As Abby's mission date approached, I grew increasingly anxious at the thought of going 18 months without this girl, and all of the time that I could have spent with her, but didn't, began to weigh heavily. To ease my conscience, just a little, I resolved to book a trip so that Abby and I could get out of town and enjoy some uninterrupted time together.
Predictably, Jess hopped on the "girl's trip" train plane as well, and before I could second guess things, we were on our way to Las Vegas!
This was NO small deal. This would mark Jessica's first time on a plane and my first time traveling somewhere major, without John.
I had carefully selected the Excalibur Hotel as our place to stay for 5 nights. (Mostly because it would cost a mere $35/night.)
We liked that it was right on the strip and that we could walk everywhere we needed to go!
I was lucky enough to have been recovering from the worst cold ever (probably covid) and couldn't smell a thing, which came in handy when entering or exiting any hotel establishment. The casinos in each one were truly something else!
We were told by family that the strip was grungy, but also inspiring in how BIG and grand it was. It really was. Everywhere we looked we saw more people, more restaurants, and more possibilities to spend more money. It was both fascinating and ridiculously over the top, all at the same time!
At night, the strip became a whole other experience.
Showgirls with feathery outfits walked the blocks, offering to have photos with you, limos passed by often, hotels offered exciting views and features, and the crowds were high energy.
One evening there was a lady, completely naked, standing there on the street, yelling out to everyone. I must have been gawking (I was) because she focussed most of her yelling on ME, calling to me, "You'd better come back here, babe. I'm going to kill you babe!"
I remember feeling torn as to whether I should laugh or be afraid. Ultimately, certainly looking back, I just feel sad that some people live their lives in such a tragically hopeless loop.
Our favorite nighttime endeavor involved going to the Bellagio and watching the water show. Every 15 minutes, a different song played and lights and water danced along in rhythm, putting on a magical display. It was usually in these moments that I took in a deep breath, (tried to ignore the cigarette smoke) and felt so grateful to be with my girls.
Our days were a lot less whimsical and intriguing, though we did find fun ways to keep busy.
EVERY afternoon consisted of a few hours by the pool. That was a must. Jessica had her heart set on returning home tanned and very few things would lure her away from the pool or pool deck between the hours of 2:00-5:00 pm.
Each evening, we tried to eat somewhere fun. We'd been given many recommendations for places to eat. The Shake Shack, The Milk Bar, Chic Filet, and Bucca de Beppo were all delicious, but the most exciting restaurant we ate at was, without a doubt, Gordan Ramsey's Burgers!!!
The lineup for this place was long, but recognizing that we would not likely be back again, we figured it would be worth both the time and money spent.
It was AMAZING!!!
We had THREE of the burgers and divided them up. We couldn't choose. We all agreed after that my truffle sauce burger was the best, but it's not like we left any on our plate. Best burgers EVER!
It's just a different experience when ketchup, mustard, and relish are nowhere in sight, you know?
I STILL think about those burgers!
We quickly learned that it would take WEEKS to really explore and experience all of the shops and stores that Vegas offered. We tried to pop into each hotel on the strip and at least make note of the most exceptional things. For example:
The Venetian was STUNNING! This little river runs right through the center of the hotel/mall area. These gondola rides take you through the hotel and then out and around the exterior of it. Super charming. I couldn't justify spending the money on a ride, but it was cool to watch.
Abby was particularly enchanted with "Caesars Palace." It really was breathtaking. The ceiling felt like a real sky, and the giant statues of Gods and Goddesses were breathtaking. In this hotel, we visited the Peter Lick Gallery. The girls were all impressed with how I pretended to be a rich prospective client, looking for a piece of art. I mean, one can dream, right?
The Shark Reef Aquarium in "Mandalay Bay" was a fun one too. My kids never tire of a good aquarium!
Madam Tuesaud's Wax Museum...
I enjoyed seeing how tall (or short) some of the world's celebrities actually are.
Now, we did venture off of the strip a time or two, and every time we did, I was left feeling grateful for the fresh air and the return to normal life and living.
One day we joined Mandy and Trevor Butler (connections through family) at the Las Vegas Temple. They too were down for the week and it was fun to share a booking with them and have the girls do temple baptisms. Though it was hot as heck out, it was nice to walk the grounds and notice the hummingbirds and vegetation.
Another day, we took an uber back to the airport, rented a vehicle, bought ourselves some lunch, and headed for the Arizona border! The Grand Canyon was where we were headed!
We drove right past Hoover Dam and so we had to stop for a moment.
We used the West entrance to the Grand Canyon, which is actually owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe. I'm really glad that we got to experience this side of the park. It was rugged but beautiful!
I spent a fortune for Jess and Abby to walk the famous skywalk. This glass walkway hovers almost 4800 feet over the canyon. I know it is well made and was perfectly safe, but, in my old age, I was perfectly happy to stay on solid ground and let the girls do their thrill-seeking.
We absolutely LOVED seeing the grand canyon. The day was slightly overcast, which kept our energy levels high. I enjoyed being bussed through the park, and the views were stunning! Red rock, red rivers, red everywhere I looked.
On the way home we pulled over at the Joshua Tree Forest and walked the little trails that are maintained there. It's amazing how different a landscape gets as you head towards the equator and this had me wishing I could get even more travel under my belt. I want to see all the trees!
Even though we were really tired after a long day of travel, we had to make one more stop before returning to the hotel. Seven Magic Mountains!
I'd seen this popular art piece on Instagram and wanted to check it out.
These 7 colorful rock towers are supposed to represent the intersection of the natural and artificial, the traffic and vegas life, and the rivers, mountains, and rock that surround it.
I'll admit, I hadn't made that connection until I googled it, but I definitely did enjoy being here. It was cheery and made my heart happy.
If I had to choose a favorite part of this trip, I don't know if I would be able to, though it was a special time for me to be able to be alone with my girls.
During the flight and then the drive home, my mind kept considering the reality that just a couple of weeks after this trip, Abby would be starting her mission, and things would never really be the same.
How thankful I am for the time we got to have together.
Viva Las Vegas!
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