I had planned to stop and camp at Red Rock Canyon just west of the city but was unable to get a site because it was the week-end of the Nascar Races in Las Vegas. I decided to continue to the city since I wanted to find an RV park.
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| Red Rock Canyon area from a distance |
Luckily my new internet plan works on my Canadian cell phone ( I had the phone unlocked and a very helpful sales clerk at Walmart helped me take out the SIM card and put in one I could use in the US. "T-mobile" had a starter kit giving me unlimited internet and texting plus 100 min phone calls for $30 for a month!)I still don't know what a SIM card really is and can't understand how so much information can fit on a wafer less than 1/2in square!
In a month, I'll be back in Canada
and will have to look into a new system there.
Las Vegas is a place I've wanted to visit for years but never got to. It was curiosity more than anything that took me there. I found a fantastic campground which was also a Passport America park. Because my RV is relatively small, I was able to get a site for about $15/ day (half price). That included access to their lounge, a pool and hot tub! Many people are parked here for the winter and most of the rigs are large Class A's with a few 5th wheels, large Class C's and trailers interspersed. Just about everyone has a toad (towing a car or truck) Mine is the smallest motorhome here.
The park is located on Boulder highway, in the southern part of the city. There is a bus that stops by this park and so I was able to go into the city and experience "The Strip".
It was far busier, nosier , and crowded than I had expected.
After the desert, hiking the strip was a very different experience!
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| Hiking in Death Valley |
It was fun for a while but I soon felt sensory overload.
In the desert it was extremely still except the sound of my boots on the rocks. There nothing moved but hikers,
cars on the roads and an occasional bird flying by. I felt close to the earth.
The strip of Las Vegas was
a complete opposite experience.
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| promising the possibility of wealth |
Lights, noise, crowds, music.
It was a fantasy world, with a lot of glitz and excitement, promising an escape for many from the problems of every day living.
There were more casinos than I had expected and some, like Caesar's palace, covered several city blocks.
I walked several miles and wasn't sure where to eat dinner. I went into the Flamingo casino and asked a waitress there if she knew of a good place. Not only did she give me some good advice but I felt I had met a soul-mate! She works there because of the good pay but then she is happy to get home to her garden and spend time in some of the beautiful national parks. "Velicity" told me she is a naturopath, does not gamble, smoke or drink
and believes in angels! she said she would get one of her angels to watch over me and keep me safe. It was a delight to meet her and I ended up having a very nice dinner about 2 blocks away from the strip.
Even there, I had to wait an hour which I used to catch up on e-mails.
They gave me a $10 card to play the machines while I was waiting but I would first have to pay $10 then use the card for more play. I gave the card to someone else who was excited to receive it. I have no interest in throwing away money on gambling and have seen too many people lose not only money but sometimes their home or their partner.
By the time I was finished with my dinner, it was already quite late but I wanted to see some of the free shows including a water show with dancing fountains and a lazer light show. They were well done and I enjoyed that very much.
On the way, I saw a man lying on the ground with a hotel worker standing beside him. I offered to helped and checked the man. He had been heavily drinking, walked outside and fell on his face hard enough to knock out a tooth and cause a gash on his forehead. He was talking and saying he didn't want anyone to call for help as he didn't have any money to pay for treatment.
Someone brought a first aid kit but they wouldn't allow me to help (concerns re liability). I had to leave and thought of how lucky we are as Canadians to have such a good health care system. I wonder how he dae out.
While I was walking the strip, there were several occasions when an ambulance or fire trucks sped by.
I was told that the Las Vegas has a very high crime rate.
Because of the lights, I never once saw the moon and only a few faint stars.
Coming back on the bus took much longer as I had to wait. The first bus dropped me off after about 45 min with info about where to transfer to the next one. I had to wait at a quiet intersection and felt uncomfortable because it was so late.
Standing at a corner at 11:30pm is probably not a smart thing to do in Las Vegas!
Luckily the next bus came soon and I was able to get back to my RV.
I decided one visit to the strip was enough for me and can now cross that off my bucket list!
Tomorrow, I'll leave here to drive to the Hoover dam and east towards the Grand Canyon. The moonlight should be visible again there!
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| Along the strip of Las Vegas |
Seen on someone's T-shirt:
"Suspend your disbelief"
A quote from the Dalai Lama
" My religion is kindness"
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