Day 16 | Las Vegas
A very slow start and the kids couldn’t even get up for breakfast. So Rosie and Angus went out to breakfast on their own. There is an Ihop just outside our hotel so we went there and there was a cue outside, we decided not to wait and walked down the street to Denny’s. We were kind and took takeaways back to the room for the boys.Then it was shower and change and on the bus and off we went to Circus Circus.
The boys loved this place with its huge arcade and circus acts. With a pocket full of quarters we spent some quality family time playing air hockey, racing bikes and an old favourite galaga (space invaders). This is one of those arcades that you get tickets for the prizes. We won enough for a few stuffed toys. There was this lady there feeding a sack of tickets into the redemption machine. God knows how many she had but she had at least 3000. I think PSP was 17000 so obviously you need a lot of tickets for a substantial prize.
We had a drink at the most advanced and modern McDonalds (or so the bus tour says) next door and it was just the same as the ones we are used to in Oz.
Back on the bus to Excalibur (all themed on knights and things medieval) and we caught the tram to Mandalay Bay and went to visit Shark Bay (an exhibition of fish and other sea life) – which was very cool. Interesting fact on the piranhas was that no one has been killed by them but there was a security guard there to stop you going sticking your hand in. There was lots of sharks (no kidding) and fish, etc. (A little like Kelly Tarlton’s in Auckland, NZ/Underwater World, Brisbane). There was also a String Ray tank where you could pat the rays. Very squidgy but definitely a highlight.
Then a taxi back to our hotel and up the tower again for our last look at the city before we leave tomorrow. We went to the outside viewing platform and watched all the rides – we were not brave enough to actually do any of them. We were there for sundown and saw the procession of helicopters coming back from the Grand Canyon tours queued up against the dark mountains.
Some yahooing redneck ran into the casino as we were leaving yelling “Osama’s dead”. We didn’t know at the time but that’s where we were when we heard. Later we had it confirmed by a text message from one of McKay’s friends in Brisbane. As much as the credibility of either source was quite low, together it clinched it.
We decided to go to Ihop for dinner (as we didn’t get there for breakfast). We should have gone with our first instincts! We walked in and it was rather quiet. The hostess was at the counter but chose to ignore us. Finally the waiter came over and took us to our table. When he came back to take our order he couldn’t understand what a ‘glass of water’ was!!!! In fact he couldn’t really understand us and any of our order. Angus and Rosie didn’t order anything in protest and the boys ordered a light snack. Then another waitress came over a few minutes later and asked what our order was – obviously we had confused them with our order as well. O’Regan and McKay had ordered Coke off the menu and she advised they didn’t have any Coke or Sprite!!! What the! It’s not getting better is it.The boys finished their meal and we went to leave. Angus stood at the counter to pay and again we were ignored – OMG this would have to be the WORST service we have had here. Needless to say they didn’t get a tip!
We then went to Denny’s for dinner and ahhhh “proper“ service.
On our way back to the room – overhead from a group of black American ladies walking in front of us to one of their friends ‘Hey you, gurl! Yo’ pull yo’ dress down and stop showing off yo’ goodies’. You have to say it with a drawly southern accent. Too funny.
Highlights of the day:
O’Regan | Circus Circus and the arcades.
McKay | Touching the stingray at the Shark Reef.
Angus | The Luxor – crazy recreation of the pyramids, complete with sphinx out the front.
Rosie | Talking to some Aussie folks in Denny’s that wanted info on the Grand Canyon – nice to hear some familiar sounding voices.