Monday, November 28, 2011

Back from Sin City


5 nights. 6 days.
That's all it took for me to understand the expression 'What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas'.
Not all of it stays there, I couldn't help but tell my friends and coworkers about my friend's beginners' luck at the craps table on our 2nd night there, where she ended up with $700 without investing any of her own money. Nor about our first cab ride out of our hotel where the cab driver got pulled over to get a ticket and we walked out on him without paying the fare which according to the law, we have the right to do.

Those are anecdotes that are funny to tell when getting home. But how do you explain what goes down there? I have always wanted to visit partly because people couldn't exactly explain how it is, building up on the allure of the city. 
I embarked on the trip with an open mind, following the advice of seasoned tourists on what to bring and what we will be doing there. Little did I know that I'll be in the same room as Paris Hilton and LMFAO!

What do I retain of Sin City? The extravagance. The carefree attitude. It's a party town. At all hours of the day, you can see someone walking down the boulevard a drink in hand. We had jello shots at 3pm, my first ever and the worst tasting kind! I'll think twice before having a second shot! But again perfectly normal there to be drunk by 4pm. Or not ever get sober during your stay there. After all, alcohol flows freely in the casinos, you only have to tip the waitresses. The buffets are grandiose there. We had 'The buffet of buffets' pass for 24 hrs and we ate like we will not see food again for days when the next buffet was just around the corner. We watched 2 shows during our stay; the unavoidable Cirque du Soleil and The Peepshow, featuring Holly Madison. Again, nothing extraordinary about going to watch a show where women flaunt their busty assets in Vegas, it's almost expected. We planned to go to a strip club and to watch The Chippendales too, but The Peepshow was enough to put us girls off. I slept through part of it.

I guess what made this trip so successful is that I was with the right crowd of people. People I am comfortable with, people who when I acted out of character, took it in stride and didn't let it get out of hand or out of Vegas...so far. Vegas does that to you, it extends your comfort zone and makes you do things you wouldn't otherwise do. It makes you feel like a party animal even if you're not. It makes you feel like a gambler. It makes you feel like the ultimate socialite going to shows daily. It makes you feel like you have all the time in the world because all you have to do is... Eat, Play, Watch (shows) and Dance.

Returning home, reality hit hard. Back to work routine, back to making my own meals, no limo to pick us up (we took a limo twice within 6 days there and I've never been in one before!) no neon lights in the streets of Toronto. Everything so bland. The effect is finally wearing off though, 4 days after landing back..... Until next time Vegas!

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