We have always wanted to visit las vegas and decided to go there for my wife's 40th birthday! We flew from Manchester with Thomas cook airlines direct to McCarron and the flight seemed fine if a little long. I have never been on a plane longer than 4 hours before and being 6 ft plus ,was a little achey on arrival.Straight through customs and immigration ,into taxi and checked into room of the NYNY within the hour. Di ( thats the wife) and myself were blown away with the hotel and room and were over the moon just to be in vegas.We unpacked and decided to go for a walk and explore , ending up in the Monte Carlo which seemed fine but within a couple of hours felt cream crackered!!!! Headed back to the NYNY and ended up having a meal in the ESPN zone. Di had a steak , i opted for a burger, which turned out to be the size of my head!!! The food was fantastic with 2 free refills on our soft drinks and the total bill was around 45 dollars,which i thought was fantastic value.After this we headed for bed as we both felt we could sleep for a week and it was around midnight ( we had been on the go for about 27 hours). I woke up about 4 hours later ,not being able to sleep i think due to excitement. I just stared out of the window looking at the view of the MGM ,TROPICANA, and the traffic. Fab! Di woke up not long after and by 6 am we were walking the strip.There was so much to see and do the next couple of days seem a bit sketchey,but basically consisted of visiting loads of hotels,eating ( di was very good,but my diet in vegas was mainly RED MEAT so much so i think i turned into a dinasour) and playing fruit machines which we were rubbish on!Not a sniff of a win but great fun.We loved walking around the hotels ,especially the newer hotels,ie BELLAGIO,VENITIAN,PLANET HOLLYWOOD but our favourite , although its been around a while was CEASARS PALACE. It just had a lovely feel and the sports book,my god, was huge! we went and saw Big Elvis at BILLS,great,and visited more hotels ie IP,BALLYS,MIRAGE ,TI ect. Di loved PARIS, and said she would like to stay there in the future. We were planning a return visit but had only been there a few days but the place seemed to grab us and we loved it.Went to see MAMMA MIA at the MANDALAY BAY and again something else we enjoyed very much.Half way through the week and we got brave! Di was itching to have a go on the tables,so we headed of to the casino floor of our hotel (NYNY) and after watching for a while , sat at a blackjack table. It was early ,about 6am (as all our mornings were, we just could not sleep) and it was the only table at 5 dollars a hand.I Explained to the dealer we were novices but he wasn't to impressed and seemed quite grouchy. I put this down to the fact he had probably been up all night working,but we soon won him over with a couple of dollar tips for himself and our good english sense of humour( i think ). We had practised at home on the internet,and with his help soon got the hang of it and walked away 120 dollars up. It was then i got clever and said to Di " this is easy money ". What a absolute pillock!! That night back to the tables ,10 dollars a hand , within 1 hour ,all 120 dollars gone plus another 100. We walked away laughing at our cockiness ( well Di was laughing at me) but had well and truly got the bug.The next day ,went to the canyon by heli-copter with grabd canyon tours. We were picked up at the hotel at 7 am,taken on a 20 min drive to Boulder city,and instructed by our pilot Bruce on safety ect . What a experience! one of the best things ive ever done.Di was taking pictures,filming and looking after me ,( I was quite nervous about going in a heli-copter, again what a pillock) and i just sat there with a huge smile on my face , FANTASTIC really FANTASTIC. Still eating RED MEAT as much as i could and we were both still loving this place.We then decided to to go shopping for our boy back at home.We had never left him before to go away ,but he was happy to stay with his nan. Good decision i think, because i know people take there kids there,i personally dont think some of it is suited to families.Its just my opinion and im sure people totally disagree. The trainers are so cheap compared to here ,so 4 pairs and 2 pairs of shoes later for all of us we called it a day.Now this blackjack bug had got a hold of us and luckily we found the TROPICANA ,just across the way from the NYNY. They have 5 dollar tables all day and night,and although it is one of the older hotels had a great atmosphere in there . Most people at the tables were american,and us being the token english couple made for good conversation. We spent the last 3 evenings here ( mixing it with eating RED MEAT, BELLAGIO fountains,riding the monorail ect) making some friends and finding it a pleasure to sit at the tables for 5 hours or so with a 50 dollar stake each, and leaving up everynight. 80 dollars ,30 dollars and 180 dollars ). The 180 dollar night i, i got brave and was placing 3 or 4 chips at a time and learning the art of spliting and doubling down!!! ALTHOUGH IT PAINS ME i have to say Di was the better player and most profits were down to her . Our boy was pleased though as she spent any profits on him! The dealers in there were great,and were more than willing to help with advice.
Jose' from spain was a our lucky dealer and was good conversation when he discovered i knew his local team OSASUNA.We loved the place and had some great nights in there. Overall we agreed that it had been one of best weeks we have had and are know thinking of going back in April 2009 for my 40th( i hope nan will look after our boy again, but dont worry he's going to lanzarote with us in October and ski-ing with the school next year) . LAS VEGAS , AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1