Sphere Experience, Concert: All Motown, & Grand Canyon West Rim Tour with Hoover Dam Stop

Yesterday afternoon, I headed to the Sphere Experience! It's a dedicated, two-hour show, to

show off what the sphere can do, basically - AI robots in the atrium, and a dedicated film! 

Tickets from Ticketmaster, again. Ate en route - same place as usual, except for once, their 

teriyaki chicken wasn't sold out, so I had that! I can see why it's so popular - much lighter than 

the other, deep-fried options.

And so to join a really long queue at the Sphere. In blazing sun, ouch. Well, my booking was for

4.30 - they let us in at last at 4.15. Now, the atrium is full of high-tech for this - some of which is

left in place during the U2 concerts. There are a couple of AI robots, which interact with the 

audience gathered around them - I think they're preprogrammed with questions appropriate to 

the age of the person, e.g. an adult versus a child. They have a female form and voice - 

obviously to appear friendlier:

Now, there didn't seem to be an awful lot else to do in the atrium, apart from having 

your avatar created. It wasn't made clear that the various decorations round about 
had a scientific theme, apart from a basic aesthetic one with some. So, upstairs I 

went, in preparation for the film, although I was a bit early. On the way up, caught a 

glimpse of the holographic wall:

There's nowhere to sit, outside the auditorium itself - so, with over half an hour to go, I found 

myself a bare path of wall, and sat on the floor there. Like lots of others. Would happily have 

bought something to drink, if not for the ridiculous prices. Now, I was in the 400s again - but 

further forward this time, which meant I could enter from Level 3. Still had a bit of the wobbles, 

though - it's so steep!

So there I sat, thinking, "Heh, you all have no idea what you're in for". Observe, for example, 

the teeny section of the screen that's illuminated for the film. Mind you, it was to be about a 

quarter of an hour before they did have an idea - there were so many false starts! Much joking 

along the lines of "Well, that was a great film, wasn't it!" Meantime, I spied where I'll be sitting 

tomorrow night:

Never mind, the film did get going eventually. And it stays at that small resolution - until a 

certain point, when the Earth.. zooms at you!

The film soon explodes to fill the entire screen - cue gasps from the audience. There's a 

climate-focused storyline, but basically, it's an excuse to show lots of different kinds of shots, 

mainly of natural wonders. Such as, for instance, the Grand Canyon!

Of course, they also take you underwater:

As this fella walks uncomfortably close to us and gets uncomfortably large, the haptic element 

comes into play, as the seats vibrate in time to his footsteps:

They sent me a survey about my experience - apparently, there is also a wind element (which I

hardly noticed, although I did detect a breeze at one point), and an olfactory element (well, I've 

never had a great sense of smell, so I couldn't smell anything..) The vibrating seats are cool, 

though!

Some really amazing images:

and a clever one, of an audience looking at us!

Well worth the wait, in the end. And then I had to leg it - because that evening, I went to a 

Motown tribute show, All Motown, at the Alexis Park Resort Hotel (trying to stay pretty close to 

my hotel). Got my ticket from TicketKite. I'm glad I ate beforehand - certainly wouldn't have had

time to do so en route! Anyway, I got there in time, he checked off my name, but they weren't 

ready to let people in yet - he suggested I wait in the lobby, or the bar. And confirmed that yes, 

it'd be all right to bring a drink from the bar into the concert venue. At the bar, I asked what wine

he had - he offered to show me the wine list, and I accepted. And oh, what a joy to see 

reasonably priced drinks, for once! the cheapest since I came to Vegas, in fact. So I had a 

glass - served to me in plastic. And when the house opened, we were shown to our seats - 

lovely, comfy tub seats, with small tables attached to the arms. Ah, the comfort..

Well, they did fine - calling themselves the "Duchesses of Motown", they ran through a bevy of 

hits. And they were well performed. But I dunno what it was, it left me cold in a way that 

Motown, The Musical certainly didn't! Perhaps it was just that there wasn't a theme. Well 

anyway, it was a nice, relaxed way to spend the evening. I'd have had another drink, but the 

lady going around taking orders didn't bother with me. The show had no interval, so I was out 

earlier than anticipated.

