Saturday 19th August 2006

Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me!

I found out how to use the internet in the room of my hotel and thought I'd do some blogging in the final minutes of my birthday (even though it ceased to be Saturday for Perthites 13 hours ago).

I had an awesome day at the Grand Canyon. Wow!!!! Magnificent is an insipid word to use to describe how beautiful it is. If you could bottle the beauty of it, you'd make a fortune. The sheer size is amazing. Looking down at the river - our guide told us that the rapids are a 3 feet drop. From where I was standing it looked liked ripples on a stream. I flew to the North Rim to a working cattle ranch. We drove down to the edge on 4 wheelers. It was so beautiful, so peaceful and quiet. Like so many other things I wish my camera could capture the entire moment. What the view REALLY looked like (not a faded 2D image), the feel of the breeze, the smell of the dirt and the raw wonder of the existence of something so captivating. I won't wax eloquent for much more - it really was too amazing to put into words.

After I came back from my tour I had a sleep (5am start). I didn't get heaps of sleep last night because I wasn't prepared for the canon blasts. I'm staying at Treasure Island and they have a pirate show at the entrance of the hotel called Sirens of TI (you might have heard of it or seen parts of it on Miss Congeniality 2) Anyway, the last show is at 11.30pm and fireworks and canons going off next to my window didn't promote sleep. First the postal workers were conspiring against me (and my sleep) and now pirates.
When I woke up, I looked through Caesers Palace and the Bellagio. The Bellagio reminded me of Ocean's Eleven the movie and I expected Matt Damon to pop up around the corner. I had my birthday dinner there. Before you get too impressed, it was a takeaway smoothie. I went outside the Bellagio and watched the musical water fountains for about an hour (one song every 15min). It was totally awesome. If I could have pulled up an armchair I would have watched it all night. It was graceful and poetic. I will definitely watch it again tomorrow night.

I have decided to stay an extra night in Vegas so I can spend a whole day on the strip tomorrow. I'll keep you updated.

But before then I should tell you about my last night in Hollywood.
Well it's official, I really like Hollywood. Going to the premiere (well the crowded street opposite the premiere) made my stay more than just ticking off a list of things to see. The atmosphere was excitable. I was there with a fellow backpacker (from Brazil) and we watched the "stars" arrive. I say "stars" because the first half a dozen "stars" who showed up we'd never heard off before. One of them was even an Australian. The movie 'Snakes on a Plane' struck me as a kill fest and I wasn't planning on seeing it, so I only went because really when am I ever going to be at a Hollywood premiere again!!??
Samuel L. Jackson arrived and after talking to the media, came across the street. Before then I would have said I would be level-headed with stars (no screaming out that I love them, etc.) but my heart was pounding when Samuel (see we're on a first name basis now that we made contact) - walked past. I reached out my hand to shake his but only brushed it. It was cool. I'm not so far gone that I haven't washed where we touched. I have, many times in fact. It just changed my trip from something anyone can do and see to my own personal experience.

Well I'm sitting in my king size bed eating chocolate (I ate an apple yesterday mum and a banana this morning - in fact I got 2 bananas for $1 - jealous dad?). I am on Vegas time (meaning stay up late and sleep in) so I might surf the net for future holiday locations for awhile then shut my curtains on the lights of Vegas and go to sleep. Have I made you wild with envy yet? I hope so because even being here with the amazing sights - I miss you all!
Thank you again for the comments! I really appeciate them - its really nice to hear from everyone!!!!!!
Until tomorrow... oops it is tomorrow already. Well until the afternoon... Bye!