29 Sept: Las Vegas (Day 3)

 (Again, told from memory and notes, too many years in the future!)

We got up early to get ready for our helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon. The transfer took us through almost every other hotel on the strip as we were the first pick up. It was a cool way to see them all (I guess). We joined about 500 other people at the helicopter place – and we slowly made our way to it being our turn to take off. We watched lots of other choppers take off first, and they all (nicely) flew along hovering just above the ground for a way before lifting off into the air. I don’t think I was the only person there who was terrified of the height thing. Don’t be scared people, just take a valium (yes, I did).

We met our pilot, Daniel and we were lucky enough to score the front seat as the 2 Irish girls, and 2 Spanish girls with us didn’t want to sit in the front. I remember climbing in and I sat on the outside. It was just a glass panel beside me and under my feet. A good view indeed. (Glad I took the valium). Once we took off though, I was fine. It was actually pretty good! We flew over the Hoover Dam (isn’t that big!) and across some plains on the way to the Canyon. We travelled alongside it for a bit and then Daniel let us know that we were about to ‘go in’, threw the theme from Bonanza into our headphones and down we went. It was magnificent, awe-inspiring, mind-blowing and a once in a lifetime adventure. Words cannot describe how fabulous it was. And we were down in amongst it all. It was a bit of a short ride as it was so twisty and turny, but still breathtaking even if it was only a few minutes.

We headed over to the Grand Canyon skywalk and landed there for our next fun valium need-inducing moment in time. It’s a big loop hanging 1200m (4000 ft) high out over the canyon with a glass floor to walk over. (You’ve probably seen/heard about it but if you haven’t, here is their website). There were people freaking out walking onto it, and about a third of those who came back were still freaking out – the other two thirds were pretty mindblown, so I figured the odds were almost in my favour. I put on my little paper nurse booties, and very delicately stepped out. Next thing I knew, a photographer was urgently saying “stand here, sit here” blah blah so that he could take the included souvenir photo. It all happened so quickly, that next thing I knew I was sitting on this glass floor smiling up for a photo. Then it was up and over to the edge for another photo. I’m kind of glad really, because once that all happened, I was more than ok to stand there looking out or down, and shuffling along with everyone else. I think it (almost) cured me of my fear of heights.

After that, we wandered outside and looked over the edge at a different spot and tried to take a couple of selfies. What’s with it with people that want to walk behind you and stand there though when they see you taking a photo! Who does that? Well, lots of people actually. Back to the skywalk to grab our official photo (my notes say that Mark wanted a different photo but we got the one I chose, go figure) and then back on the chopper for the ride back. Mark sat on the outside this time, and I got cosy and warm between him and the pilot. If you are in Vegas, this is a must. Expensive, but a must.

We got back to the motel to find that Jamie had been stuck in the room all day because she didn’t have a room key. No comment. No comment here about ringing reception either. She had a nice relaxing day either way. We all headed out to have a look around Caesars and Ballagio again, checked out the harvest/fall display and had some Gordon Ramsay’s fish & chips for lunch (not bad). I have a note that says “peach and ginger lemonade and iron chef with spiky hair”. Not sure what that’s all about but obviously something that impressed me at the time. We headed back into the Flamingo, found a shop that had a flamingo hat that I simply HAD to try on while watching my family walk away from me with shame. I liked it though. Saw a big Donny and Marie cut out so I had to have my photo taken with them, and Mark sat down to the biggest glass of beer known to man.

We had arranged to meet Connie and Kelly at 6pm to head out to dinner and we ended up at Margaritaville. Crumbed coconut shrimp and some watermelon cocktail meant that it was good. We wandered down to see the volcano explode (hotter than a KISS concert) and had a little gamble at the Mirage. It was the first time Connie and Kelly had played poker machines, so it was really just an educational experience ;-)

Back at the Flamingo, Connie and I (a little drunkenly) did the now world famous ‘Flamingo pose’ made popular by Celine Dion. Whether we succeeded or not depends on how many drinks you’ve had when you look at the photos.

Pictures (many) are here.