The superficial womens' world of Las Vegas

I was absolutely amazed by the social dynamics in Vegas, I don't know why as it is, afterall, money town. I consider myself an amiable chap and like to get about and meet new people. Both male and female I hasten to add, although the males are for friendship only. ( Just wanted to clarify!!)

I was excited about going out into big, bad Sin City all by myself and having some fun, meeting some interesting folk and partying hard. I met a cool Latino guy at the bar in MGM and had a few drinks, he was an interesting bloke with many a good tale to tell, a bit full of bullshit but entertainingly so. We decided to go to 'Wasted Space' at the Hardrock to have a late drink and see what the ladies were like. It looked good from the off and outside the club we were approached by 2 gorgeous chicks. Game on, I thought. Small talk began and then one of the girls said " Let's go party in the club" I was down with that. As we walked towards the door the same chick mentioned that there was a $10 cover charge and that we should pay for them. Hold on a god damn, cotton picking minute here. Rewind, what did she say??? I should pay for her??? Really, why....? That was my next question. Because I want to party with her so it's the done thing. Not in my world darling!!

This may sound a bit of an over reaction but it's the principle. $10 is nothing and if she had of kept her mouth shut I may have offered, probably not but hey. I have no dramas in buying things for people and being generous but I usually prefer to do it off my own back. My parents told me " I want never gets" and I believe in that. After a while the girls sauntered off to find some mug willing to pay for them to get in. Not before they had tried everything " we really wanna have a drink with you guys" I said " well if thats the case there is a bar over there that is free, let's go there?" I didn't think so.

I payed my way into the club and was startled by the amount of cosmetically enhanced females in the place. All very pleasing on the eye I must add. I began to mingle and was encountering a similar problem in every conversation I had with a woman. "Blah, blah, blah, small talk, small talk, small talk oh and are you going to buy me a drink?" NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!

In the end I had to ask a young lady why everyone wanted something all the time here. It's just the way it is in Vegas, guy's buy stuff for girls and we expect it. At least she was honest. Vegas was obviously not the place for me and after I bought myself a few more drinks I retired to the sanctity of my hotel and away from the money grabbers.

In a way I take an awesome positive from this experience, London is great and it's women are classy, sassy and intelligent. In stark contrast to the Vegas vampires. Maybe I just had a bad experience but Vegas is a fickel town and most of the female population are plastic. I appreciate London's women much more now. 

Vegas, bad beats, unplanned swimming and fake boobies!!!! Part II

I awoke the next day, well evening but in Vegas time means nothing, to a host of missed calls from a worried mate. If he was so worried then why didn't he stay up past 8pm? He told me we had a table booked for dinner at the Wynn, mega posh, and if I was going to join them I had an hour to get ready. I stumbled from my pit with a mouth like Ghandi's flip flop, found my way to the bathroom and was shocked at what I saw. My mouth was stained bright pink, from all the cranberry juice, and my eyes were like piss holes in the snow. After a shower and the tooth brushing from hell I looked, if not felt, normal again. 

We got to the Wynn and took our seats in our plush restaurant, table overlooking the lake where they had shows every 15mins. I was cutting up pretty rough and only managed to order a coke and some iced water. The rest of the crew were tucking in to their delicious looking starters and cocktails whilst I suffered in, almost, silence. I ordered a steak and awaited it with fear as to whether I would be able to keep it down. It was beautifully cooked and tasted sublime which made the fact that I couldn't finish it all the more distressing. The final nail in the coffin came when I got my share of the bill, $100 for a steak I didn't eat, a coke and a glass of tap water. Everyone else had cocktails and starters as well. I think they may have taken advantage of my good nature. That night Ed was up for a night out, shock horror, I tried to stay out but by 2am I was finished and had to turn in.

The next day I was back to 100% and did some chilling by the pool before deciding to head off to the gym. This gym is world famous in MMA circles and is home to 2 world champs and a plethora of other top fighters. I turned up for the 6pm class to find out, much to my delight, that it was to be taken by none other than the world, light heavyweight champion- Forrest Griffin. it was fantastic to be taught by this guy who has always been a favourite of mine and I was inspired by his humility and sense of humour. Not to mention his skill. That alone would have been enough to have made my trip to Vegas worth while, everything else became a bonus.

