The wanderers return

Touchdown and travelling down the M4.

So we are back. BA not as good as AA in terms of service and entertainment but was a night flight and went fairly swiftly and pretty much landed as expected.

Will tidy up the blog a bit over the next few days so we have a permanent record of our travels but thanks again for joining us on our adventure. Very much in the spirit of how chrissi and I used to travel pre kids and pleased we can now involve the kids. To be fair we have driven to Spain and France in recent years so we have been moving more in this direction.

Right, final thoughts and observations from me:

Carys can write, my god can she write!
Bryn shows real character and calmness when the chips are down. A quiet leader.
Chrissi and I are greater than the sum of our parts, achieving so much as a team
The world is a mixed up place and education and liberal views are sadly not necesarily in the majority
The world offers so much through technology, geology and culture. In the words of Bueller, if you don't stop and look about once in a while you might just miss it.

(Carys) So, I can't actually believe it's all over! As an individual I have been on such a journey, and learned a lot about culture, geography, my family and myself. For instance:

I never knew I was okay at shooting basketballs into a hoop.

Bryn proved to eat not as much as he had intended to, and not as much as I thought he would.

Dad was a quick learner, and after a few jerks he soon got into the hang of driving an automobile with the driving wheel on the opposite seat.

Mum was actually really great at pointing out famous landmarks, and helping me actually see the world around me.

Finally, the world is a beautiful place and some and some people don't acknowledge that. I recommend going on this road trip with your family,because I found it truly amazing.

Heading Home

(Carys) Well, I have had my final glances of the beautiful Las Vegas and currently in the airport. Unfortunatley plane is delayed, but all the more time to write this blog post.

Got up this morning and dad went of to the poker area in the casino. Mum, Bryn and I picked up a Krispy Kreme donut and then went of to the pool. Did I mentiont hat yesterday I bought a 6 dollar inflateable noodle? Total waste of money. I don't know why I bought it.

The donut wwas delcious, (I chose chocolate custard,) and so was my strwaberry milk. I sunbathed and went down the slide all morning. Mum came down trice at the end. That was lots of fun.

We met dad back at the room and had showers. Then we dressed, finished packing and took the bags off downstairs. We checked out of our room and dropped our luggage off.

Then we went to the arcade for a bit and I discovered that I'm actually quite good at shooting basketballs into a hoop. Might start netball when school begins again.

We all walked over tothe souvenier shop so Bryn could by some presents for his mates, and I bought myself a Hersheys Cookies And Cream bar.

 Then we had lunch. I couldn't say what we actually ahd because we all ate from different places in the food court. I had a large slice of pizza and Sprite.

Then we all walked back over to the Excalibur hotel, picked up our bags and took a cab to the airport. I'm really sad to leave, and I'm going to miss the US so much. It's so a beautiful place.

(Lloyd) So here we are sitting in the airport  having taken a last chance to enjoy vegas. A poker tournament where I got to final tables but busted out in around 7th place before the money. Happy with most of my players though and it at least meant I could go and help with the packing so tell chrissi I lost for her.

Vegas is our city, the place where we got married and every hour reveals something different. So glad we were able to show elements of it to the kids and hope we all keep coming back in years to come. I think every trip we take photos on the bridge next to new york new york. (but this time we managed one together!)

And this time we have excalibur in the background. That road we drove around a few times on arrival to try and find drop off point for the car. I like to think it was a tribute to the griswolds in that London roundabout scene in European vacation.

Will compose one more final reflections post before calling time on this blog. But a call to all you lurkers as we draw to a close. Our regs Haydn,  Linda,  ian, Wendy and 1 or 2 others it has been great to see you out in the open in the comments block below. The rest of you, and stats say there are between 50 and 100 (although only 6 yesterday so don't know what that is all about,  what did we say?) How about leaving a comment, especially for carys, maybe telling us which bit you enjoyed the most? Or the least...

Until next time, one more shot for glory!

Winner winner chicken dinner

(Carys) Hey! Woke up this morning and went to breakfast. We ate at a fast food sort of restaurant, quite like McDonalds but 10 time worse. This may sound really rude of me but the egg was greasy, the pancake chewy and the scone dry. The only thing I did like was the milk.

We didn't have the Krispy Kreme doghnuts, which I moaned about for around 10 minutes. Dad went back to casino and the three of us, me, mum and Bryn went to the pool, again! 

Came back and mum and I went to this souvenir shop beneath MGM Grand,  and I bought three things: a cup with a curly straw, a magnet and a  pretty keyring. Mum also bought me a cool Las Vegas tishirt, that I am going to wear for the flight home tomorrow.

Speaking of, I can't beleive it's practically over! I have had so much fun on this holiday, and writing this blog...........maybe I should save this big speech for the very last blog.......

Anyway, mum and I went back to the hotel and met Bryn and dad in 'The Fun Dungeon,' which is the kids arcadet here. 

I played some games there for a bit then dad went off to the gym. Me, mum and Bryn went to the Krispy Kreme shop and Bryn and I had a donought! This was some sort of subsitute for a lunch. I had the chocolate kreme one, and it was DELICOUS! 

Then me and Bryn met dad back at the pool and mum went to the gym. We messed around in the pool for a bit, and later, when mum came back, dad came on the slide! He looked really funny coming down it.

Sunbathed and swam for a while then came and had a shower, got dressed up slightly and came to this this lovely posh buffet in the Mandalay Bay hotel. It had all this lovely food, though I didn't try many new things. The dessert was delicous too! 

