Wednesday 31st March 2010…remember these girls??

Received these photos this morning…..miss these girls and Paola too!!!!!

Daniela with her younger sister Lupita!!!

Great memories!!

Tuesday 30th March 2010…..show time!!!!

We treated ourselves to tickets to two shows today.  So after breakfast in our room we put on our walking shoes and took off for the strip which is actually this street!!

On the strip we found this great transit system

for 7 dollars you purchase a ticket that is good for 24 hours.  So we went down to the Mandalay hotel.

Then the Luxor hotel and we continued down the strip.

I must say at this point that I am thrilled with my new camera I think these shots are great and the night ones below.   I  just point and shoot, the camera automatically adjusts to what ever the conditions are!!

We then arrived at the Imperial palace for our first show a 4pm one called Matsuri.  This was a Japanese show filled with incredible acrobats and the colours of the costumes and the energy was really special.

I perhaps shouldn’t mention this but the next port of call was the Cheese factory again…enough said!!

We took the bus back up the strip managed to see the last couple of minutes of the Lions in the MGM hotel and then across the street to the Luxor hotel for our second show.

This too was a great show,  four very talented women in a very funny production.

So ended a great day and evening we took it all in and enjoyed the day.

Tomorrow Ramona goes into the repair shop and I will get her back late Thursday afternoon.  The plan is to pick her up and head out on the road on our way home.  We are hoping to be at Sara’s sisters for Easter dinner on Sunday.

I doubt I shall be able to post again till we get home Monday….so hope you all have a great week and see you in Canada!!!

Tuesday 30th March 2010…catching up

Let me try and pick up from the last post…we checked out of the hotel Saturday morning at 11am and spent two hours by the pool and enjoyed the sun and the relaxation.

We then went and did some shopping and out to here

where I had signed up weeks ago for a nature moonlight walk with a State park ranger.

Here is Aaron our guide for the evening.

Off we go…

It was a very informative and interesting hike of about 4 miles.

See the full moon?

Fox foot print, I think!!!

It was a lovely time but the photos of the full moon did not really look good.  We got back to the starting place about 8.30pm.

We simply went to the end of the parking lot and spent the night there, very quiet and safe.

I wanted on Sunday to try and get into the RV park at the Red Rock Canyon but I knew the spaces would be limited especially on a Sunday so we left early about 7.30am and I must say at this juncture that my sweet Sara was still in BED!!!!   Drove to the park and we were lucky enough to find a camper leaving at 11am and we got his space!!!

Our spot at the canyon.

As if sleeping on the ride here wasn't enough!!!!

We then took the scooter and went on the scenic 13 mile drive through Red Rock Canyon.

Then stopped at the Calico Basin for a great 3 mile hike, again Sara is the photographer.

We saw these two brave folk…

and this one crazy guy!!!

The end of the hike treated us to this view of the city!!

We then went back to Ramona, I BBQ`d chicken and we had a lovely supper, watched an old movie, Bridges of Madison County and woke up to a great sunny day.

Monday we left two days of wonderful memories in the dessert and came into town.  We both had shopping to do and I managed to buy the camera I wanted, I got another Canon and Sara bought the laptop she wanted.

We then checked back into the same hotel as before and even got the same room, which is great because it is a huge room with a fridge so we brought some food in from Ramona and she is only parked about 50 yards away.

In the evening we had a long walk along the strip and enjoyed seeing the sights.

Now Tuesday morning and we are going to spend the next two days walking and looking and taking in a couple of shows.  Ramona goes into the repair shop Wednesday afternoon and back again on Thursday afternoon.

So all is well……blessings Les

Saturday 27th March 2010…….Last night…

As I mentioned last post Sara`s birthday is 26th April but as she will be back working and I shall not be with her I decided it would be fun to celebrate it one month earlier in Vegas.

Whilst I was spending the afternoon running around with Ramona yesterday Sara took off and walked some of the strip so these are her photos of her travels….

Just cannot leave her alone for a minute!!!!!!!!

