Yikes! We Bought a House

Talk about land anchors, we've got a big one now. Yes, the Nine of Cups crew just bought a house … in the middle of the Mojave Desert, no less. You can't get much further away from the sea unless you're talking man-made Lake Mead or the pre-historic North American Inland Sea. We've even got a giant cactus in the front yard … how desert-y is that?

Though Nine of Cups is still home, we've been thinking about and looking for a part-time place to leave our souvenirs and Las Vegas seemed as good a place as any since we have family here. We'll be sharing our new digs with David's sibs, so the house will be occupied when we're not around, but we'll always have a room (and clothes and a car) to call our own and waiting for us whenever we turn up. It's roomy enough for all with enough hideaway spots for everyone to enjoy their own space whenever they want to.

Since we're in a desert, we were looking for a small, xeriscaped yard and found one. It's will be a pleasant place to enjoy morning coffee on the patio without worrying about supplemental watering or much ongoing maintenance.

I was planning to write a blog on the “tiny house movement” soon … living aboard a sailboat qualifies, for sure. This house, however, is as far away from the “tiny house movement” and living aboard a sailboat as you can get. In fact, we all refer to it as “the big house”. The sibs of the Lynn clan haven't all lived together for over 60 years. It'll take some getting used to and we all realize it won't be Utopia. With some reasonable compromise, however, it might be close though.

The closing isn't scheduled till early March, but there's plenty to do in the meantime to prepare. Honestly, though we've purchased several houses in the past, after nearly 20 years without a house or a mortgage, the current process has been like slaying a new dragon, only this one's on land. We're wielding our swords one day at a time.

Las Vegas for Non-Gamblers

Since we've just returned to Las Vegas, I thought I'd dredge up a blog post from a couple of years ago that proves Las Vegas is a fun place to visit … even if you're not a gambler. There are plenty of activities in town and nearby for you and the family without losing even a penny in the slots!

A trans-con plane trip and here we are in Las Vegas. No, we’re not gamblers, but there’s something electric and exciting about being in Las Vegas anyway. Although it’s a destination spot for folks around the world, it’s home to David’s mom and sister. It’s just “the hood” to them … a place to live, shop and work. And, yes, sometimes play … they enjoy the slots once in awhile as a diversion and you can’t beat the buffets.

So what can you do in Vegas if you’re not a gambler? Here’s our best picks of 13 fun, free or relatively low cost things to do:

1. Experience The Strip

There’s lots more to Vegas than gambling. Even if you’re not a gambler, you need to spend a little time on The Strip just seeing the lights of this neon megalopolis. Take in all the thematic hotels and casinos from pyramids to the Eiffel Tower and from the Statue of Liberty to the Venetian canals. Watch a pirate ship battle, see a fountain light show. It’s amazing and it’s free.

2. Fremont Street Experience

This is a huge pedestrian mall in downtown Vegas and there’s always something going on in the evenings … free stage shows, street entertainers, bars, gambling casinos, shops. It’s a hopping place to visit.

3. Catch a show or be amused

Vegas is a mecca for hot talent. There are shows galore, world class boxing matches, amusement parks and magic shows … whatever floats your boat. If you’re saving money by not gambling or if you came out of the casino ahead, you might as well spend a few bucks on top shelf entertainment.

4. Hoover Dam

There are tours available, but it’s a quick drive (32 mi/50km) to this national landmark which straddles the Colorado River on the Arizona-Nevada border. There’s a Visitor’s Center, dam tours and great views of dam.

5. Valley of Fire State Park

Only 55 miles (88km) northeast of Vegas, Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest and largest state park. It offers a Visitor’s Center, a scenic drive that showcases the park’s outstanding sandstone and limestone formations, diverse desert fauna and flora, petroglyphs, fossils and breathtaking views. The small admission fee ($10/car) is well worth it.

6. People watch

Las Vegas must have the biggest collection of odd people per capita than any other place in the world. People watching is free and amusing and you just never know what you’re going to see.

