Roam Report: RViva Las Vegas!

Roam Report: RViva Las Vegas! | Marker #3

Colan and I have been to Las Vegas more times than we can count (not in a Hangover kinda way, in an actual would-have-to-think-about-it kinda way), but our recent trip was our first as nomads. It’s proven to be a makes-the-highlights-reel stop, and nobody is more shocked than me. A trip to Vegas during summer, staying in an RV park off The Strip, for someone who finds gambling to be actual torture and has generally been away from hustle-and-bustle for months, is a hard sell. I would have never paired it with what I expected this lifestyle to be, but here we are. A gamble that paid off.

On our first night, we saw Absinthe, a show I won’t try to explain. Mostly because I find hearing about shows—TV, cinema, live, or otherwise- a total bore, but I also have no idea how to explain in a way that gives the takes-your-breath-away talented cast their due. There is so much talent packed into Las Vegas that it’s gobsmacking, and seated at an intimate venue, up close and very personal (ahem, very personal) with this particular cast reminded us just that. As someone whose physical flexibility suggests she is whittled from wood, I am overjoyed and rendered almost kid-like when I see acrobats and other performers doing things that would land me in the hospital, subsequently discharged with a lifelong injury (if I’m lucky). Experiencing this show felt transcendent. It was as if together, these performers figured out how to bottle what we imagine World Peace to feel like. Sign me up for a bottle.

Another night, we went and saw Carrot Top. (Stop it, you’re not too cool for Carrot Top.) He’s always been a comic near and dear since my brother and I laughed till our faces hurt when we saw him together in college. I have a low tolerance for raunchy or mean-spirited comedy (full disclosure), and Carrot Top is f*cking funny and a joy! Colan and I also laughed till our faces hurt, key with stand-up comedy, but(!) we also felt like we were wrapped in a warm hug (not usually how I describe going to see standup). This dude is funny, humble, and grateful to his generations (at least three in the audience!) of fans, and it was a gift to see him again in person. We left floating on air.

Those of you who have been to Vegas already know that when it was time to leave, It. Was. Time. It’s Vegas, after all, and us mere mortals can only handle so much. We’re already wondering when we’ll head back and what shows we can attend. The beauty of nomadic living is we’ll figure it out soon enough. In the meantime, Zion is next, where we’ll hike out any remaining alcohol and maybe get back to sleeping. RViva Las Vegas!

Hope to see you out there! —CL