VIVA LAS VEGAS BABY! Wow wow wow, what a city. It's probably my favourite place so far.
From the beginning then aye...
We spent the night camping at a place called Bishop in Sierra Nevada, which was a much safer and built up campsite rather than an open space with bears. After a yummy dinner from Team C and a birthday cake for Adam we swapped our layers of clothing for swimsuits and drove to a remote area with hot springs. They are essentially a naturally built hot tub in the middle of a desert and the water is boiling yet the outside temperature is freezing. It's so bizarre but one of life's little treasures. We bathed in there for hours just admiring the stars and relaxing. I never thought I'd be able to say 'I'm too hot' in this place.
The next day we woke and there was a sense of excitement lingering in the air as it was time for Vegas! We've never packed up camp so quick and eager to get on the road. The journey was about a 4 hour drive but it was broken up with a nose around a typical American yard sale and then a pleasurable drive through Death Valley. The change in weather is unreal here.. You drive through snowy mountains and then into a scorching hot desert. No complaints with the hot weather though!
I barely realised we were in Vegas because it is in the middle of a desert so one minute it's sand dunes and the next its fluorescent lights and sky scrapper hotels! We drove down the strip and spotted MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, Bellagio, Caesars Palace etc.
We spent a while getting ready and then headed to meet the group for some pre drinks before we got a party bus down the strip!! It was SO fun I can't tell you how much we laughed (and drank). It was like a hummer but taller and it was like a club inside. Tunes blasting out, drink flowing and great company. We stopped off at all the iconic places such as the Welcome to Vegas sign, Fremont experience, wedding chapel (I did try my best to marry the doctor in my group) and the Bellagio fountains which was a fountain display out of this world. This was the last stop so we headed into the Bellagio casino and to be honest I was partied out so headed home with the rest of the drunken group.
Next day (after a needed lie in) we explored the strip in day light and what better way to feel better than hair of the dog right? With cocktail in tow we hit the souvenir shops and visited all the iconic places including New York New York. I felt like I was back there. After a lunch with the girls we started getting ready for round 2. We had a nice group dinner & drinks at Hard Rock Cafe and then wondered the strip together before going back to New York New York to do the BEST roller coaster of my life!!! It was loops, corkscrews, drops the lot and was outside over the strip and then inside the hotel- crazy! Whilst the boys went off gambling, we went off to do some more exploring so went inside MGM Grand, M&MS world, Played sex and the city slot machines in the Cosmopolitan and went to the top floor of Caesars Palace. Time flies and we were exhausted so it wasn't as wild night as I hoped but bed was just as good. So then this morning we are heading to the Grand Canyon via Route 66!!! I'm too excited to drive on the route and then it's a helicopter ride over the canyon later today. I can't believe I just wrote that!!!
Anyways, I totally recommend Vegas for everyone of all ages!! It definitely lives up to its nickname of sin city and now I understand how the Wolf-pack on the hangover films get into so much trouble here. Hope you are all well!!!??
Lots of love, Katie (Waller- yep I'm still a Waller no drive-thru marriage for me... this time) xxxxxx