Traveling/Travel Writing/July Writing Challenge

Celebrating Four Decades of Friendship In Las Vegas And Grand Canyon

A personal kind of celebration: with grade school and high school buddies

High school graduation made us drift away. It was only 25 years later that the world of reunion and get together entered our lives. Though, not for everyone. For some had migrated to the other side of the world.

Maybe midlife has something to do with it: you miss your childhood and you want to connect with your friends, classmates, and seatmates.

One time, Joyce had asked me about my travel plans. I told her — I’m going to my aunt in California. The next thing I knew, she created a group chat in FB with the others.

Those others and Joyce are women I had known since grade school — my classmates.

We messaged each other as if we had just seen each other the day before, the week before or even the year before. But in crystal clear truth, there were about two years to three decades in between.

My 6 days with friendship: 4 days in Las Vegas and 2 days Grand Canyon road trip

It was the third week of October, a week after my Yellowstone tour.

I started my 6-day-journey by sleeping at the San Francisco International Airport.

It was a choice between being a nuisance in the morning routine of my uncle’s household in San Francisco or sleeping at the airport. I chose the latter. I didn’t have anyone and anything to disrupt at the airport and I had the washroom at whatever hour I needed it. I was there at around 9pm for my 8am flight the next day.

I used my mileage points for my Las Vegas flight. And because of that, there was Los Angeles Airport in between.

I arrived in Las Vegas at around 1.30 pm. At almost the same arrival of the other flights, from Canada and different states of the US.

Amlee and Pam who arrived first, rented a van and waited for the seven of us. Anne arrived a day earlier. She borrowed her aunt’s house for our stay. The other two stayed in a hotel.

From the airport, we went to the house to eat, rest a little and drop our bags. Then, the 11th of us arrived. Mary lived in Vegas.

OUR DESTINATIONS

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign

A little trivia: Located at 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South. The 25-foot tall historic landmark is on the southern end of the Las Vegas strip. The white circles are meant to represent silver dollars as a tribute to Las Vegas’ nickname, the silver state. At the back of the sign is ” Drive carefully, come back soon”.

It has been three weeks since the Vegas’ October 1 nightmare. The bottom of the sign was full of flowers and prayers.

No Vegas’ visit is complete without the photo-op. Across the Welcome Las Vegas sign was the best spot to take the shot —the Las Vegas big letters at the Las Vegas Harley-Davidson shop.

Silverton Hotel

We had an early buffet dinner at Silverton Hotel. The six of us signed up for Silverton Rewards Club to become a member. As a gift for signing up, there was a free buffet for each. For the 11 of us, only 6 had paid. That’s how I understood the process and the way I remembered what happened.

The 12th finally arrived, Fe, just for the night. With her family, they drove from California.

We’re like the subtle version of Ocean’s Eleven with Amlee as Ocean.

Aside from the buffet and casino, a must-see attraction at Silverton is their aquarium. It was named as the best free attraction in Las Vegas. The aquarium has 160 species of fish and holds 117,000 gallons of water. It has live mermaids too.

The Valley of Fire State Park

One of Nevada’s native treasure is around 55 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The state park was formed by erosion and faulting resulting in Aztec sandstone formations.

The temperature there can get as high as 120F during Summer. October to April is the best time. We were on the right time. But still the sun was annoying and hot.

Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden

Located inside the Bellagio Hotel. Only good vibes to describe this place It’s free 24/7. The displays change five times a year…Winter, Chinese New Year, Spring, Summer and Autumn.

Fremont Street

We went to Fremont Street for its light show. A 6-minute astounding show. It’s not my first time to see the light show, so, better not to stand there and blocked the flow of the crowd. Best to see it at nighttime. When the sky is dark, the light show is at its best.

The Las Vegas strip

We hopped from one hotel lobby to another. From one shopping center to another, all window shopping though. Walk from sidewalk to sidewalk. With our motto: Walk until we can, until arthritis hasn’t conquered our world.

Casino? Not for me. Unless someone will give me some green bucks to gamble.

Comedy show

The only cheap tickets available were for the show of a — I-don’t- know- who-is-that-stand-up-comedian. I believed we were all lost in translation with his jokes that we just washed them away with a bottle of beer 😀.

Seven Magic Mountains

This public art installation is described as seven towers of colorful, stacked boulders standing more than 35- feet high.

No crowd to bump at this time of the year.

While the rest ignored the heat of the sun as if it was nothing and even wore plain shirt and sleeveless , I cannot. I’m bundled up. Whew — I miss my umbrella 😀.

Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer

A Catholic church near the Mandalay Bay. Ironic, that when we stood outside the church we had seen the part of the hotel where the Vegas shooter positioned himself.

Our Fourth Day

By noon of the 4th day, it was goodbye for the 5. Kris and her husband had arrived from Illinois. Joyce rented an SUV. We bought food and other needs for our road trip the next day.

Vegas to the Grand Canyon

A morning goodbye to Anne and the house that sheltered us for the past 4 days. The husband of Kris became our compulsory driver. How can he complain, the only thorn among the roses.

We dropped by at Hoover Dam

At last we arrived at the Grand Canyon

That Arizona sky burning in your eyes, You look at me, babe, and I wanna catch on fire It’s buried in my soul like California gold You found the light on me that I couldn’t find …..from the song -Always Remember Us This Way

We stayed in a hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona. Liza’s husband was able to get a discount for us in that hotel.

Dinner was Kris’ birthday treat for us.

On the next day, the two from Canada had a mid-afternoon flight to catch. No time for any side trip. So, Joyce took the driver’s seat. No, she’s not the fast and furious type. It’s just, she’s faster than Kris’ hubby.

After some rest and stretching, we did some souvenir shops hopping. Kris wanted to buy some items for her relatives back home.

The final day had arrived.

Joyce had an early morning flight. While Liza and I had noontime flights. Kris’ hubby wanted to try his luck at the casino before driving us to the airport. Well, he won some bucks. Then, gave Liza and I $10 each. I tried my luck too with the $10. I doubled it. I was supposed to give back the $10 but he said, keep it. But I didn’t keep it. I bought a t-shirt and a ref magnet with Vegas Strong print.

Postscript

In high school, we belong to different peer groups. But time and maturity knotted us together. Some relationships happened at the right time. It cannot be forced.

I didn’t spend even a single cent in those 6 days. They divided the expenses by the headcount, except my head.

You don’t need to be rich to have this kind of celebration. None of us is at that level. Only rich with friends. We exerted extra effort to pull this through. With the thought of — if we will not do it now, then, when?

It’s a celebration of friendship that we wanted to happen often. But circumstances are not on our sides. Will it ever happen again? I cannot tell.

All I know for now is that — What happened in Vegas should not stay in Vegas but in our memories.