Back from Vegas
Maile
I just got back from several days in Las Vegas, where my friends were getting married. It was my first trip out there, hopefully my last.
I did try to keep an open mind about it all, and I did have some fun, but overall, the place felt so depressing to me. We spent hours in darkness (except for the millions of flashing lights on the slot machines) every day. We walked constantly in and out of buildings, between 106 degrees outdoors and chilling AC temps indoors, and stayed up so much later than my body is used to. There was cigarette smoke everywhere, and crowds, and everything was so expensive.
I think I'm just out of touch with the rest of the country (world?) after living in Berkeley for all these years. You couldn't design a vacation more opposed to my ideal.
That said, there were some nice moments. I got to spend quite a bit of time with some really wonderful people, deepening our friendship, getting to know more about them. I also got to spend a bit of time outside in the dry, hot air, which was fantastic, as Berkeley simply doesn't get that weather. We also witnessed a beautiful thunderstorm on the morning of the day we left, another thing Berkeley lacks, which I miss from my childhood.
That thunderstorm, among other things, delayed our flight home by several hours, but that was okay, too. While we waited in line for our plane to arrive, I sat down cross-legged on the floor and meditated. It was actually really pleasant to sit there with the chaos of the airport swirling around me. I highly recommend it. I'm also glad to be home.
Access: Public
airport
June 2006 
Welcome back! Interesting to hear your take on Vegas, I think it explains things a little more, haha.
When hearing about the wonderful moments of your life through your blogs, I always thought that *I* must be in some odd area, but it sounds like Berkley may actually be quite a special place. I'll have to visit there, someday.
The crowds are a crazy part of Vegas, but I did a lot of my walking around at the 2-5am range and it wasn't as noticable. I've heard that the weather is Crazy Hot there in the summer, though. The cigarettes definitely got me, too :-/
Glad to hear about your trip! What a nice way to connect more deeply with where you currently are, and sounds very grounding to be reminded of the things you loved from childhood. I never thought about how other areas may not have wonderful thunderstorms…that will definitely come into play if I ever decide to move somewhere.
(and i'll try that airport meditataion next time i find me in one!)