That was the last real adventure of my Vegas experience, did a lot more poker playing, it was a roller coaster of good results and bad. A lot more lounging by the MGM's wonderful pool. Admiring the bevy of beauties floating around without the need of floatation devices, if you know what I mean. All in all a great trip to one of the best places I have been, I love Vegas. Next time I go I want to go with people up for a party though, any takers??

Vegas, bad beats, unplanned swimming and fake boobies!!!!

I left sunny Vegas on monday and arrived back in sunny (unbelievably so) London early this morning. It is good to be back but I had a wicked time in Sin City and caused havoc in true Vickers style, back to the old sko0ol.

I arrived the first day and it was blazing, 80 at least, not a cloud in the sky, awesome. I checked into my hotel, The Monte Carlo. It's ideally situated and comfortable so I was happy. I had a few hours to kill waiting for my pals to arrive and went to have a mooch about and get my bearings again. The first thing I noticed was that it was way quieter than when Ricky Hatton's barmy army were in town. My friends called me to announce their arrival and I took over a bottle of VC to the MGM grand to start as we meant to go on. We popped the champers and wished Andy a happy birthday then went for dinner. We decided on the mexican we ate in before the fight last year as it was lovely back then. Big mistake, the food was awful this time around. I was all dolled up and ready to party but the team weren't having it and let me down and went to bed at 9pm. 9pm in Vegas is a very poor effort, gutted. With no one to party with I decided to hit the sack, could I sleep, could I fuck. I rolled out of my huge and extremely comfortable bed at about 7 and went to play a bit of poker. Did well in my first session, ended up $100. It's way harder to get the dough than when the drunken mancs were in town for the Hatton fight.

Had a lovely breakfast in the Venettion Hotel, poached eggs, hash brown, toast, bacon, sausages and gammon- boooooooooom. That's what I'm talking about, no wonder yanks are fat!! Had another winning poker session there too, but it was hard work. I have never played against such miserable fuckers in my life. I was in high spirits and couldn't get anyone to get into a conversation, I told all  my best jokes, no reaction, that's some quality comedy material. I knew I was in trouble then. Wasn't all bad though, had a couple of arguments with locals, mainly because they didn't like the baby faced poker assassin taking there cash, check me the fuck out. As expected I rose to the bait and enjoyed the mud slinging with gusto. That night I was sure we were going to have a big night out but once again my lightweight buddy let me down. I hit the town with his brother in law, a lovely fella, only 22 and a broad scouser who doesn't like talking to people he doesn't know!! I got talking to a lovely latina chick, the accent just blows me away!! We had a good evening knocking back Tequilla's and all kinds of horrible shit. Then me and Ed decided to go looking for some further action on the strip. Outside the Bellagio I decided it was a perfect photo oppourtunity, in my pissed as a ferret state I tried to climb onto the wall and pose for a shot. My balance betrayed me and I was there like a cartoon character, arms windmilling trying to save myself from the inevitable. Then it was all over, I toppled backwards and crashed into a huge, prickly bush. Fortunately the bush saved me from total immersion in the pond. I dragged myself out and brushed myself off ready to crack on. That's Vegas baby!!

The next night was even crazier, I was having a drink with Ed in the MGM grand bar when he decided that he was tired. Now I wouldn't mind but he's 22 and had done fuck all except shopping all day and it was only midnight. I was cool though cos' I had buddied up with this crazy mexican dude and we were gonna party, it's Sin city not fucking sleep city!!! So me and my knew pal ended up in The Hardrock, where I encountered some of the most beautiful but pretentious women I have ever had the msfortune of meeting. I will go into this more on another post as it really grips my shit and deserves it's own page!! That place shut and I went to the Wynn, I was alone by this stage but made a couple of new friends there!! I then decided it would be a good idea to play blackjack at my hotel. It was a right laugh, the table was fun and I was on top form, they should have been paying me for my standup comedy, eventhough I couldn't stand up by this stage. I somehow left the table up on money. I had to ask someone the time as I had lost my watch during my dive into the Bellagio pond. When they told me it was midday I nearly fell off my stool. I had been drinking for 16 hrs, time for bed me thinks. By this stage I wouldn't class it as drinking, more like pouring it everywhere other than in my mouth. My white shirt had plenty of vodka and cranberry down it on inspection the next day. I will continue this tomorrow, i am feeling ill just thinking about that night, binge drinking at it's best/worst.

Handbags at nando's, how dare they?!!

