Las Vegas

I’ll be honest, as someone who is not yet 21, there is not that much to do in Las Vegas. Or more specifically, the Strip, I wouldn’t know about the rest of it. It is fun to see the different casinos and the craziness of it all, though.

I only had one night to look around and I think that was enough for me for now. I might go back once I’ll be able to put a quarter in a machine and pull, but I could really see how it was a place designed for partying.

I started off at the Bellagio watching the fountain show, opposite the Eiffel tower. Walking on the streets there was music coming out of speakers connected to lights. The stores were big and luxurious, there were modern bridges for crossing the streets and getting from one casino to another, palm trees and wide sidewalks designed to make you feel like you’re in a movie.

I went into a casino called New York New York and it was a little scary how elaborate these places can be. It was like entering a different world – it was dark, they had built streets inside the building (resembling New York) with lots of places to eat pretty much anything you could dream of. That led to the gambling machines and I felt like it kept going and going. It felt like time stopped and I was just there, existing.

For me, the biggest reason for going in there was to find the rollercoaster, which I did, eventually. The ride itself was actually really fun, I hadn’t been on a rollercoaster in years. I moved on, just taking in the sights and went looking for a bite to eat. I ended up at a food court getting Del Taco (which was not the best food I’ve ever tasted) when a funny incident happened.

I was sitting there, minding my own business, when a police officer or security guard or something of the like came up to me and said ‘I’m going to have to take you in.’ I just sort of looked at him with wide eyes, in my head wondering what I did wrong and he said ‘I’m going to have to take you in for being so beautiful’ which just made me laugh. That is definitely not something that has ever happened to me before.

Everything on the Strip is designed to pull you in and make you want to stay. Whether it’s shiny lights or cheaper deals or extremely elaborate buildings – I mean they built a New York, Paris, Venice and who knows what else – I can see how one can be sucked in to the idea of living life like the rich and famous.

I saw people in costumes like Mickey Mouse, Scooby Doo, a stormtrooper and a Chewbacca, but also girls half naked with fluffy feathers around their heads. I mean, I feel like I wear more clothes when I go to the beach than they were walking on the streets of Las Vegas. Not that I’m judging.

I feel like Las Vegas really is a unique experience, whether you go there to gamble, to party, or just have a look around. I would definitely go back one day, to experience again the crazy, beautiful, shiny and luxurious life in a place where there is nothing else.