7. Mount Charleston

At nearly 11, 916′ (3,632m) Mount Charleston is the highest of the Spring Mountains in Southern Nevada and stands sentinel over the Sin City. You can drive to the top for great views and a pleasant, mountain respite from the heat and frenzy of the city below.

8. Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve

We visit this tiny preserve in the middle of the Las Vegas Wash every time we’re in Vegas. The bird viewing, especially in morning and evening, is outstanding. Besides the 288 identified species you might spot, we’ve seen lizards, coyote, desert cottontails and snakes. Free entry and lots and lots of well-maintained trails.

9. Ethel M Chocolate Factory Tour & Cactus Botanical Garden

Believe it or not, the factory is right in the middle of town. This is a fun, free tour and great for adults as well as kids. The cactus gardens surrounding the factory are beautifully maintained and the self-guided tour of the chocolate factory is free … and so are the samples!

10. Clark County Heritage Museum

This is a funky little, open-air museum with a Visitor’s Center that features the history of Nevada from pre-historic to modern times. The highlight is Heritage Street with actual period buildings and bits of Americana from different decades of local history. The $2 admission fee is a bargain.

11. Lake Mead activities

The largest man-made lake/reservoir in America, formed by the damming of the Colorado River (Hoover Dam), this national recreation area offers all sorts of lake and water activities, plus picnicking, hiking, biking and sightseeing. Entrance fees apply, but NPS Senior Pass holders get free entry.

12. Conservatory at the Bellagio

If you’re on the Strip, this is a particularly lovely place to visit in the Bellagio Hotel. The floral displays and themes change with the season. Sometimes nearly overwhelming, they are knock-your-socks off imaginative and beautiful … and of course, free.

13. Take your picture next to the iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign

Prove you’ve been here! There are several signs actually, but the “official” sign and most convenient for photo-taking is the one just south of the Strip on Paradise Road. There’s a small parking lot so you can get up close and personal.

Look for a whole e-book about Las Vegas for non-gamblers in the near future.

The Art of Slow Travel

Gentry, our niece and webmeister, was visiting with us in Las Vegas recently. She was extolling the virtues of the “slow travel movement”. I had to Google it before I understood that we've been part of the slow travel movement since we moved aboard Nine of Cups in 2000 and we didn't even know it. I think that's before they gave it a label.

After further research, I learned that the keys to slow travel revolve around interaction with the local community, people and culture. All the things we love about our liveaboard travel life. None of the “If it's Tuesday, it must be Belgium” packed itinerary nonsense. We stick around in one area and get to know a bit about it, experience our surroundings ... maybe have a few of those awesome 90-day rule events. We walk everywhere, go grocery shopping and have leisurely morning coffees at the local cafe, meet people, learn about them.

A few years back, I was asked by Women and Cruising what I liked best about the cruising life. Here was my response...

“Probably three things come to mind immediately...independence, adventure and travel.

Independence and self-reliance are key ingredients of the cruising life. Neither David nor I was brought up sailing...we learned it all from scratch in our 40's. We found a whole new life and a whole new way to look at our lives. Where endless meetings, product introductions and bottom lines once ruled, we're now concerned with weather windows, bottom paint and charting courses. We're constantly challenged to be innovative and imaginative.

I've always loved to travel, but cruising is beyond just traveling...it's cultural immersion.

Beyond visiting a port or country for the usual two week vacation, we “live” in the country...sometimes for months. We learn the language, the shortcuts, the times for the fresh markets and the names of the vendors who give us the best deals. We celebrate local holidays, make local friends and share family outings and celebrations. Each new port, each new country, each new experience in our cruising lives is a new adventure.

To me...this is what life is all about.”

I believe I was describing the slow travel movement and independent travel. The slow traveler doesn't necessarily rely on tour companies or travel agents. They read, do their research and figure out their options. They thrive on learning about the places they intend to visit and they celebrate the differences in culture. They move slowly from place to place, taking in the experience rather than treating each destination as a box to be ticked off on a checklist. Let's see … that's us, us and us. We're already signed up.

In fact, there's an entire “slow” movement brewing up … everything is slow … cities, books, food, even slow money. Finally, the world is spinning at our speed.