Some of the sights she saw…

Most of the large hotels have themes and this one was Venice!!!

I think Sara is picking up on my humour now she is taking photos of washrooms!!

To celebrate the birthday I had months ago booked tickets for what is rated as one of the best shows in town.

As we were waiting for a taxi outside our hotel the valet attendant asked if we wanted to share a limo with another couple as the price was just a couple of dollars more… why not arrive like the `Rich Folk Do``…

Tis a small world the other couple we shared the ride with were from Qualicum Beach, which is the next small town on Vancouver Island from where we live!!!

As per usual photos were not allowed at the show but just trust me on this one.

This was the most amazing and incredible show we both had ever seen…it was centred around a huge pool and I cannot describe the performances of the show, it just took your breath away.  If you ever get to Vegas spend the money and see the show you will not be disappointed!!

After the show we saw the outside water show at the Bellagio this was done to classical and pop music, again amazing.

Sara`s first try at the million dollars!!!!

We ended the night at the Cheesecake Factory in Caesar`s Palace….

No need for a comment here!!!!!!

So an eventful day with a very happy ending!!

It is now Saturday morning around 11am an we are checking out of the hotel and we have a moon light canyon walk tonight that I arranged through one of the Park services here, so we are looking forward to that.  We shall boon dock somewhere tonight and then hope to get into Red Rock State Park for Sunday night and spend the time in the park and check back into the hotel on Monday afternoon for three nights.

So it really all worked out……have a great weekend!!!

Friday 26th March 2010…Well it had to happen sometime!!!

A little bit behind here in the posts and I really don’t know what day it is anyway Sara and i are doing great but the last 24 hours was a little tiresome!!

We left Chloride Thursday morning and our first stop was

We were searched before we crossed

and decided to just take photos from Ramona rather than stopping, it is an incredible work of construction and the new bridge is almost complete.

I have no idea why I look so silly here!!!

This is Lake Mead.

As the RV parks here in Vegas are quite expensive I did some prior research and found this great resort hotel 2 blocks from the strip called Tuscany Resort and mid week the rooms are only 35 dollars so we originally booked here for Thursday and Friday evenings.  the rooms are very large and clean and it is a good place to stay.

We got cleaned up and as this is Sara’s first time in Vegas she wanted to walk the strip.

We found this 10pm show for half price and it was a Canadian Mark Savard, a hypnotist, and the show was great.

This is where the story gets gloomy.  We had noticed a grating sound coming from Ramona after I apply the brakes and then pull away and it was getting worse, so we decided to   get it checked out in the morning.  I missed a part here where I took the scooter off and went for a ride and then brought it back and left it next to Ramona in the parking lot over night.

When I went out to Ramona this morning the scooter was gone!!!!

I had no time to report the theft as I had an 8am appointment for Ramona at a brake shop.  So I drove and left Ramona at the brake shop and took a taxi back to the hotel where I went to security and much to my joy they had chased a man away last night who was trying to steal the scooter.  They didn't catch him but the scooter is safe and they had it in their storage.  I thanked them so much and was relieved to find the news was not so bad…..yet!!!

When I called the brake shop they told me the bearings were shot on the back end at the drive shaft, sorry I may have said this wrong, but it needed new bearings and was major work and the whole cost would be about 1100 dollars!!!

I called my local repair shop in Nanaimo and they told me the cost was about right and the damage I could cause to the vehicle if I drove it home without getting it fixed could be way more.

So to cut a very long story short, we are staying in Vegas till Thursday as it is the weekend and everything is closed and they also have to order parts…..so Sara and I will assess where we will stay and how to handle this….

So my first major problem in years of travelling and as Ramona is my home 6 months of the year home I feel the cost to repair her is worth it, so Vegas watch out…..here we come…..wish you all a great weekend…

We are going to celebrate Sara’s birthday one month early and I have tickets for the best show in town tonight!!!! 

Stay tuned I may be out of Internet range till Sunday…