As we stepped off the plane and into Las Vegas airport we were instantly greeted by rows upon rows of slot machines. The need for toilets, food, baggage reclaim all clearly take a second place to the city's proud heritage - GAMBLING.
We checked into our little hotel which was directly in the heart of the city and dwarfed by the surrounding mega resorts and casinos which we immediately headed out to explore. First stop was the impressive water fountain display in front of The Bellagio where the water erupts 100s of feet into the air. Next we witnessed an equally stunning fire display around the volcano outside Mirage. We sauntered around the canals at the Venetian, marvelled at the Eiffel tower over Paris and ate enormously sized portions at Harley Davidson's before a much needed nights sleep.
The next morning we headed south on The Strip to check out New York New York which was decorated with all the iconic buildings of its namesake. We took a rollercoaster ride on top of the resort which provided some fantastic views on the way up, although I don't think any of us were paying much attention to the views on the way down!
Next we headed east of the strip to the Atomic Testing Museum which documents Nevada's role in the States' nuclear testing program. It was an enciteful journey into the development and politics of nuclear warfare as well as a stark reminder of the terrifying devastation it causes. The museum also hosted a less than impressive Area 51 exhibition which did little to convince us either way about the existence of little green men.
After lunch we jumped on a bus to the north end of The Strip. Las Vegas is deceptively huge - largely due to the size of the resorts. it can take half an hour to walk past just a few of these giants and it the blazing midday sun the discovery of a bus pass was a god send! Here we scaled the lofty heights of the Stratosphere resort - home to the worlds highest thrill ride which was absolutely terrifying!
We headed further north still just outside the city to find the Neon graveyard which is the final resting place for the neon signs which once adorned the fanciest hotels in Vegas before they were upstaged by the new kids on the block. Sadly it was closed for refurbishment so we strolled around it's perimeter fence peeking through the gaps to catch a glimpse of the Silver Slippers, the Golden Nuggets and the Lady Lucks of yesteryear.
We ended our day in downtown Vegas at the Fremont Street Experience - a covered walkway with millions of LEDs which created a wonderful light display. We zip lined through the street above the crowds, we marvelled at the talented street artists, we drank from silly shaped glasses, and we people watched outside the Heart Attack cafe where anyone over 350lb is entitled to a free meal!