Two Days in Vegas
July 7-9, 2004
Part 5: Leaving Las Vegas
Friday morning we slept in a bit. We didn't really have a lot of time to do much since we had to be at the airport shortly after 1 p.m., so we decided to cruise around a bit before leaving.
By night the Luxor is marked only by a shaft of bright light shining straight up into the sky. By day its black pyramid and sphinx seem almost unreal.
The Las Vegas Harley Davidson Café sports a giant Electra-Glide bursting from it's façade.
The tower at the Stratosphere is 1,000' high. At its summit is a roller coaster and other amusement park rides. Not for me!
We scurried all over trying to find a gas station to fuel the car. Hertz had generously offered to fill the tank for me at $5.89 a gallon, but I did not want to inconvenience them.
At the rental car check-in the attendant told me that she wished she were leaving Vegas for good but should couldn't afford it.
We boarded the plane and prepared for the flight home. Outside the window other planes and service vehicles sped about, all intent upon the exacting ballet of bringing 30 million plus people through McCarran airport every year.
I fell asleep and did not awaken until Joy nudged me after takeoff, pointing out the window: the desert mountains slid below us.
I could see Lake Mead spreading out underneath our jet.
Late that night, we arrived home.