Thursday January 26, 2005Wake up at 3:30am after only a couple hours sleep. Am very tired and annoyed my dad has woken me up so early. Leave the house by 4:30am to get to Buffalo airport in the States. Flight leaves at 8:20am so have well over 3 hours, nearly 4 to do the, what should be 1 hr drive. Cross the border and what happens? We get lost!! Dad ends driving around some pit of an area and decides to ask
With 1 hour to spare we finally get to the airport. Catch the flight.
7.5 hours later we arrive into Las Vegas where as soon as you get into the airport lounge there are slot machinese everywhere. Welcome to Vegas! It's a pleasant 15 degrees. Check into the hotel and hit the bar!!! First round of drinks $12.00!!! - for 2 beers!!! Can buy a whole case for that amount!!! Decide to hit the all you can eat buffet - no wonder Yanks are fat meffs!! Actually don't see that many fat Yanks - well no more than the UK. After we go our separate ways. I hit the penny machines and end up winning $6.44. Decide to call it a day and go to bed....at 8pm!!
Friday January 27, 2006
Usual tourist traps....The desert and Hoover Dam.
Wake up at 4:30am. Decide to get an early start. Go down to the casino and still find people gambling and drinking. See a little old Chinese lady working 3 slot machines at once. Yikes!!Find some typical diner and get an "American" breakfast. Definitly not as good as an English fry up, but the Americans sure know how to make kick ass pancakes!
We drive out to the desert. It's cool at first, but then quickly gets boring. There's nothing out there. We then decide to drive into the mountains. We find one called snow mountain.
As we get higher into the mountains the scenery dramatically changes and yes, there actually is white stuff up on the mountain. It's not snow, but frost. It's an Oasis in the desert. Very beautiful.
We come back down and decide to go to the Hoover Dam. I am very impressed with the dam. It's an amazing sight.
Loose my money and get drunk
Get back to Vegas and we go our separate ways. I hit the slot machines again. Quickly loose my money. Unlike most US states and definitly Canada, drinking in the streets is allowed in Vegas. Buy myself a strawberry daquiry and hit the streets. Now I'm not sure if you've been to the States but they are known for their 'light' drinks. Not Vegas!! No watered down drinks here! Drunk after one daquiry! Check out a few free shows (cos I'm too cheap to buy tickets) before going to the hotel to drink some more!
Am surprised at how much sex is promoted in this city. A family destination my ass! Naked lady pictures litter the streets! (Naj would be impressed!!!)
Saturday January 28, 2006
Chinese New Year
Well if the White folk in town didn't know it was Chinese New Year then they sure did by this day! The Chinese have rolled into town!! and they roll in in the thousands!! Dad and I watch the $1000 dollar minimum tables, which have been hijacked by the Chinese. Where on Earth do they get that much money? Find the casino and hotel staff seem to be much more friendlier to us Chinese today.
We decide to go for a drive out of town and end up at some Mexican market. It looks just like Leeds city market, but instead of Yorkshire people and chavs, it's full of Mexican's and cowboys all speaking Spanish. End up buying dried chillies, which I am assured are the hottest in the WORLD!!!
Quite an eyeopener to see the difference between the wealthy people who are gambling on Vegas strip vs the poor people. See some proper, run down trailer parks.
Flight home at 11:30pm.
Sunday January 28, 2006
Arrive into Buffalo.
What is the first thing we do? Go to Tim Hortons for a coffee and doughnut. Ah it's good to be home!!
