What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas

Who said a desert is all about severe heat and sand dunes? Welcome to Las Vegas, the most populous city in the State of Nevada, and an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping and entertainment.

If those things describe you, pack up your bags and run to Vegas. But before you do, get clearance from your financial advisor because anything below $5000, East or West home is best - at least financially.

Our descend into Las Vegas generated a lot of excitement registered in the beaming faces of passengers who were ready to be entertained and eager to spend in order to return home billionaires, after all, this is the headquarters of profitable gambling! The city I am told owes almost all its current status and reputation to the American mafia. All the original large casino were managed or at least funded under mob figures Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky.

From high above this Nevada territory, one could not miss the several miles of rocky ground, punctuated by kilometres of sand dunes. I couldn’t help wondering if this was what my secondary school Geography teacher back in time meant when he was talking about Continental drift. Abruptly, however, I was caught off guard with spectacular scenery unfolding from the middle of no where.

Then the flight Captain made the exciting announcement: “Welcome to Las Vegas, where dreams come true.”

Sky scrappers of all sizes, shapes and designs were now clearly visible and were as fancy as their names; Treasure Island, Mandalay Bay, Flamingo, Stratosphere (top of the world), Wynn, Caesars Palace, Rio, Circus Circus, MGM Grand ( Where the movie ‘Oceans 11’ was shot - yes, Vegas is a popular setting for films and television programmes), the list goes on.

Now, the safest way to holiday in Vegas is to have all your accommodation arrangements sorted before arrival or else, you may end up homeless even when you have money. This is especially true during peak holiday seasons which is; everyday. This is a dream holiday destination for an ever growing number of world millionaires whose hobby is to spend, as well as the have nots whose dreams is to win a jack pot.

Spending temptations start right at the arrivals (airport). Noisy, attractive and colourful gambling machines are everywhere, so there is no excuse- services are brought closer to the people.

You can gamble as you wait for your luggage at the conveyer, make a phone call at the booth, sip coffee at Starbucks, or as you take your beer/ wine at the bar, for the gambling machines are embedded right there, at your table! Most of the ground floors of hotels are exclusively reserved for casinos and drinks are free as you gamble! No wonder I hear, you can drink and drive in Vegas but apparently accidents are rare - can someone explain this to me?

For peace of mind, prior to our trip, we had secured our accommodation at the Circus Circus hotel courtesy of Harriet’s credit card. Just for the record, the use of cash, which we are accustomed to here, is not in vogue in that part of the world. We had initially wanted to stay at Caesars Palace where by then, Celine Dion and Elton John had permanent slots to perform.

Not only did we fail to secure a booking but we also missed out on the tickets because the super stars were sold out for many months ahead. After unsuccessful attempts from several hotels, we finally got lucky at the Circus Circus. Just like its name, our new home for the next one week later turned out to be a real pleasant Circus - the magnificent patterns of millions of designer lights by the entrance alone brought warmth to my heart.

Well, after snaking our way through the long check in queues, we were finally ushered into our magnificent room and from the look out of our window, it was already after sunset and Vegas lit up in spectacular style. The lighting at the strip was brighter than the brightest day in Uganda. I had never seen so much light in my life! I am sure, the electricity bill for one night alone, can light Kampala for months. Vegas indeed is the headquarters of abundant electricity.

Don’t blame us for not sleeping because we couldn’t. Vegas is even more beautiful at night, so off we went to put our nocturnal talents into good use. Entertainment is what had brought us to Vegas in the first place so off we went in search for it, and it was everywhere.

Harriet who is really Americanised, took the lead in search of a cab, which was readily available but on a first-come-first-serve basis, so we had to join the queue. “Where are you going?” asked our driver for the night.

“To the best night club of your choice,” I submitted. We are lucky the crime rate in Vegas is to the minimum otherwise we would have ended up in some ‘safe house’ or rather unsafe house especially that we belonged to the world’s most vulnerable group-women. However, our driver was no criminal and did not disappoint either, for we ended up on top of Rio (hotel), where we could partake the breath-taking beauty of Vegas by night, dancing away to organised music while sipping the best red wine in town. The available company did not disappoint either, as we mingled with among others, executives who were in town for holiday as well as business.

Day two took us to a day tour of the strip. Vegas summers are very hot, a good excuse to be clad in the shortest shorts available. After all, what happens in Vegas remains in Vegas, the saying goes.

Oh yes! You can do what ever you like, dress the way you like and be what ever you want to be, reason? You are in Vegas! How about this? You can meet a guy for the very first time down stairs at the casino, fall in love in 10 minutes; get married at the chapel up stairs in the next 15 minutes without a marriage license; spend your honey moon at the hotel further upstairs and live happily there after.

Did I mention that you don’t even have to worry about your marriage witnesses? For you can improvise by mobilising volunteers from the casino floor. This reminds me of a secondary school student who was once sent home for his parents because of indiscipline.

He decided to hire an imposter as the father. Upon reaching school, his plans backfired because the imposter pounced on him with kicks and blows before the school administration with good intentions to look real. By the time the headmaster came to his rescue, this imposter of a father had almost killed the student who was by now swearing before God that this was not his father and promising to bring his real father instead.

So ladies, be careful about what responses you give to strangers who make sexual advances! I learnt my lesson in Vegas. I told one Mr. Charming (by the way he was) that my upbringing dictated neither sex nor kissing before marriage. ‘That’s easy’,came his response. “Let’s go upstairs and get married.”

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