What Happens in Vegas.. Doesn't Happen in New York.

The day has finally arrived to head to Vegas. 

The others are heading home to the Gold Coast with all their goodies. I have a snow globe and popcorn. 

I've watching the weather app - nothing under 40'c everyday. Now that's my type of heat!!  I might be able to wear the dresses I packed. 

The trip to the airport was more dodgy than the back ally's of NY. I swear the driver took us the longest possible way ever. Maybe we got the "Back Industrial Street" tour. 

Now to wait 3hrs for the flight. Old mate stressed about missing flights and being early it was ridiculous. But I go along with it. It is a "group" trip after all. 

I pre-booked all my flight seats a year ago - whereas he didn't. We were then told the plane was over booked (well done Delta) and some people will miss out on the flight. Oh great. Stress level was already at 6 now it's 8. I'm all good. I've got my seat. I'm going to Vegas. Cya!! 

We catch the same plane. 5 hours later as the sun sets over the hazy desert we fly into Las Vegas. The plane lands there is our hotel. Now that was pretty cool to see.

Once again we walk a million miles through the terminal. But catch a turbo'd tram to the baggage pickup. Wow that was fast and kinda scary – I hate public transport at the best of times and this super speeding driverless tram is heading straight to the end of line. 

Walking outside to catch a cab, the blast of heat nearly burst my eyes out. It's 8pm and still 39'c. Holy shit balls it's hot. 

MGM Grand please. 

As things are still a bit tense between old mate and myself. We don't say much. It's kinda awkward but we make polite convos. I'm still highly irritated by his nasty comments towards me. And waiting for the next outburst from this grouch. 

The check-in lady loved my earrings. She was so flirting with me LOL

Heading up to the room we get lost through all the pokies. But when we finally found the room wow what a view. 20 floors up and we have a spectacular view of the southern/western end of the strip. My phone nearly went flat just taking pics of the buildings and the pretty lights of Vegas slowly coming on show. 

As the sunsets it's time for a nap. Well I am around an old person. It's New York all over again.

Dinner time and I dress up all pretty, so we had out and have a bite to eat. Well don't I look overdressed. Everyone in shorts and thongs - my favourite attire. And I'm in heals. So everyday after that, shorts and thongs it was. Its too hot to wear makeup.  

It's Grand Canyon day, alarm goes off at 4:30am. It's dark and we all know how much I love getting up in the dark. The bus is full, we are last to get on and I get the shittest seat ever. I'm so pissed off. 

First stop is meant to be Hoover Dam but oh no we get to go and see a bridge. Yes it has a view of the dam but it's just a bridge big fucking deal. Back on the bus in the shit seats and it's another two hours to the rocks, only to wait in line for 45mins to go on the skywalk. Well I nearly shit my pants it was so high I couldn't walk on the cracks. It began to move and I was like get me the fuck off this thing I'm outta here. Caught another shuttle to see more rocks and have some crap food they called a buffet lunch - I called it one plate of prison slop. That was at a place called Guano Point. Which I called Poo Point. Rather fitting really. Onto another bus to see the Ranch. I just wanted to see the horses. I was there for 5mins. Patted the horses and back on the shuttle to the main terminal to find old mate who didn’t want to see anymore and sat back on our coach in the aircon. Another trip pretty much done on my own.  

It was a 12 hour tour on a bus the whole time. I was ready to stab the driver and take control. He just wouldn't SHUT THE FUCK UP. The whole 2 hours he talked. And repeated himself over and over. Then he had the audacity to ask for a tip. I'm like. NO FUCKING WAY mate you don't deserve it. But grumpy had a whinge about their wages etc. mate this driver earns more than me in tips than I do per week at the shed. He gave him $10. Me $0. We stopped off at some gas station where they had live gun firing. I went in for a look – I think they get paid to stop here because it was a complete waste of time and then I got a splinter. Better than a bullet I guess. 

Travellers tip: don't do the Grand Canyon. It looks better on tv. 

Well I'm ready to head out to the strip and see the wonderful lights of Las Vegas. 

One thing I did notice was how clean Vegas was. The streets look clean the buildings are clean they even had people cleaning the buildings. New York should take some advice from Vegas as this is what we want to see - clean stuff , not shit all over the streets. There were a few quite pungent smells of cat piss – but nothing like the putrid spells of New York City. 

Each night I headed out on my own and explored the nooks and crannies looking for bargains and looking at the cards that people give gave out... boobies. 

You have to go and see the flamingos. They are really cute. I've never seen "mingos" before. And could have spent more time with them. 

