Vegas ain't in the South! ....How dry I was... no body knew, how dry I was....

Y'all will have to forgive the bad photos; again, getting perspective was difficult with the HUGE of everything, with crowds, etc . . .

While visiting Las Vegas with my brother Tommy, I noticed that in all that excess, surely anyone's heart's (or any other body parts...teehee more on that later) desires could be realized. That there is probably not a thing that cannot be for the having if one wanted it. That one need never leave Las Vegas with a need unfulfilled.

There were two desires of mine that I required that I did have a hard time fulfilling: Coffee and Water. Coffee and Water, you ask? Why, what's so hard about that? Las Vegas has everything! It has Paris, New York, Planet Hollywood, Food from around the world, Egypt, Italy, shows with famous people whose big gigantic faces blob out at you on the sides of buildings, Music spilling out from everywhere, Lights that can be seen from space, people from every nationality and some that have never been discovered, and more more more . . . and your desire was Coffee and Water and you were lacking? Why Kat - what's up with that?

Las Vegas is in the desert. Temperatures were in the hundreds, but, fortunately it was a dry heat - get in the shade and it wasn't bad. Heck, I spent 30+ years in South Louisiana - don't talk to me about heat where the humidity soaks your clothes in two minutes or less even when you are just standing in the shade doing nothing but picking your nose and contemplating whether to move or just stand there with yer brains boiling yer thoughts to mush.

I was thirsty the entire time I was in Vegas. And every morning was a trek over hill and dale where I at last found coffee that wasn't $5 a cup (I finally found $2.00 coffee!). FIVE DOLLARS for a plain old small cup of plain old weak black coffee. No coffee makers in the hotel rooms, nope! No drinking water fountains to be found anywhere, nope - water was also $5 and up. My brother and I finally filled our water bottles in the hotel room and plunged them in ice. Still, while walking about the Vegas strip, when thirst gnawed at my tongue and throat, when my little bottle of water emptied (or grew hot in the Vegas sun), that $5.00 water tempted me to no end. We would find something to eat (more on the food there later), and the first thing I'd ask for was "WATER PLEASE>>>>WATER!" gulp gulp gulp glub glob -ahhhhh.

Ironically, there is water everywhere in that desert city. Fountains gush, water shows, treasure island ships in fake "oceans," "volcano" eruptions in on a water-surrounded "island," mists misting tourists upper bodies as they walk by, fountains inside hotels and malls and casinos . . . water water water! And yet, I thirsted. I never quenched my thirst while in Vegas. I left lacking . . . oh dear. Yup, you can get whatever you desire in Vegas, as long as you have a big fat wallet! haw! And that's the thang, my friends: If you visit Vegas, bring lots-o-cash. It's going to cost you. Everything costs you. Nothing is free.

For a Southern Gal, that is weird concept. In the South, even in tourist cities such as I live in, you can find free things. You can say, a "Gosh I am so thirsty, may I have some water?" and someone is going to get you water and it ain't gonna cost your $5.00!(plus tip in some instances)--it's gonna cost you zilch. A cup of black coffee? Ain't gonna cost you much, and there are places it's free (and in your hotel room most of the time you will find a coffee-maker, and free coffee in hotel lobbies, to boot! Not so in Vegas). This southern gal was bug-eyed at the hands out for cash at every turn....lawdy be! My wallet dwindled fast, and I didn't spend much time in the casino (more on that later- good gawd a'mighty!

Granted, if you sit at a gamble table or machine, they'll eventually get around to you and ask what you want and it's free - but how much are you gonna spend gambling before that drink or water or coffee gets round to you? could turn out to be a $50 cup of coffee or small bottle of water with five gulps to it. Huhn.

I want to know about your vacations or trips --- was there something you take "for granted" at home that you were unable to get (or could only get 'at a price')? What surprised you the most about your trip to another place? And did you find cheap coffee and free water! ha! laughing....