Anniversary.

10 years. 

I landed on day one of trip one of my Vegas journey 10 years ago. I fucking hate the Grateful Dead, but what a long, strange trip it's been. Highlights, lowlights, hundreds of drinks, dozens of steaks, a couple hookers, and a priceless decade of memories.

I've seen bars and restaurants come and go, and I've seen some places stay mostly the same (never change, Cosmopolitan) and others transform or disappear. I've stayed at 28 different properties on or near the strip. A handful of them have become like homes away from home. I've tipped some of the same bartenders for 10 years over 37 trips, an average of 3.7 trips a year. I've had outstanding service and horrible service, great and turgid rooms, amazing and awful meals. Nearly all of them locked away in the memory banks.

I can't even begin to tally up the amount of money I've spent on 37 trips. From the room and flight overhead, clothes, gadgets and luggage, gambling losses, food, drink, tips, shows, cabs...no clue but it has to be well over $50K. And still I chase that big slot win that will pay it all back. Maybe next trip...

I've had views like the above (taken from my camera) and I've had views of the side of a ground floor AC unit. I've stayed in 750+ sq ft suites and less than 300 sq ft hovels. I've been to the top of the Vegas Eiffel and below the Mandalay Bay aquarium. I've sipped cocktails at Skyfall and ass juice at Double Down. What a ride.

That fake ass town in the middle of the fucking desert keeps pulling me back to it. I've analyzed it to death and still don't really know why. I love it and I will continue to go as much as I can until my body or my wallet cease to allow it. May that day be far away.

Love ya, Vegas, happy anniversary.