In the flight, there always used to be an in-flight magazine and other stuff. These magazines always fascinated me. One of them carried various things, seemingly exotic, being sold on board. I would read about each and everything listed. Funny gadgets, jewelry, cosmetics, all at X times the normal price. Or I don’t know if such products were sold elsewhere. I haven't seen any in any mall, though it could be due to my lack of powers of observation.

In this particular flight, there was a magazine that contained information about hotels and, more importantly, events in Las Vegas. I read about the famous French Circus ‘O’ show—never heard of it—Mandrake the Magician—is the name, right? —The Blue Man Show, and so on. And wondered if we would be going to any of these.

In the place where the Aladdin Hotel had been constructed, there was another hotel that was imploded. This word, as well as the means of bringing down a building, was new to us.

Every hotel in Las Vegas has hundreds of rooms. They look huge, with big auditoriums and their own unique shows. Malls around the hotels. Food courts. Anything you need can be easily obtained in the shopping area. And all the hotels save a few—how many, I have no idea—have slot machines, i.e., casinos.

We reached late evening, and in the night itself, all of us went to experience this slot machine.

Rows and rows of machines, with almost all of them occupied, people putting coins, the jingling noise of coins when somebody won. At first, I didn’t even realize this was gambling. I sat for a few minutes treating it as fun and some sort of game. Glancing around, I could see people frantically trying to win as well as recover the wasted money. Then it struck me. And I don’t think after a couple of times I sat at the machine at all. I was mortally afraid of any form of gambling and so stayed away, peacefully watching others lose their money. My family members too played for a while for a couple of days as a fancy.

Other attractions?

Continued in 250. Lost Way Guys - Part 3