Also headed to Shark Reef. You get what you pay for. $20 entry. I got told off for using my underwater camera - apparently fish don't like electricity. Last time I checked, my camera was battery operated not plugged into the power point. I would pass on going to this "attraction". 

I managed to get the free wifi from all the casinos, so every time I walk past a wifi spot I get a message from old mate asking if I've had dinner. Or what am I doing. Shit man just leave me alone. You didn't want to come out. Stop annoying me. 

Bellagio Fountains - oh my god well they are spectacular either day or night. Yes it draws the crowds but doesn't matter where you stand you still see that magnificent water as it dances to music. Definitely a must see!

Day three of four and my feet are killing me that's what I get for wearing thongs every day. I reckon I've walked 20 miles. 

My hotel has the best pools!! And no one gave a fuck about what you looked like. I'm a huge people watcher so I couldn't help but look at everybody. But for once nobody judged each other. I got my deckchair by the pool sat in the water and soaked up the sun and heat. Surrounded by palm trees. It's the closest I'll get to the beach. This is living this, is my type of holiday. I could stay here forever-ish.

I've pretty much done all the tourist things. I'm running out of money fast so I'm mainly looking and taking photos by this stage. Then I come across a street artist I'm blown away by his skills. Just take my money!! I got an amazing art work done of the Vegas skyline definitely a keeper. I got back to the hotel around 10.30pm and got the third degree on where I had been. Just out!! I showed old grumpy - he hates it. Wasn't impressed at all. Then asks me what's for dinner tomorrow night. I don't know. I haven't had tomorrow's breakfast yet. 

His negativity puts a downer on my night. Oh well. I'm used to this daily occurrence. 

In the mornings I like to wake up naturally around 8.30ish. As soon as my eyes even slightly open - grumpy who has been awake for hours starts talking to me. I grunt as a response. He's having full blown convos. Fuck man I've been awake for not even 2 mins and you wanna know what's for breakfast. FFS. I just roll over, put my ear plugs back in and pillow over my head. Get the hint buddy. Just shhh. 

Travellers hint: let your room mates SLEEP. 

It's our last night in Vegas and I'm not going to make the same mistake as New York. Went on the giant Ferris wheel. What great views!! I watch the fountains for the 3rd time - old mates first. We then walk the streets until my feet decide no more. And I'm in bed by 10pm. 

So much for getting an American style burger I was craving for in New York. 

I repack my suitcase to fit all my trinkets in and my awesome artwork. My dresses are still all rolled up from 3 weeks ago when they were fist packed. 

It's checkout day. we stay in our room till as late as possible, looking out at our view that no matter what time of day it is – it still look amazing.  Then we go and sit in the foyer for three hours until we head to the airport where we sit for another three hours. I'm so cold from the aircon I go outside where it's 44° just to warm up. I think I'm getting the flu from being inside and outside - hot cold hot cold.

I really just wanna go home now. 

But it's just not that simple. 

Apparently our plane has too much fuel and has to burn it off before we take off so we sit in the plane for two hours on the tarmac. No wifi. No food. And I'm getting a numb bum. 

After many complaints that at least 6 of us are all catching the same connecting international flight to Brisbane. We take off. Arriving in LA with 40mins to get from terminal 5 to terminal 3. We hitch a ride on a security buggy. I was on the back... Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 

I only had time for a real wee before boarding. 

Travellers Tip: learn to read your boarding pass. So when they ask for seats 35-59 and you’re in row 28 that doesn't mean you. Unless you wanna look like a moron and be ridiculed that is. I might have suggested to security to not yet them into the country. We have enough morons already. 

Yay for another 13hr flight. Being served "food" and sitting in a seat which reclines to make you feel like rigamortis has set in.

I wake up dazed and pretty sure I've crossed over or at least crossed over the international date line. Just in time for what the flight attendants call breakfast. I call this some weird shit in a wrap that has the consistency of clag and the taste of yuck. Get ya shit together Virgin. Plane food doesn't have to be worse than hospital food. Even the prison slop was better. 

Bags, car and home.

Where I thought I would have a great home coming. 

Wrong. 

I walked through my door and I thought I had been robbed. Well at least had squatters in there. My place had been trashed well probably not trashed but was a shambles. I went into complete shock. I've just been on a 16 hour flight and to come home to this was horrific. 

I grabbed Tia and assessed the situation. 

I just wanted to curl up into a ball in my bed with my cat but that couldn't happen. Three hours later once I cleaned the mess, re washed the dishes did the washing, made my bed and cleaned up I finally got my 10 min nap. 

It's nice to be home but gee it's cold.