Viva Las Vegas!

Next Stop, Vegas. 

We drove into the city at dusk, just as the lights were coming on. However, we weren't much able to appreciate the sights on the way in, as driving in Vegas is TERRIFYING. Four lanes of traffic, massive junctions, high speeds, pedestrians everywhere and everything from Limousines to scooters driving like they own the road. The good thing about our slightly battered van is that a few more dinks aren't going to hurt. It did take me a few weeks to impart this mentality upon Paul (the first time I drove into a bush he got quite upset, but since then he's reversed into a concrete barrier and grounded the running boards on at least one rock, so I think he's coming round to the idea).

Despite this, Vegas seemed manic, and we were both relieved to arrive at the hotel unscathed. We were staying at the Elara Hilton, a pretty swish 4 star hotel right behind the strip (this was a very generous wedding present from my new in-laws, as the van budget didn't quite stretch to this). We felt slightly out of place walking in, in grubby climbing attire, 5 days from having showered, but as always in America, everyone was very nice anyway (I feel we'd get a slightly different reaction walking into a hotel in London looking like we did) and we were soon freshly showered and spic and span. 

The hotel suite was the same size as our flat back home, and felt like total luxury after a month in the van. The suite housed a massive bedroom, complete with hot-tub, a kitchenette, electric blinds, red leather corner sofa and mirrors everywhere, and managed to air just on the correct side of the hight roller suite opulence / porno suite, tacky balance!

Both sets of parents and my brother had come across for the occasion and the plan was to spend 4 days in Vegas (including a wedding of course) with the families before heading out of the city to Red Rocks to sample the climbing on offer there.

For the first two days the girls went off to buy the wedding essentials - a dress (bought and altered), shoes, a wedding ring and accessories - pretty efficient work for two days, no bridezilla here! In fact the woman in the bridal shop couldn't keep up - I don't think she'd ever had anyone try on and dismiss dresses that quickly, and with the help of two very efficient mothers, I was able to find something which didn't resemble a meringue!

Meanwhile the boys, having ticked off the only items on their wedding to-do list (hiring a car to drive us all out to Red Rocks for the ceremony and finally getting Paul a haircut), went on a helicopter ride over Vegas, stopping off for a picnic and champagne at the base of the Grand Canyon, as you do.

 I won't go into depths on the Wedding Day, suffice to say that the pre-arranged photographer and lady minister turned up in Red Rocks on time and everything proceeded with minimal complication and fuss (a miracle given it was all booked online based solely on reviews), and was pretty much perfect for what we had wanted, even the relatives had a good time. We then went back into Vegas for what was quite simply the best steak I've ever had, and red wine, of course. The white dress even survived the experience.

Photo by John Morris Photography

By this point it had become quite clear that, with temperatures reaching 110 degrees F some days, climbing was out of the question until it cooled off a bit. The only suitable things to do were enjoy a cocktail by the pool and dash quickly between air conditioned shopping malls. Plus, if we're quite honest, we were enjoying the life of luxury a little too much anyway. Therefore, we extended the hotel stay, and spent the rest of the week seeing the Vegas sites (and catching up on missed steak eating opportunities of the prior month). 

For anyone who's never been to Vegas, it's a little difficult to describe the full extent of the outlandishness that is 'Las Vegas'. My mother in-law described the place as "a total assault on your senses", which I think probably sums it up quite well. It's loud, bright and busy all of the time. Spangley shopping malls are linked by dark casinos, open all hours with a mix of tourists and in-situ old men, with girls dancing on the tables.

The strip itself hosts an eclectic mix of rich tourists, hen/stag do's, cocktail waitresses on their breaks, fat Elvis look-alikes, and people dressed as everything from Buzz Light Year to Angels. In addition to this there are a spattering of ex-army veterans, begging at the sides of the street. 

The place is unique and never with a shortage of things to see / do / be amazed or simply shocked by, depending on how long it was since you first arrived.

The night after the wedding, Paul, my brother (Matt) and I decided to check out the Las Vegas club scene with a visit to the famous 'Hakkasan'. After a rather large pizza and some cheap wine in the hotel suite, we walked the 5 minutes to the club and started queuing to get in. After half an hour stood in line I started to feel rather sick and woke up 5 minutes later on the floor, having passed out, with concerned faces looking down on me. I was taken to the hospital - a daunting experience with endless forms and waivers thrust at me to sign. After they established that I had eaten and wasn't off my head, they took far too much of my blood (my arm was black for the next week) only to establish I was mildly dehydrated and had probably simply done too much 'exercise' walking up and down the strip (yeah, right). Clearly the shock had just hit me that I'd committed myself to a life with Paul!

Vegas had been awesome, but after a hectic and eventful week of over indulgence, and with temperatures finally dropping, we were glad to be back in the van on the way back to the rock!