Win2Win
23rd March 2009, 10:40
Having just got back from the gambling capital of the world, I can report the following:
Gambling capital my :butthead:, regardless of how they dress the casino's up they are all exactly the same, full of brain dead zombies, and with 1000's of slots to choose from, unlike the UK ones were some skill can be used, Nevada law states that slots must contain zero skill, so they are all just basically spinning wheels. If you do go, and must play something, stick with the video poker/blackjack, better still, get on the real poker tables, and avoid everything else.
However, avoiding the casion areas and just looking around the place can be pretty impressive, with the Ventian standing out.
The Strip: Very impressive in the brochure :thumbs .....in real life....it is a huge building site stretching for miles, with multiple road works in the area, and plastic grass down the middle!! During the night it lights up, but this just hides the crap that you see during the day, and is really a cross between inner Manchester, and Blackpool. :ermmm
Also beware that if you go off-Strip, especially to Frank Sinatra Drive at the back of the Bellagio, Circus Circus, etc, you'll find all the brothels. :ass2
Traffic Accidents: Plenty of these happen daily, some serious, I past 5 in one day once :ooo. I still haven't decided if they are due to stupid American drivers, or confused tourists. Probably a bit of both, but it is advisable to always drive in the middle lane.
I covered over 2000 miles, I'm not a person who goes to a place and stays there, 2 weeks on the Strip would have made me suicidal after 24hrs. I visited the Hoover Dam, the new bridge buidling is very impressive, Mt Charleston, a small 12,000ft peak just outside Vegas, Red Rock Canyon, beautiful, Valley of Fire, again great scenery, and Death Valley.....that took the whole day, and we only done 1/2 of it. Very surreal place, but no death! :doh Also past a few places were atmospheric nukes went BOOM in the 50's :omg:
So would I recommend going? Certainly, but as long as you hire a car, and get out and about. If you are just going for the Strip, 5 days is long enough.
Due to the recession, you can get some great deals on Vegas now, with direct flights from Manchester and Heathrow.
Would I want to live there? Due to the relative ease of access with flights, and a much better climate than here with only 2" of rain a year, I would consider it.
PS. We also visited LA....what a :censored: dump!!! No wonder Beckham wants to stay in Italy. What the brochures do not tell you is that most of the year, the place is covered in smog & haze (worst air pollution in US). Have a look at the webcam here, and go through the archives/hall of fame to see the real LA.
Pictures: Red Rock Canyon, Lovell Canyon Road, Valley of Fire, Death Valley's Telescope Peak, Hoover Dam Bridge, First glimpse of LA!
Gambling capital my :butthead:, regardless of how they dress the casino's up they are all exactly the same, full of brain dead zombies, and with 1000's of slots to choose from, unlike the UK ones were some skill can be used, Nevada law states that slots must contain zero skill, so they are all just basically spinning wheels. If you do go, and must play something, stick with the video poker/blackjack, better still, get on the real poker tables, and avoid everything else.
However, avoiding the casion areas and just looking around the place can be pretty impressive, with the Ventian standing out.
The Strip: Very impressive in the brochure :thumbs .....in real life....it is a huge building site stretching for miles, with multiple road works in the area, and plastic grass down the middle!! During the night it lights up, but this just hides the crap that you see during the day, and is really a cross between inner Manchester, and Blackpool. :ermmm
Also beware that if you go off-Strip, especially to Frank Sinatra Drive at the back of the Bellagio, Circus Circus, etc, you'll find all the brothels. :ass2
Traffic Accidents: Plenty of these happen daily, some serious, I past 5 in one day once :ooo. I still haven't decided if they are due to stupid American drivers, or confused tourists. Probably a bit of both, but it is advisable to always drive in the middle lane.
I covered over 2000 miles, I'm not a person who goes to a place and stays there, 2 weeks on the Strip would have made me suicidal after 24hrs. I visited the Hoover Dam, the new bridge buidling is very impressive, Mt Charleston, a small 12,000ft peak just outside Vegas, Red Rock Canyon, beautiful, Valley of Fire, again great scenery, and Death Valley.....that took the whole day, and we only done 1/2 of it. Very surreal place, but no death! :doh Also past a few places were atmospheric nukes went BOOM in the 50's :omg:
So would I recommend going? Certainly, but as long as you hire a car, and get out and about. If you are just going for the Strip, 5 days is long enough.
Due to the recession, you can get some great deals on Vegas now, with direct flights from Manchester and Heathrow.
Would I want to live there? Due to the relative ease of access with flights, and a much better climate than here with only 2" of rain a year, I would consider it.
PS. We also visited LA....what a :censored: dump!!! No wonder Beckham wants to stay in Italy. What the brochures do not tell you is that most of the year, the place is covered in smog & haze (worst air pollution in US). Have a look at the webcam here, and go through the archives/hall of fame to see the real LA.
Pictures: Red Rock Canyon, Lovell Canyon Road, Valley of Fire, Death Valley's Telescope Peak, Hoover Dam Bridge, First glimpse of LA!