On The Open Road

Its been an amazing few days. Seriously. I can't think of any other words. Okay maybe I can. Bizarre and awesome and incredible and mind boggling. I feel like the last three days have had so much packed into them that it's no wonder I'm feeling a tad on the tired side.

Now, I left off at Disneyland I believe. Upon reflection, the place does seem to have a somewhat magical appeal to it. However, Thursday morning we picked up the hire car. Nancy and I made the journey to John Wayne Airport in Orange County to pick up the mini van. Yep, a white Dodge Grand Mini Van. Believe me, we need it with the amount of luggage we have and how much we are picking up along the way. On the way there we got stuck in the morning peak hour traffic (we were on a shuttle bus) and I tell you now, you've nothing to complain about when you consider we were stuck in six lanes (going one direction!!) of traffic jam pleasure. It was insane.

So we jump into the van, play with all the gadgets and go ohh and ahh over all the cool things it does (and believe me, there are many) and off we go, back to Anaheim, our luggage and Erin. Santa was down in the lobby area upon our return which was pretty cool. Some time later, a lovely person with a luggage trolley helped us load the van and we were on our way to Las Vegas!!

I've never actually seen the desert before, and in the past few days I've seen how much it varies. We crossed the Mojave Desert in the early afternoon. Its rather strange and stunning in a stark kind of way. Our stop came at a small place called Baker where we saw the worlds biggest Thermometer (the gift shop was closed) and a very corny place called Alien Jerky which was merely for my benefit and totally worth the stop, even if it was only for a laugh and a few small souveneers.

Late Afternoon we crossed into Nevada. You're driving along as the sun is going down, through the desert and as soon as you hit the state line, BAM, there's a huge casino with lots of flashing lights and mega huge roller coaster. It was at this point I was like bouncing around with energy because it seemed to be taking FOREVER to get to Las Vegas. Driving along pass more mountains and sand and rocks and then suddenly, there it is. In the dusk this mass of lights and buildings and cars and its just crazy. And as soon as you lay your eyes on it, Vegas just sort of sucks you in. It casts its magic on you. It was all so exciting!! And of course you can see our hotel, The Luxor, from ages away, the big pyramid and Sphinx gives it away, or maybe it's the huge beacon that shoots up from its point into the sky . . .

Its hard to really talk about Vegas. Its just so overwhelming. I guess it's like a hangover. It's a great journey and fun at the time, but you wake up the next morning and wonder what the hell you were thinking the night before. Just to clarify, I did not get drunk, married or win the jackpot. Rather I had a light beer, went on a roller coaster and lost about $30. But that amused me right up until midnight, which I was determined to reach just to not pike it in Vegas, unlike two Gow women I know. So yes, I played some one arm bandits and we ate at New York New York after riding the terrifyingly awesome roller coaster on its roof. Friggin hell, it was worth the $14 I paid!! After dinner the three of us walked as far as the Bellagio, at which point Erin and Nancy went back to the hotel and I walked the remainder of The Strip, stepping in and gambling at some of the biggest named Casinos Sin City has to offer. It was all a blur of noises and lights and people. Needless to say I returned and went to bed on very tired tourist. And it's no wonder I had weird dreams that night.

Friday morning I woke and looked out the winder of our 16th floor spa room to realise that Vegas is dull during the daylight. It really is a bunch of buildings in the middle of the desert. Its incredible the difference from the night time. Utterly incredible.

Starbucks was down in the lobby so after a stop for breakfast and some last minute gambling to wash down with the coffee, we headed back to the van and continued upon our journey.

Looking back I can't really figure out why I was so excited to get there. I mean it was great and one of those experiences that you just have to have and well, experience, but it doesn't leave a glowing impression on me. Its like the lights and the glitz and the glamour all faded away with the bizarre set of dreams I had that night.