(Lloyd) title of blog more blackjack related see bringing down the house https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bringing_Down_the_House_(book) ( Great read) but will apply to poker today. Small post breakfast tournament in the excalibur. Played conservatively, got a break with trip 10s and ended up heads up with the best and most aggressive player in the tourney. Pretty much 50/50 then but he got a deserved break q7 v my q10 and hit his 7 ... Still 130 bucks not to be sniffed at in my small time poker world.

Breakfast today not the best. Went all american and felt like airline food. Good practice for tomorrow i guess. Still seemed to be sitting heavy on my gut as i went and did a slow treadmill parkrun inthe gym.  Hope to speed up in the real thing this weekend. Yes thoughts turning to home and real life as i sit in the unreality of the vegas sun and excalibur pool. Kids on the slides and chrissi in the gym. Might be time for a beer. This has strangely been one more of the healthier holidays i have had. Eating and drinking taken second place to actually doing stuff. This is a precedent that might influence future holiday plans.  And probably should for general life...

Buffet, Show And Exploring!

Hello! Woke up straight away this morning and got dressed immediatley. Actually that's a lie. Mum practically had to drag me put of bed to get dressed! But then I realised that my promised doughnut breakfast was waiting behind the counter of the Krispy Kreme doughnut store. We had a Starbucks first - cream cheese bagel - and then went for the doughnuts. I chose a chocolate rasberry, and an excellent choice it was.

Dad went off to spend, correction: waste, his money in the casino, and me, Bryn and mum went to the pool, again. The the three of us came back to the hotel room and had a quick shower, and chamged. We met dad downstairs and walked down the main strip of Las Vegas. We walked saw loads of cool hotels, including MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, and New York New York.

We had this lovely buffet with loads of different foods from different places ovee the world. My personal favourite section was the dessert section, with the cutest cupcakes I have EVER seen and this delcious purple candy floss, or 'cotton candy' as they say over here.

I also loved the Italian section, even though that food is only pizza and meatballs. I did really like the meatballs though. I really love Italian food in general. I tried lots of new foods, and some I liked, and some I didn't like.

After that we went to see the Nathan Burton Comedy Magic Show. It really was great! Nathan was an incredible illusionisy, and I really didn't have a clue how he made people be chopped in half or levitate people. It was awesome!

Then we went for a look round the hotels, lile Belagio and Ceasers Palace. They were both really beautiful inside and out. I loved the Rome theme in Ceasers Palace, and Belagio's fountains look magical!

Really exsausted now, and about to have a game of cards before going down to the kids arcade with
mum and dad! Bye!

Vegas a winning city but not at the tables...yet

Hope springs eternal but the poker and low level gambling not off to a great start! Had breakfast in the excalibur, bagel and donut kind of affair.

I headed over the luxor for the morning poker tournament. Turned out to be fairly small numbers a sit and go almost. And sit and go I did. Built my stack up steadily and then moved all in ak v kk v
a8 and that was that.  Chatted to a few of the players all very interested in Brexit and why we have done it. I didn't have many answers that were positive but the consensus seemed to be the Trump types are everywhere and in great numbers!

Met the rest of the family and walked up the strip to planet hollywood. Great buffet there that I divided into a middle Eastern course, American course and 2 deserts.  Incredible range of flavours and far better value than anything else we have encountered in vegas.

On to our prebooked show. Magician called Nathan Burton very amusing, and mangaged to incorporate showgirls so many dimensions.  We took a walk over to caesars and the bellagio and caught tail end of the fountains. The strip beginning to get a bit lively around dusk so time to return to the relatively safe fortress that is excalibur.

Carys branching out on her own again today. We should converge for the finale.

Vegas Took My Breath Away!

(Carys) Oh my goodness! We arrived Las Vegas today, a heaven of casinos, food, and hotels. Wow it is beautiful. Being on the 20th floor of Excalibur Hotel, a castle, helps alot when you want to take photos. Whilst writing this a beautiful sunset can be seen over the horizon! (Please see photos.)

The hotel is gorgeus aswell. I'm loving the King Arthur theme. Very.....unique. The pool......correction........pools were lovely. Only went in two out of four as one was closed, and the other a pool strictly for adults only. I liked the pool with the slide, and a very fun slide it was indeed.

About to go out for a walk around some of the nearby hotels, and my first meal in Vegas! Hope dad doesn't get distralced by any of the poker tables! He's already been to the casino today.

(Lloyd) back up a little there sister... we have a day to describe first. Left our lodge at 8 or 9. We are not sure what time we were on as when we got to nevada it said put our watches forward an hour but we had never put them back... luckily we had no imporant engagements time wise for the few days we were in Arizona! !

Drove back on ourselves a bit and then up towards vegas. Made a stop in the last stop in Arizona.  It turned out to be a monster truck and machine gun practice outpost. The gun stuff out here really turns your stomach although we still managed to have breakfast there.

It was on to the hoover dam and hovering between states aloft the structure.  Pretty major feat of engineering and incredible views.  The heat hit us too. Back in desert. Temps went up around 30 degrees during our journey as we dropped from the height of Williams to the desert of nevada.

A bit of a griswold style loop around the excalibur a couple of times as we looked for car park to drop off hire car. Vegas not fun to drive in. 750 plus miles done on the main road trip plus lots of toing and froing in california takes it close to a 1000 driven I reckon.

The sweet smell of the casino hit and a few early forays at the tables proved unproductive.  Clearly the kids bombed less in the pool.