My god, I HAVE to stop drinking! The days have just blurred into one another. So Wednesday spent most of the day time working because Andy was still in the WSOP. Ended up in a club in NYNY called ‘Coyote Ugly’ – nice place, loud, friendly not so good with the Karaoke at all! I watched 4 stunningly beautiful women completely butcher ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and so left! Went into the Venetian for Dinner at about 3am in what was quite possible the poshest restaurant that I have ever graced. Did some time in Treasure Island (no pirates), and some other places (I forget) – the funniest thing? Walking outside at what I thought was about maybe 3:30am and the sun was high in the sky, shining brightly – turns out I didn’t even get into bed until 7:30am the next day – that was one very long and enjoyable night!

Got about 4 hours sleep and then welcome to Thursday, crazy town! Grabbed some breakfast (nearly didn’t keep that down) and tried to relax for the day, spent most of it in bed nursing a sore head, could not face the heat today!! Anyway, longer story even shorter than the last, ended up in ‘The Bank’ which is a nightclub in the Bellagio (it’s a vegas club, oh yes), WOW! Amazing place, marbled floors, awesome lighting, everyone in smart casual, some big players in their – I dread to think how many people I bumped into last night, but let’s just say that when I arose from my pit this morning, my phone was chokker with txt’s and I even managed to grab some pics of whatever the hell I was up to last night, or the night before!!

Everything is backwards here, from fear and loathing:

Raoul Duke: [referring to the knife Acosta is holding] Jesus Christ, where’d you get that thing?
Dr. Gonzo: Room Service sent it up, I needed something to cut the limes.
Raoul Duke: Limes? What limes?
Dr. Gonzo: They didnt have any, they don’t grow in the desert.

I’ll be back in the UK on Sunday morning although if i’m honest i’d rather stay Stateside. The dreary trudge of wet old England does not befit me well at all. Viva Las Vegas!

So, these long nights are becoming a bit of a habit – mix that up with work and you’ve got one crazy concoction! Up at a reasonable time this morning, had breakfast and did a bit of work – yes I know I said I’d take it easy – but trust me, a bit of time on lappie saves me several hundred $’s downstairs!!

Met up with Andy and the pool and had a ‘Turkey’ club sandwich and yes, as usual they brought me out an entire turkey covered with two tiny bits of bread – man oh man, eating a sarny by the pool in the desert – not the most comfortable experience. Entered the Paris poker tourney yesterday and made it into the last 14, out again just off the money!

I played poker with Andy 3 times since I’ve been here and every time stayed in longer, but these little tourney’s are crap shoots – who gives a shit going all in with nothing – it’s only like $70 or something – I doubt Andy is playing anything but Gold at the WSOP today! – Bastard – Just had a phone call from Andy- ‘What’s the number for Virgin Atlantic, we’re off home’ – WHAT? Oh, your only joking, right, funny – from the sounds of it Andy is in good shape over at the Rio.

No gambling today – absolutely none and I feel great – shopping tomorrow if I get time and fancy getting myself scorched!

Yesterday was another relax day, getting prepared for the big event today!

So onto another day in the death heat of the desert. Rolled in to bed at about 5am this morning, but up by 10am – the heat man! Yesterday was a bit of a ‘chill pill’ day really, His bossness the Royal Ice was playing in a satellite over at the Bellagio, so I chilled in the Ballys for a while – ‘Clap, Clap’ Ice got through to the main $70,000 event in the Evening, so I just chilled in my room and on the Casino floor.

Long day, cut short, Andy got put out of the tournament after 4 hours, so we met up in a bar in the Paris, had a couple of Buds (or in my case some voddy’s) and then hit ‘The Artisan’ for the Winners party – hahaha – it was dead! Dead as a fucking dodo, great place, nice atmoshpere, crazy paintings stuck to the ceiling and some memorable guests – so we left and dedcided to go to the Palms – ‘The Greatest NightSpot in Vegas’ apparently?? Anyway the clubs all looked closed (it was 3am on a Monday night), so we hit up the bar, more strong drinks and got chatting to some ladies – who were hookers – Ashanti (as in a shanti town, cause that’s exactly where it looked like she had come from) and the other had a name that wouned like shit -  we left – alone!

