Grand Canyon to Las Vegas

Thursday 10th September 2009...

Up early for a quick breakfast and on the road by 08:30. Yet another drive through this awesome scenery, it is barren but wonderful to us. We hit the Mohave desert and the temperature hits 94, wow this is really something for three lillywhites from England to experience.

We stop off at the Hoover Dam, which is very American, big and impressive, with the heat now in the high 90's, this is certainly an experience. The heat is dry so thankfully no humidity. We take refuge in the cafe and down some dogs and fries, oh and loads of fluid. The security guard we were talking to said that they never publish the real temperature at the Dam because it would put people off as it is a natural sun trap. He told us that the temperature at the centre was high 120's but would peak at 4-5 pm at 130-135 degrees. Thank god for air-con.

We charge on to Vegas, the car thermometer hits 103, but we are getting used to it now, NOT. We are all looking with very wide eyes at the hotels on The Strip, they are magnificent, outrageous, beautiful, I don't know how to describe it. It certainly is a sight not to be missed. The Venetian is awesome, I don't remember Venice being this impressive. It has got everything including, canals with gondolas, St. Marks square, frescos everwhere, a blue sky with clouds, a shopping mall, and 28 restaurants.

We decide to eat at "Canaletto's" in St.Marks Square, Jon had Canelloni and Jim and Carol had veal...it was lovely but very filling...we left the square for the Casino to gamble some dollars away on the old fashioned and the Wheel of Fortune - Jim's fav. fun and easy to understand!!..

Carol went to bed early, Jim and Jon stayed a while to lose more money...then Jim came to bed, leaving Jon to ramble along the strip for half an hour or so...and so to sleep, ready for the next day's excitements..