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News
of the World
Special
Edition |
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Vegas Is Flying High
by David Gordois -
UNITED KINGDOM
British high-flyer Nigel Turner
took a gamble on Las Vegas...
Nigel, a News of the World reader from Stockport, hit upon the idea
of taking holidaymakers on helicopter trips four years ago when he
visited the fun resort as a tourist himself. And now his tour of
fancy has come up trumps!
This year Las Vegas is set to attract more UK tourists than ever.
But many first-timers don’t realise that as well as lavish hotels
and casinos the resort is Just a short air hop from the Grand Canyon
and some of the world’s finest scenery. But it dawned on Nigel. So
he started sightseeing trips with one chopper. Now he has a staff of
60, including skilled pilots and fleet of seven top-class aircraft.
An ex-Army Air Corps pilot, Nigel has also worked on stunts for
Hollywood movies like Die Hard and Jagged Edge. And he has ferried
celebs like Rod Stewart, Kim Basinger and Whitney Houston.
But bachelor Nigel’s head for business as well as heights even
startled shrewd Las Vegas.
For he made art exclusive powwow deal with the Hualapai Indian
Nation, who own hundreds of miles of land in Grand Canyon, to land a
limited number of helicopters there.
"It wasn’t easy to arrange -- the Indians were reluctant to let
anyone inside the Canyon," admitted Nigel.
But now leaders like Chief’ Edgar Walema are glad the venture is
bringing much-needed cash to his people. Most coach and car tourists
only view the Canyon from the rim travelling into it by mule or
hiking on foot is for the very fit and hardy. But choppers, carrying
only six passengers per aircraft, make it easy.
Nigel’s Heli USA Airways have flown more than 400,000 people. You
soar like an eagle, then descend 4,000 feet past awesome cliffs to
land gently on the Canyon floor. You’re in one of the seven natural
wonders of the world -- a mile deep in a unique, peaceful wilderness
of thousands of acres of majestic deserts and mountains.
You marvel at the view from a traditional Indian shelter --
authentic, apart from the Champagne picnic lunch! The whole
excursion from Vegas to the Canyon floor takes only three hours
there and back.
Another of Nigel’s excursions is a night tour above the Vegas
Strip, the glittering main street. Lavish shows are a big feature in
Vegas -- like the EFX music extravaganza at the MGM Grand. It
reckons to be the world’s most high tech show -- sorry, Dome -- with
over 250 special effects. Then there’s Mystere -- a circus-style
spectacular.
"I love living in Vegas," Nigel told me. It’s very different from
Stockport. But I miss getting the News of the World regularly --
it’s great when a reader brings one out on holiday!"
Helicopter tours are from about £30 for the Strip tours and about
£150 for the Grand Canyon when booked through Airtours.
You can also take coach trips to the Canyon and other superb
national perks like Death Valley, Bryce Canyon arid Zion. They are
cheaper if you can spare the time -- about £65 for a Grand Canyon
trip passing Hoover Dam on the way.
You can even take a day coach trip to Disneyland in Los Angeles or
ride Old West trails near Vegas to the beautiful Red Rocks area --
by horse-back.
Nights Out – To Play Golf
THERE’S lots to do in Las Vegas itself apart from excursions. For it
proudly boasts of being open 24 hours. And they don’t just mean for
gambling.
You can even play golf at night at the nine-hole Callaway Divine par
three because it’s lit up.
Golf is booming in Vegas -- champ Tiger Woods is a local hero
because he first made good there.
There is also a fabulous selection of theme restaurants. Check out
Dive! -- designed to look like a submarine by movie tycoon Steven
Speilberg. Midnight weddings are also part of the 24-hour scene as
well. Die Hard star Bruce Willis wed Demi Moore at that hour at the
famous Little White Chapel.
Their marriage may have hit the rocks -- but the city’s proud boast
is that most Vegas weddings survive.
More UK couples than ever will wed there this year, especially with
Virgin Atlantic starting the first scheduled direct tours from the
UK in June.
The Virgin Brides section of the Virgin Holidays packages will also
boost the numbers who go on Airtours and Unijet direct charters from
the UK. Weddings, or blessings for those already married, are all
the rage in Las Vegas.
Every five minutes 17 seconds there’s another 'I do.’
The three travel firms can help you plan yours.
Wacky weddings with an Elvis lookalike In attendance are popular.
You can even marry in a hot air balloon.
But the ultimate must be Nigel Turner’s latest which sells for about
£1,500 -- it’s a private helicopter package to marry on the floor of
the Grand Canyon!
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