We arrive at San Jose airport at 530am, and proceed to the chicane. Much to my surprise, we are not only in good time, but it is the correct day and the correct airport. The whole thing proceeds incredibly smoothly, more smoothly than I could ever have imagined. So this is how Sarah gets by when I am not around. She can do this fulltime I reckon. I resolve to ease off the anxiety pedal.
A stop over in Mexico city, then onto the US. No immunisation certificates, no refusals to enter the US, no problems at all. We call Mum and Dad, Emily at home, Walter etc. This is Monty talking to Granny.
First night in Vegas, checking into the Venetian only it turns out we are in the sister hotel the Palazzo (first slip Snoz - ha! I am watching). I think that this is probably the most extreme change in environment possible, going from deep jungle with no one around, to Las Vegas with absolutely everyone around and some weird ones too.
Our first morning dawns and Sarah has planned a heli ride into the Grand Canyon, recommended by some Haslemere friends. This turns out to be totally awesome. We are picked up from our hotel in a limo by a huge bald driver who is very jolly. The kids love the limo, as do we all if I am honest.
A quick hop to the airport , then the heli rhe ride takes 45 minutes or so with pilot “Chad” at the controls. His big mistake was to tell the kids about the microphones which allow us to talk to each other and point out things that we can see on the ground. Only this privilege is abused horribly and we have people singing, shouting, arguing, etc. The pilot can hear all this stuff, and found it entertaining on the way out to the Canyon but turned his headphones off on the way back.
We have DVD of the whole thing, soundtrack and all, which is winging its way to Walter in Devon, but this might need to be watched on “mute”. Once you get to the Canyon, you have a couple of sandwiches, some champagne, walk about a bit getting the feel of the place, and so on.
The kids were given coke instead of champers, so we spend some time finding bushes for them to pee behind. Not a whole load of bushes down there as it happens.
Strong man heliWe return to Vegas a slightly different way (still in the air though) and I also find a way to turn my headphones off, like Chad, then the heli screams down above The Strip before landing us safe back at the airport.
The bald guy then drops us off at the Mandalay because Monty wants to see Bull Sharks at the aquarium. I am also interested to see how big these fells are, having missed out on seeing any at Corcovado. The aquarium is not as awesome as everyone had told us, but the kids enjoyed it. We have a burger at some joint between the various Mandalay casinos, then it’s off to the “Fashion Show” mall to fit us out for tomorrow’s adventure. I haven’t gone shopping for 21 years now, but turn out to be surprisingly good at it. We all buy cowboy hats and cowboy boots,
and we get Jemima a waterproof shockproof indestructible camera for her birthday. Hence many of the photos from now on are hers. Our bank cards take a bit of a beating in Vegas. I am reminded of being in Val D’Isere with the great Morgan Jones, who is phoned by American Express to be informed that his card has been stolen and unfortunately someone has gone absolutely crazy with it in a place called “Dick’s Tea Bar”. Only of course it hadn’t been stolen, Morgan was merely plying us pauper students with refreshments of various kinds. My bank doesn’t even contact me – my Visa card and Amex card have now been turned off and only Master Card remains active. But I am getting into the swing of things - would you give this man credit?
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After shopping, we go swimming, eat Sushi, then bed. We sneak downstairs for a quick gamble and late night drink – we make midnight (just), the latest Sarah and I have been up all trip (including Venezuela and Costa Rica).
Tomorrow I get married.
