So as we woke on the morning well more like early afternoon as we had a very LATE arrival we strirred and opened the curtains to take in the view from the 16th floor of the tropicana resort where we were staying! We could see 4 or 5 off the big casinos including 'new york - new york' and the MGM grand. So wednesday 26th march started with a look around the strip we headed into the MGM grand first, it was so posh and as the golden lion is MGM's mascot if you will they had a lion enclosure inside! We then popped into M&M's world like the one in New york but this was bigger and better and we had our pics with the yellow one. Next was the magnificant mile of shopping centre or something like that passing the hawaiian tropic club were all the hostess's wear bikini'sre are full on flame tourch thingies outside! Inside the shopping centre was pool where every hour they have this rainstorm thingy with lightining and rain and it starts off light and gets heavier and heavier! Now back out onto the strip we had a look in the parisan casion with its own miniture effiel tower and arc de trimph on the outside and on the inside mini parisian streets.

The flamingo hotel was next on the strip and true to its name had a flamingo garden in the back at the time there was a wedding going on, not our cup of tea but what ever floats your boat isn't it! We then walked even further down the strip past some of the smaller casino's like 'casino royale' and 'O'sheas irish casino' were they had there own little fella outside dressed as a lepricun (the little lucky fella). Going past a few of the big hotels we finally stopped in the 'Sahara' casion in the party pit a betting area like that of austin powers era and as they had $5 black wolfie had a go. Starting with $20 before going down to $5 and then getting back up to $45 it was time to leave was on the up! So we took our chips converted them into cash and left $25 to the better.

After a brief walk down to the stratosphere and a look in 'circuc - circus' it was time for tea. We went into Tresure Island and had their buffett dinner for $20 each so cheap and such a variety of foods. Finally starting to tire after the 4 hours of sleeeeeep and the 6miles or so of walking we made our way back stopping to look in the bellegio and New york casinos. Once back at the Hotel we it the bed and that was the end of it!

Thursday 27th March was another late start but in las vegas that doens't matter cause near enough everything is open 24 hours so we started the day with a $5 footlong (thats 2.50 in england folks) from subway and then went into the Mandalay Bay. It was sooooooooooooooooo posh and the enterance was a series of fountains and pools leading into a luxorious resort. So we had a nosy around before taking the walkway into the Luxor and ita huge pyramid main body where it takes you a second to actually realise where you are! But hey on each step of the pyamid on the inside on the wall if you will was a floor of hotel rooms.

Next along was the Excalibur which from the outside was amazing but on the inside wasn't all that good! But hey it wasn't bad, we then went on a bit of a crazy walk to the Hard Rock Cafe/casino and they had some awesome bits and pieces of the stars including the skeletons of the killers video, the schoolgirl outfit britney wore and the sexy sexy outfit of christina's from the video 'dirtyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy'. We had some drinks and bought some more pin badges before catching the shuttle back to the strip and heading for the jacuzzi in the Hotel!

It was soooooo nice to relax and chill for a while, before getting out and heading back to get ready for our show that night Folies Bergere. After some tea in New york -new york we headed back to our hotel for the show. Folies Bergere was/is one of the oldest running shows going and features the Showgirls, who dance around Topless and theres acrobats and live music and singing. All in all it wasn't bad but am glad we didn't pay full price for it!

Our final full day in LV Friday 28th march was an early start as we were off to the hoover dam. We had the buffet breakfast at the hotel so that we could nick some stuff to save us money on the lunch (bagels, cream cheese and fruit) and worked our way through the casino to the coach pick-up point. After picking up a few more people we worked our way towards the hoover dam with the very knowlageble coach driver telling us all sorts of crazy things like that 6'500 people are moving to LV every month, how much the casinos sell for and who owns them all! After drving through boulder we arrived at the dam. first off all we went over to the arizona side and took some pics from a look-out point before getting our tickets to go into the belly of the dam.

We took the escalator down and went through yet more stringent security before watching a brief fiolm on the history and making of the dam. Afterwards we took the elevator down around 200ft to the powerplant and some other rooms. Apprantley prior to 9/11 the tour was much bigger but since they have closed alot of it off to the public! We made our way back to the surface viewing the dams and surrounding canyons from the observations tower which was well cool and reallyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy high up. Finally before having to board the coach back we walked across the dam.

On the way back we stopped of at the lake that has been caused by the dam, its the largest man made lake in the world stretching 12 miles long. Once back in vegas we finished offf the casinos that we hadn't done yet, starting with the hooters one were all the lovely ladies wear the traditional vest and hotpants (corinne wasn't impressed). We then had tea again in NY - NY. For pudding we had frozen strawberry daquiris very nice!!! high five!!! We had a look in the mirage and cesears palace, cathcing a few of the free shows along the way, but the sirens of TI was called off cause fo high winds. With time getting on we went back to the hotel to pack for our journey to San Diego!

Saturday 29th March and we checked out of the hotel, had some breakfast and a final go on the machines and corinne won $25 from putting $1 in how good is that! We jumped a cab to the greyhound station and boarded a bus bound for los angeles. During this time we really appriciated the amtrak trains despite the rocking motion most of the time at least there was plenty of leg room. Once in LA after driving though the mojave desert with joshua tree cactus everywhere we swapped and boarded an earlier 'surfliner' train south. Fianlly arriving in San diego we jumped a taxi to the hostel and settled for the night ready for the 9th place that we have visited!