This was the case everywhere we went, except Bally's Hotel. Here the
recruitment team had decided to deviate from type, as the waitresses were all
old, ugly and/or overweight - and as a result who has heard of Bally's?
We actually ended up gambling in our own hotel’s casino, partly
because loyalty seemed appropriate but mainly for the practical reason that
we needed to pack and leave afterwards. First thing we did was put a bit of
change in the slot machines. These turned out to be quite rewarding for me
and I almost always finished with more than I started. We also played a little
roulette, at which you have to bet a minimum of 5 dollars. After one turn
Emma decided the luck was not with her and so left me to fritter our savings.
Personally I think she was in danger of going on a gambling spree and so
backed out before betting all we had. Though I was being luckier I did not
know when to stop. Playing roulette I bet on red, and won, then on red again,
and won...then on red again, bound to lose - and I did. In the end we got
bored and just cashed in our chips and slot winnings – we had intended to
play until we had used it all. Overall we lost $8 - such rebels!
So why did we (and most of the other visitors) go to Las Vegas if not to
pay off/create debts? Well, partly because it is there, it is on most people's
itinerary when they visit the Californian area - and partly because it is a
bargain. This was so much the case that we nicknamed it 'Free-va Las Vegas'
- original, eh? We saw lots of free shows, got free trips to museums, spent
half a day in the Luxor’s very posh spa, and got loads of free souvenirs and
drinks. Highlights among these were the Pirates of T I show - repeated twice
each night in front of the Treasure Island (TI) hotel, the 'Carnivale' at the
Venetian hotel, and the fountains outside the Bellagio hotel.