The Grandest of Canyons
Because our body clocks weren’t screwed up enough. We decided a 5am alarm call was the best course of action, to jump on day long Hummer trip to see the Hoover Dam, and the Grand Canyon . If only there were a Starbucks open at this time of day to get a coffee and breakfast – oh, there are, three of them (sidebar, scary how many people are still up and going at this time of day).
So, into the Hummer and fully caffeinated and off up to the Hoover Damn
Hoover Dam
Then it’s another hour or so in the Hummer up into Grand Canyon territory, not going to recount the history here, but the West point where we were is now back in the hands of the Native American Indian tribe, and it’s fair to say they’ve commercialised it. First stop up there was the Skywalk, not a place to be if you have an irrational fear of heights – ie me!
Don’t look down, I mean it, I couldn’t
The Skywalk is as it looks, a glass bottomed walk way over the Canyon, a bloody stupid idea!
Back on the Shuttle bus to the next viewpoint which included lunch (At the Guano Cafe, a lot nicer than what it’s named after – Bat Poop!), we had a lot more freedom to explore and even allowed to take out own photos – thanks!
Remains of the pulley station used to hoist Guano from a cave on the other side
On the night, which seems like a whole different day, was Boys night (and by definition Girls night), but we failed and all ended up in the same place, a Coyote Ugly bar in New York, New York, however the boys went stereotype and hit Gallagher’s Steak restaurant before hand, we achieved the below;
Before and After, a 22oz Porterhouse 
How Much!
Rounded the night off with a late night dash to Starbucks and Rach scratched a few itches on the roulette back at the MGM, she lost, as did time – 4am seemed a reasonable time to close the day off!
All the Casinos
As true, dedicated culture vultures we decided that day 2 would involve a full tour of the strip and see all the casinos, being that the cruel mistress jet lag had kicked in and I was awake from 4am with just 6 hours sleep in the bag we had enough time – wrong. Think we did manage all the main ones from CSI though, which is as cultured as we are in reality so that’ll do!
Start was our home for the week, the MGM Grande and their breakfast buffet – we didn’t go hungry! Out the door, turn right and up the strip, pop into the Crystal Shops before the Cosmopolitan. Rachel found a dress she liked, just not $308 worth of like – phew!
This could get expensive!
Further down onto the main strip and out tour of the casinos starts in earnest, so I’ll let the picture do the talking;
Glass flowers at the Bellagio
Caesars Palace 
The Outside comes inside 
A hotty in red (well, orange!) 
The Venetian ceiling
And then we ran out of time, too many damn casinos. We did manage a spot of gambling though, the worst group roulette session ever! Technically I won, but I had a wife’s losses to cover, so came out on par as a team effort!
Night time was set for a quiet one as we had 5am alarm calls the next morning, so we headed up to the Fremont Street Experience in old downtown Vegas
Where we jumped from the Slotzilla zoom zip line, google it, you’ll see why we had a light meal and not much to drink
See those wires at the top? Yup, we jumped from there!
Nice moment of calm before hand though, meal and a few craft beers over at the Container Town (everything is in an old shipping container), very chilled and great to sit out, apart from the giant flame throwing Mantis of course!
Noisy buggers these!
Vegas – day 1 (and a half!)
10 hour flights suck, no getting away from it, do not enjoy flying – so glad that’s over and done with.
Landed at about midday local time (7pm our time), and bundled over to the hotel, freshen up then out to be one of those annoying tourists!
$10 later and Rach has picked up the cast of Avengers
Couple of Beers in Hard Rock, and the first of many conversations on tipping etiquette (do you tip the barman each round or when you leave), and then down the strip as far as the Bellagio.
Bellagio Fountains
As sun came down, and hunger kicked in (at this point we were in need of meal 4 of whatever day it was, ($42 for two burgers and chips, and an ice cream and beer float – hint, don’t!), so turned back towards the MGM and ended up in New York, New York.
Dropped about $20 in some machines to get the obligatory Vegas gambling out the way and spent most of the night watching the duelling pianos which was pretty damn awesome – closed off the night with a very nice, and ridiculously expensive Teeling single malt in the Whiskey Bar at the MGM – god this place is expensive
The strip at night
A week till Vegas
In 8 days we’ll be tucked up in the pre-flight hotel, kidless and probably slightly medicated. In 7 days and 12 hours I’ll probably start packing!
This will be sampled - twice!