USA Day 5 - driving in the desert

Total States Visited: 2
Where Are We Sleeping Tonight: Paris Hotel Casino, Las Vegas

We started out early today as we have a lot planned. First up we headed to the wonderful Grove Shopping Center where we saw the crew setting up to film an episode of "Extra" - some sort of gossip/chat show from what I can gather. However it was good to see that they shoot on XDCAM - it means that the skills I have are valid in another country! We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast in Barnes & Noble - breakfast in a bookstore: only in America :)

Next we walked over to CBS studios where we queued up with hundreds of people, hoping to be in the audience for "The Price Is Right". After standing around for a little over 90 minutes, we were bluntly told that we should have gotten there earlier as the studio had been filled up hours ago. We were offered preferential seating at a future date of our choice but that doesn't help us any, now does it?! I think CBS needs to reassess their procedure and re-educate their employees on elementary customer interaction skills.

After a handful of days in L.A., it is sadly time to leave. Trying to avoid the freeway, I chose to take a more interesting route. We headed out to Mojave where we got to see the largest wind power generator farms in the world. We also drove past Vasquez Rocks - this is why we need to check where things are in relation to each other! We stopped in Mojave where we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Dennys. Sadly their free wifi wasn't working, but otherwise, it was a great meal. I am so excited about trying all the weird and wonderful fast food chains that they have here. One of the other great things here are the billboards - the interstates are covered with them. And some of them are hysterically funny...

 

Back on the road again, we drove past Edwards Airforce Base on our way to Vegas baby! I know we are in the desert but it was amazing to see that outside temperature was over 110 F! We stopped at Valley Wells and the heat smacked us in the face as we got out of the nice air conditioned car. It is geologically interesting countryside (and we stopped to see the Joshua Trees) but I am sorry, I need to get back into the car with the lovely air-con. Once again on our way, it was cool crossing our first state border as we left sunny California for sweltering Nevada.

Driving into Las Vegas, our Tom-tom sent us the long way but it meant that we got to drive the entire length of "The Strip". I thought driving around L.A. was bad, but it was a breeze compared to Vegas. Reasons why I hate driving in Vegas are:

• the insane number of pedestrians. With the exception of Hollywood Blvd, I don't think I saw a single pedestrian cross in front of me in LA. In extreme contrast, Vegas is full of tourists - everywhere!
• the intersections are too close together. The traffic lights are programmed in a way that does not allow for a good flow of traffic, leading to increased frustration levels and reduced patience and tolerance of other drivers
• taxis - they are everywhere! I did see taxis in LA but Vegas would have to be 75% taxis who just don't care about other drivers.
• lack of road markings. I think (and hope) that it is incomplete road works but not of The Strip has any lanes marked which makes it hard for someone who has never driven in Vegas before.

We checked in to the lavish and wonderful Paris Hotel before driving over to the Rio to watch the brilliant Penn & Teller show. To say it was fantastically fun is an understatement. Sure they had their usual amount of political content, but it was still a treat to see them perform live!