Monday 5 November 2012

Leaving Las Vegas


I did actually finish the 40 oz novelty tankard of frozen cocktail last night, it was a struggle but I polished it off just before midnight as the movie I had downloaded came to an end. A quick note on the film I watched; Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, sounds so naff and rubbish that I was swift to dismiss ever watching. That’ll learn me, although not a classic, it was entertaining and more than held my attention throughout, recommended. With no itinerary and nowhere to be today I took my time packing, showering before checking out, with which came a surprise. I had pre-booked this trip and pre-payed, or so I thought. When I swiped my credit card on the ‘quick check-out’ terminal a bill for $100.80 was displayed, tax evidently. Thoroughly disgusted at this I failed to tip the baggage guy when I dropped off my pack to allow me to explore the shops and have some breakfast. MacDonalds has a completely different menu for breakfast here, I tried something new to me; breakfast burritos. A tortilla wrap containing egg, cheese and bacon served with a sachet of mild chilli sauce, and a Pepsi. Not content with this healthy option I went further and indulged in two decadent doughnuts with coffee, a major sugar overload. I managed to get a few gifts for Beth and Ed and still managed to save a hundred dollars to change back to sterling later in the week.

As I sat watching the stereotypical casino tourists pass by, yippering and yammering like chimps, something flipped inside me, an emotional switch of sorts. That was it. I had done all I had come here to do, it was time to go home, (has that tourism tagline been used yet I wonder? ‘Where to go? Togo! Genius). Within minutes I had collected my pack, this time overtipping the bar guy, and was in a taxi on my way to terminal 3 of McCarran International Airport. Las Vegas is surrounded by craggy peaks which are tantalisingly visible from the city. The appeal of these mountains and Lake Mead and Valley of Fire country parks may entice me back here but the bright lights, neon signs, show girls, casinos and other brain numbing attractions will not. If I do manage to get some interest from those I have met on my journeys the past year to compete in the ‘World’ food championships then I may come back for that too.

As I sit here, flight side, at the airport, trying to spot the Brit, I feel somewhat ambivalent towards returning to my real life. I am looking forward to everything I have missed from all members of my family, even the difficult bits, but I am not tremendously happy about all of the aspects concerned with my professional life. I will attempt to get as much sleep on the plane as possible so that I can return to work as soon as I can.

With an hour before embarkation I will watch the remaining bits of Derren Brown’s Apocalypse, part 2 and watch the minutes tick away.

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