USA trip - Part 1, Las Vegas
It happened back in 2022. It was time again for the company’s team-building event. This time, Las Vegas was the first destination. The trip went smoothly, no one’s luggage was lost by the airline, and we didn’t miss any connections. Our accommodation was at the Bellagio. By this point, we already knew that the company had been acquired for portfolio expansion, and we suspected that this would likely be the last such company-organized trip. Upon arrival, the old company leadership was already waiting in the lobby. We joined them for a drink while we handled the check-in process.
After we settled into our rooms and everyone arrived, we took a quick tour of the nearby area and then had lunch.
I managed to get only minimal sleep on the plane, so after a few drinks at the dinner and standing reception in the evening, I quickly “got tired.” The next morning, we had a company meeting attended by both the old and new company leadership. I experienced the most severe jetlag I’ve ever had, essentially falling asleep on my chair. So, I retreated to my room and slept for a few hours. This did wonders, and I joined the others in the afternoon. In the evening, we went on a bus tour. We saw several famous buildings and locations that I had only seen in movies before (New York Hotel, Luxor Hotel, Las Vegas Sign, Mandalay Bay Hotel, Caesars Palace Hotel).
The most spectacular part of the evening was on Fremont Street. More info can be found here. (https://vegasexperience.com/viva-vision-light-show/). It’s a long street with a huge screen stretching overhead. It’s hard to describe in words, and even photos/videos don’t quite capture it. I haven’t seen anything like it anywhere else.
There were a few adventurous souls who tried the zipline under the displays, gliding a long stretch over the street. However, waiting for their turn took about an hour.
The next morning followed the usual routine with meetings and team-building activities. In the afternoon, we had free time. The Hungarian team and I used public transportation to get around the city and visited a few places.
Someone had the brilliant idea to go on a roller coaster. I had never tried one before, and my fear of heights made me apprehensive, but I figured I wouldn’t be back here anytime soon. What could go wrong? As it turned out, nothing went wrong, and it ended up being a fantastic experience. I vividly remember as we started and went up the first incline. Looking down, I felt the horror spread across my face. I regretted all my sins in that moment. Then came the moment of truth, and we plunged down a brutal drop. It was over as quickly as it began, but it was incredibly intense.
After we were sufficiently tired, we went back to the hotel. If I remember correctly, this was the last night of the official company trip. As was our tradition, the Hungarian team planned to stay a few more days since we had flown across a continent. Before dinner, I took a few pictures of the fountain.
The official programme ended with a standing reception in a room of the Bellagio.
The next day, our American colleagues headed home. After bidding them farewell, we set off for our next destination, the Grand Canyon. There were many options, and we ultimately chose one where a small plane would take us there, and then we would travel by bus to 3-4 different spots before flying back. I had a fear of flying on this small plane. Interestingly, I wasn’t afraid on the large passenger planes the first time, but this small one, maybe for 12-14 people, was not very reassuring. However, the view was definitely worth it.
Lake Mead, the Colorado River, Boulder Beach, and the Hoover Dam.
My fear of the plane was fortunately offset by the sight.
We landed, went with the bus to the first location, and then visited the rest of the places. It’s also hard to convey the sight and just how immense everything is.
On the way back, there was no point in taking photos as it had already gotten dark. However, once we returned to Vegas, there was still something I definitely wanted to do. While the others went to ride the Ferris wheel, I was driven by my photographer’s instinct and wanted to finally take a closer look at the illuminated fountains and the surrounding buildings.
I also wanted to make a video about it.
For the next few days, we planned to bus over to Los Angeles and do some sightseeing. We packed up in the morning, went to the bus stop, where the subject came up… 😀 To be continued in the next episode.
