Day 129 - Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Now this has got to be the worst way to wake up this morning. An email from work about how to successfully "reintegrate into the business". Think I'll save thinking about that until April 15th!!

The best way to get over such an email is breakfast overlooking the stunning pool at Terrace Point Cafe. 

Very sad that we have no Pete and Selena this morning as they had to get a 6am flight to Lima with two transfers along the way. Very painful!

After spending the morning around the pool I could not resist heading into the Race and Sports Bar to catch the Man Utd Vs Man City game. Thought there would be more but there was only an Arsenal fan in there. Luckily the guy behind the bar very kindly put three different games (Ars vs Swa and New vs Eve) on the three biggest screens there. Could not have been in a better place sat there supping Sierra Nevada. 

After the game I joined Nat back lot at the pool. 

That evening we head to the bar at the Mandarin Oriental first as it has a good view of the strip. Surprisingly there aren't that many bars with fantastic views in Vegas (Voodoo, Mix Lounge and Palm being the exceptions). 

The Mandarin within the bar cut out the side. 

These are actually apartments and it said on the side you can get a studio apartment for $200k. Not bad value for the heart of the strip in a pimp building. 

Aria. 

Gorgeous sky behind Aria. 

After a good walk around we decided kt eat at Todd English Pub which we have eaten at before but it is really good. It's a classic American style bar which specialises in great beer.  

Cracking beer menu. 

Beer tasting - don't mind if we do. 

Wise messages. 

After dinner we just had a good walk the through the casinos as we are a little boozed out after a couple of heavy days. We decide to walk back to the Wynn from the city centre / Aria. 

Not sure but I think this hotel might be called Paris ;-) 

We caught the Bellagio fountain show. Never tire of seeing this. The one was saw was to the music of "your song". 

Caesars looks really good now. They have done really well to keep it looking so new considering it is pretty old school. We have a walk through here and the forum shopping centre. They have just opened the Nobu hotel here (along with the Nobu restaurant that has relocated

from Hard Rock) which looks really cool. Interesting new idea for Vegas too opening a hotel within a hotel. 

Then onto the Mirage. This is the Beatles bar outside their Cirque show. 

We then carried on through Treasure Island, across the road to Palazzo (stopping to treat myself to some cracked heel cream - my feet can't hack constant flip flop wearing!) then over the bridge to the Wynn. A lovely walk and explore of the strip. 

Time to move on tomorrow to Flagstaff but we have leg our hearts rule our heads and are returning to Vegas on Saturday after the Grand Canyon. We have a few days spare in the schedule and can't think of a better place to spend it. Certainly makes leaving tomorrow easier. 

Day 130 - Las Vegas, Nevada to Flagstaff, Arizona USA

Time to move on from Vegas today (for now).  It is always hard to leave the Wynn but it is made easier by the fact that we will be back later in the trip. 

Time for some shopping this morning. We have resisted so well throughout the whole trip, literally buying only essentials but time for a little blow out now In the Fashion Show Mall opposite the Wynn. Especially as we have grown so bored of our clothes and post parents leaving we actually have more room in our luggage. 

Great views of the Wynn as we cross he road to the Mall. We then spend a good few hours in the Mall mainly in Abercrombie, Zara and Gap where we had a pretty good haul. 

Love this pic. Looks like the clouds are coming out the top of the Stratosphere. 

The gorgeous Wayne lobby 

Parasol bar. 

Parasol down bar overlooking the lake which has the great shows beamed onto the waterfall during the evening including crazy frogs amongst many things. 

As it is pretty windy today we decide to get on the road instead of having another few hours by the pool. Time to pick up the car. We head to Dollar in the amazing car rental place at Vegas airport. We are a bit worried about what car we will get as have paid and desperately want the convertible Mustang but they can't guarantee it. 

Luckily when we get there THEY HAVE A MUSTANG for us. We even get a choice of colours and pick the silver one and hit the road. 

First things first - Top down and drive down the strip (even though it's in the opposite direction to where we need to go). 

Right lots if pics coming up from our strip cruise. Starting with the famous welcome to Vegas sign. 

The Luxor (obviously). 

Hakkasan where we ate the other night at the MGM Grand in front of the famous lion statue. 

Hard Rock Cafe on the strip. 

Aria and the City Centre. 

Bellagio. 

Great shot of the Paris. 

The are building a London Eye in Vegas that will be open soon. 

Palazzo and the Venetian. 

Passing the Wynn again. 

The welcome to Vegas Downtown sign. 

After doing the full length of the strip we start to make our way towards Flagstaff. Luckily we have to go across Hoover Dam on the way which is pretty cool. They have now built a new $250 bridge over the damn now so the majority of traffic goes over this bridge as opposed to across the top of the damn nowadays, although you can still go over it too. The bridge gives us a great view of the damn though. We pull up and walk to the half way point on the bridge as you cannot actually see the dam from driving over the bridge due to high walls to stop rubber necking. 

Shadow of the bridge on the side of the mountain.  

The new bridge. 

Yet another reminder of work which I am not happy about. Don't want to see of think about gannt charts, processes and project phases for a few more weeks yet!

There she is. Loving having the Mustang - a lovely car. 

We then got on the road again out towards Flagstaff which takes about 3 hours from here. 

I love passing through the archetypal American towns on a road trip. 

We stop off at McDonald's on the way for a quite bite as we are a bit peckish. 

We arrive at Flagstaff at about 9pm at the very lovely Courtyard Marriott. We get the shock of our lives when we get out of the car. Considering we left Vegas in short and flip flops where it was 25 degrees, four hours later we had arrived in Flagstaff and it was -1 degrees and snowing. Absolutely crazy weather. Never have I experience such a temperature change in such a short drive. What I didn't realise was how high Flagstaff is. It is actually at 7,000 feet which explains the temperature. 

That evening we just have a few beers in the bar before having an early night. Nat is starting to get very very worried now as tomorrow is our sky dive!! I can't wait and Nat can't wait to get it over with.