The next leg of the tour brings me to Las Vegas via Death Valley. After Yosemite, it may seem hard to follow on - but both these places are pretty in prestige in their own right. Plenty of superlatives can be used to describe both Death Valley and Las Vegas - biggest, brightest, hottest...
After leaving Bishop, our first stops were in the Death Valley. Death Valley is the largest National Park in the lower 48 (all states except Alaska and Hawaii). It is also home to the highest temperature ever recorded - 52oC. It wasn't quite as hot there when we visited - a 'cool' 44.4oC. Coupled with a small breeze, this was HOT. the best way to describe it, it was like the feeling where you open the oven door to get food out, except it is constant (and there's no food).
We stopped of at the visitor centre first, to read up on the place we were visiting. The reason the place is so hot/dry is because of the four mountain ranges between it and the Pacific Coast. Anyone who has ever done GCSE Geography will know that mountains serve as a barrier, with the rain falling on the higher ground due to the wind effect caused by the mountains. Combine this four times and the effect is huge. Death Valley is also up to approx 100ft below sea level. Although, winter temperatures are a lot more agreeable, and can be around 15-20oC, making hiking there possible.
We then headed off to Las Vegas. And what a place. We started by cruising down the strip in our bus to capture the sights. It felt as if we had taken a wrong turn somehow: first the pyramids of Egypt, then the canals of Venice, and also the Eiffel Tower. There was also tower after tower of hotel rooms - approximately 300,000 in Las Vegas in total!
Whilst what happens in Vegas should stay in Vegas, I will give a few things away. We started off the evening in our very own party bus, where the 19 of us on the tour could cruise up and down the strip and around Las Vegas with drinks and music. We had stops along the way at "the sign", the worlds largest big screen and finishing at the Bellagio fountain. Needless to say this was great fun!
As it is a must in Las Vegas, we also stopped off at a casino. Given I'm doing a degree in economics, I don't just know that you are expected to make a loss, given the right variables I can do a mathematical proof of how much you are expected to loose and the (low) probability you will actually go home with something. Regardless, I was here for the experience. I only spent about $5 on the slots (and lost it all) but at least I can say I did!
With another two destinations ticked from the list, and the halfway point of the tour reached, I now head to the Grand Canyon. This is one of the things I knew was a must for my travels, and what I had most been looking forward to. Should be mother impressive place!
