, see the performance out the front of Treasure Island, watch a serenade on a gondola at The Venetian, watch flaming at Hurrahs, see the jet show out the front of the Belagio, and much more!
I decided that as appealing as another cold night sleeping in the car would be, I would try to make it back to Orange County. I did not get far before I started to get sleepy and was stalked by a car with super bright headlights. I thought the jerks behind me had power beams aimed at my head and was starting to wonder why they just didn't overtake me when I realised that they were cops and I was speeding. They took no pity on the tired Aussie and I got a ticket - a mega ticket to finish off my weekend.
I did end up pulling off the road shortly after to catch some ZZzzs before resuming my journey home early the next morning.
Like I said, I was totally unprepared for the weekend but it was a great experience. I can't wait to go back to Las Vegas with my new mates!
*mild exaggeration, but only mild!
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