Just as well, because I had to be up bright and early today - I was headed on a tour of the 

Grand Canyon, with Christianson Tours AKA Sweetours. So, no blog last night, despite the 

early finish. They were to pick me up - I was later messaged to say it'd be just around the back 

of my hotel, so it's handy I found the back door! And it turned out to be an all-day thing - I never

realised the Grand Canyon was so far from Vegas! At least the early start means I missed the 

morning rant from a woman in the connecting room next to mine - there's no soundproofing on 

that connecting door, and she never stops yelling and swearing.. Unfortunately, the noise from 

their room last night meant I was to bed a bit later than intended.

I was down just before the scheduled time. Now, the only instruction I'd been given was to be 

outside the Grand Chateau hotel, across from the Planet Hollywood hotel. So I placed myself 

on the corner and kept an eye out. It was a few minutes past the scheduled pickup time when I 

emailed to say I was where I should be, I thought - but didn't really know. Soon after, someone 

materialised - from behind me! Turns out, they'd parked around the other side of the Grand 

Chateau. We later agreed that the confusion stemmed from the change in arrangements - the 

initial description of the pickup location had been much more detailed.

Well, all's well that ends well - the minibus that picked me up brought a group of us to another 

location, where we boarded a coach along with others, and were given a breakfast box. We 

were right across from the Excalibur Hotel - looking just like a Disney castle:

Tons of gorgeous mountain scenery - including some glimpses of Lake Mead:

Our first stop - a toilet break - was in a teeny place called Dolan Springs. In the middle

of the Joshua Tree National Park!

You've heard of one-horse towns - this is a two-cow town! (The other was seen peering into the

window of the Hot Diggety Dog):

Not a lot to do here, TBH:

Off again:

Real Wild West scenery. Our driver - a font of information - pointed out to us how dangerous it 

would have been, back in the day, to come out driving in these desert parts, without mobile 

phones or assistance.. and indeed, she pointed out that the original The Hills Have Eyes was 

filmed around here!

After Boulder City, we came to the Grand Canyon itself - which came with a detailed set of 

instructions from our guide. DO NOT shop at the gift shop, head straight for the shuttle buses - 

she told us how to get there from the large, white "terminus" tent. They'd scan our tickets as we

got on the buses - we were given the tickets in a welcome pack that also included a map of the

shuttle bus route. So, we were to head straight for the buses - unless we were doing a 

helicopter ride; I'd cried off that, I'm not too keen on them. Anyway, those folks had a different 

schedule.

The buses would stop first at Eagle Point. DO NOT stop for photos, or lunch - if you were doing

the Skywalk, you had to do that first because of the queue. We had different colour tickets 

according to what exactly we were doing - she ran through these with us. Which was handy, 

considering I booked this trip so long ago, I could hardly remember what I'd booked! You aren't 

allowed to take ANYTHING on the Skywalk with you - no bags, no cameras, no phones. Which 

she said was to prevent you dropping anything and chipping the glass of the walkway - I can't 

help but think it also has something to do with the exorbitant price they charge for professional 

photos! Anyway, they provide free lockers.

After the Skywalk, head for lunch - NOT in the restaurant, the queue is too long. Instead, get it 

from the trailer outside - she also gave us recommendations. Get it to go - the views are better 

at the next stop, Guano Point. Be on the bus there by 11.30 - it was nearly 10am by the time 

we arrived. Eat there, and be on the bus back to the Terminus by 12.45 - she was leaving at

1.15pm.

It was a lot to remember - but actually, sound advice, and easy enough to follow, piece by piece

- she forgot nothing. Honestly, I had a look around the Terminus gift shop as we left, and also at

Eagle Point, but didn't see anything I wanted. As you queue for the Skywalk, there are 

information boards about the history of the Hualapei people, whose land this is. Tickets are 

scanned again at the entrance to the Skywalk, so don't lose it.. The guy scanning it asks where

people are from, and on hearing I was Irish, started on about his "poor Scots-Irish mother"..