I headed out onto the Strip at about 4am, ended up in some Irish bar, listening to inane bollocks and getting merry – didn’t last long, bed by 5am.

The kicker?? Found out this morning that the Playboy Club WAS open at palms and the winners party had been moved there – thanks for the warning guys – fucking hell!

Daily Note: Someone somewhere must do Darren sized portions?? Hmmm? Nobody could possibly eat a fucking 120oz steak – that’s just not possible!

So we’re all still good, trying to get in a bit of rest before the big day on Wednesday. I didn’t actually get up until 3pm this afternoon after last night – it’s a weird sensation, grabbing an elevator downstairs after just getting up and straight away you hit the Casino floor – lights, noise, smoke and so many people gambling!!

Anyway – turns our I hadn’t eaten for about 28 hours, so went to a nice restaurant and had a 16oz steak which not only woke me up, but also made me consider the possibilty that I might need a heart bypass soon!!! Some more gambling ensued and then we book into the Cirque Du Soleil’s ‘Love’ by the Beatles over in the Mirage.

Turned up early and played some Blackjack – not going to well there. But the show was amazing, better than amazing, so precise, the colours, the lighting, the choreography, just a masterful spectacle shining with all it’s might – it really will leave a lasting impression, maybe I’ll get to see ‘O’ before I leave – let’s see how things pan out on Wednesday!!

If my memory serves me correctly – tonight we’re off to a ‘Winner’s Party’ for all the WSOP qualifiers that made it through to day 2 – no idea where, what time or even how, but we’ll see later on this evening.

I have no idea how long I have been here or even what day it is – I was asking the staff last night at Caesars what day it was – the kicker – they didn’t seem to phased, they must get asked that alot!

Anyway, yesterday way long, spent alot of my time at the Rio reporting on Ice and his progress through the World Series – did I mention, Andy is through to DAY TWO!!!! Good on you mate! So I was getting various Cabs and shuttles to and from the Rio, saw some awesome play from some of the pro’s and kept a blow by blow account over on the poker blog – really great stuff, made better by the progress into the 2nd day!

So evening time (circa, 12:30am) we met up and started having a little drink or 20! I eventually ended up at Caesars Palace watching the Blackjack tables – and got this awesome Medallion (I have a deal with the boss, to wear it all week long – when in Vegas etc), won some cash on the ‘Wheel of Fortune’, which made me have a few celebratory drinks of course – got into my sack at about 5/6am this morning – we have a three day respite now from the WSO, so we’ll find some stuff to do and then straight back on it! Maybe see the Cirque Du Solie tonigh.

Note: Vegas is very busy! Caesars has more entrances than Tiverton has homes, that photo was taken at 5:30am, so that explains the graveyard like appearance of both myself and the surroundings!

A very quite day today for the most part, got up late, grabbed a buffet breakfast (I haven’t eaten anything other than breakfast since getting here) – got the let the Boss get prepared for the WSOP tomorrow. Spent some time in the Paris, a bit of shopping at Bellagio, quite a bit of money poured into the slots.

Eventually made it to the Rio (via shuttlebus – very warm), to check out the WSOP 1st day, fucking mental – the place was so busy and it’s only going to get worse the further into the tournament we get – saw Gus Hansen and snapped a pic of him and Andy. Watched some Blackjack with these idiot Americans that really didn’t have a clue what they were doing – they were hemoraging chips within minutes. Met Angela from LA, I tell you – if all the women from LA are as insane as here, I’ll be moving there tomorrow – sounds like a great place to live!

Met up with the Poker Glasses guys, met them a few days back – them seem to be doing alright – check them out at: Royal Eyewear. Grabbed some freebies off the various stands – most of it tat to be fair.

We even managed to make it over to the ‘Planet Hollywood’, although it’s very difficult to anything but stare at the sheer number of dancers – they are everywhere, bad place to gamble – good place to gawk!!

Went to the Fontana room in the Bellagio later on and spent another 3 hours trying to catch the fountains playing Botticelli, and finally at 11:45am – we got it, great stuff. Hit a few bars and then hit my sack about 4am this morning.

Finally, it’s the 4th of July, so I’m surrounded by American flags, fireworks and a whole lot of patriotism, they love it. I don’t know whether to be happy for them or a bit pissed off – they are after all celebrating their Independence from the United Kingdom- they must be glad to rid of us!!