The lockers proved easy to use - you take the key with you, which has a handy loop to attach it

to the wrist. You must also wear shoe coverings, which are provided - again, so as not to scuff 

the surface. And.. out we went. I've seen worse, TBH - there is a central, clear portion, but it's 

bordered all around by two equally wide panes of frosted glass. So I was never that scared. The views

are fantastic - of course, we couldn't take photos on the Skywalk, but that was the next thing I 

did when I came off. After going to the loo, and leaving my ticket behind in the stall - having had

it in my hand. Happily, it was still there when I remembered and went back. And just as well, 

because it was worth a free lunch: which, again, I couldn't remember whether I'd ordered, but 

whatever. Unfortunately, I dropped my phone while I was queueing to order - happily, although 

the back was cracked, the damage is just cosmetic. Still takes gorgeous photos (even though 

it's impossible to do this place justice):

So, I juggled my lunch items to Guano Point, which has a cafe and tables, one of which I sat at 

- in the shade - to eat. Mind you, I hadn't followed her recommendation to get a dinner roll, 

going for chicken tenders and (curly) fries instead. Wish I'd gone with what she suggested - ah 

well. The chicken was ok, the fries were cold by now - I didn't finish it, binned the remains 

nearby, and started on the serious business of trying to photograph something that defies 

description:

Oh, you see that small white dot, in the shadow at the lower part of the cliff? Yeah, that's a 

helicopter..

Unlike Eagle Point, there's no guardrail here, although as you head further around the point, 

they've cleverly placed boulders to mark the line you shouldn't cross. Not that everyone obeyed

that rule - and frequently, I did feel quite exposed, near the edge of a drop of several thousand 

feet! But hey, I lived to tell the tale - and the path is worth following all the way around, for the 

spectacular, 360-degree view:

It's rather special to get a glimpse of the river - now much depleted after, as she told us, a 

20-year drought - that caused this landscape:

Upon seeing this sign, I spoke the words at the bottom out loud - whereupon a sudden gust 

blew a cloud of dust in my face! Think I angered the spirit gods?

Our driver/tour guide's instructions proved just perfect to get us to see everything we wanted, 

and still get back in a decent time! Kudos! The only problem was getting a bus from Guano 

Point to the Terminus - I had to wait for the second, and we were kept waiting for 20 minutes 

past the scheduled departure time, when one poor passenger was kept waiting for the fifth bus,

the queue was so long, and all the preceding buses full! We were discussing it afterwards - I 

think the buses are frequent enough (in general, anyway), but I guess they could do with being 

larger - the crowds here are huge..

And so to Hoover Dam, which she took us right over - not that I'm really interested in the dam 

itself, but the scenery is gorgeous:

Again, she pointed out the low water levels, and how the "ring" around the mountains shows 
where the water level should be, and used to be. As she said, what they really need 

is for a big, black cloud to come and sit over Lake Mead for a few days, and just rain.

Crikey, could send them an Irish one, eh? Sure wouldn't miss it..

In Boulder City, we passed the original Ghostbusters vehicle - but didn't have time 

for a picture.

And so back to Vegas, at last. At rush hour, with her constantly recalculating the route, because

of traffic, and asking people whether they wouldn't mind getting off somewhere not quite their 

destination, but which would be handier for us all. No point in being stuck in traffic for hours, 

after all!

Speaking of being stuck in traffic, we sure did have time to get a good look at the Sphere:

Really, people are so fascinated by it, I think they should all make an effort to see something 

there.. As someone remarked to his companion on seeing my (U2) t-shirt today, those tickets 

are indeed hard to get - but the Sphere Experience is easier, and is definitely worth it. Speaking

of which, my t-shirt again got a lot of love today, lots of folks asking me about the concerts, and

some going..

I got dropped, with most of the remaining passengers, at the Bellagio, from which it isn't far 

back. Excellent tour - I can't think of a single thing they could have done better, and our 

guide/driver was entertaining throughout.

Tomorrow, my fourth and last (for this year) U2 concert. Then I fly back on Thursday, arriving 

Friday morning, for another weekend in Ireland. Best film offering is The Great Escaper, the 

true story of a WWII veteran (Michael Caine) who escapes his care home to attend the 70th 

anniversary of the D-Day landings. Glenda Jackson plays his wife. Unfortunately, only seems to

be playing at a time I can manage in Ennis - well, as I say, it's not a long drive from there to 

Limerick, to shop!

And, of course, back to London on Sunday.