I went for a nando's yesterday after work. Nando's is a little piece of heaven to me. Not to mention the fact that I get 20% discount for being a fireman, there is one perk to my job. Anyway, I had ordered up and was patiently but eagerly awaiting my glorious chicken. All of a sudden a big hulabaloo erupted. There were some city boys having a ruck with one another, well more like handbags at 5 paces. Pushing, shoving and a lot of big talking with not much action. The checkout guy, all 10 stone of him, managed to seperate the warring factions. The action, or lack of it was all taking place around the service area. This pissed me off as my food was due any moment. I endeared myself to them by shouting "come on fella's leave it out, I want my food and you lot are in the way!!" That's typical Ben, sling myself into the firing line instead of keeping my head down, it's not going to change.

The one lot left and my food was delivered, a little tepid but still gorgeous, I went outside and was dissapointed to see the group of lads on their phones calling down the back up. Get over it lads, life is too short. I wasn't about to hang around to see these idiots go at it.

Training is getting tough.

With the fight creeping closer and closer training has intensified dramatically over the last few weeks. The cardio sessions (extra training before the classes that fighters do) have gone from 2 x 5 min rnds to 3 x 5 min rnds as per the fight. Paul and Harry and Nick constantly dream up ways to make me want to vomit and it never gets any easier because they just make me work harder. I have been tired in the cage before and am not prepared for that to happen again, it's a lonely place to be and there is no way out! In terms of cardio I am bang on track and feel super fit, up until this week, sparring had been going well too and the body was holding up OK as well. It seems that this week the wheels have come off a bit. The cardio is still going great but the last 2 sessions my stand up has been poor and my grappling is hurting my back. I will have a little time to recouperate in Vegas next week but will still be training. A week of semi chilling then 5 weeks of mega hard work and I'll be ready.

I had to laugh today, I was sparring and got caught with a good shot to the head, the guy I was sparring pulled away and said "Fuck me! You've got a hard head!!" He hurt his hand on my head, that's funny. It happened the week before with someone else too, my head is my secret weapon, hit it too hard and you'll hurt your hand. Love it!!

A real days work, I wont be making a habit of it!

Tuesday I sacrificed my lie in and day off to help a mate out screeding a floor, that's the kind of guy I am!! I dragged myself out of my pit at 0650 and shuffled through the rain to be picked up for work. Now I consider myself a hard worker but the work I do is short and sharp. I wasn't fully prepared for a day mixing up, putting sand, water and cement into a mixer and creating the screed.

Fortunately by the time we had driven to essex to start work the rain had stopped and it wasn't a bad day. We had no time to waste as the floor had to be done that day and I needed to be in the gym for my beasting at 5.30. For 4 hrs straight I shovelled, mixed and wheel barrowed, my back was in agony, my hands soaked and wrinkly like and old persons and I was covered from head to toe in a layer of whitish brown dust. Every time I tried to wipe dust from my face I just wiped more in. Nightmare!! 

At around 2 o'clock my slave master of a pal went and got us some lunch, savloy and chips- proper grub. Then it was back to work asap, if I had stayed sitting down much longer there is no way I would have been able to start again. Just as we were finishing the heavens opened and I dragged my weary body back into the motor for the trek to the gym. 

Dave dropped me at the tube station and I happily boarded my train for bethnal green. I could feel myself dropping off and kept waking with a jolt and kneeing the person next to me, I just couldn't physically stay awake. All didn't bode well for cardio with Harry the bastard. Harry is a fantastic trainer but takes no prisoners, just what I need with the fight not too long away but not after a hard days graft. There was no way I wasn't going to get through it though. After 30 mins or so I was breathing out of my hoop and wanted to re introduce my savloy to the world. That was just the beginning though, 90 mins later and bruised and battered with a dead leg and a sore head, I hobbled out of the gym and onto the central line to get my tired arse the fuck home. I must have looked a right state, covered in dust and sweat, limping heavily and struggling for every pace. Finally I dragged myself through my door and collapsed onto the sofa, what a day. A hot bath, a glass of wine and a episode of prison break later I crawled into bed and was asleep before my head even hit the pillow.

I am not one to shy away from hard work but rest assured it will not become a feature in my life if I can help it!!

I think i'm going soft

I did the unheard of on saturday, I gave money to a begger. I have always made it a rule that I wouldn't give money to these people. I have given them dog food or food in the past. I was queuing at the cashpoint and the begger was sat in between the 2 machines. One became free and I was about to use it when he told me that it wasn't working. I thanked him and queued for the other one again. He told me that people don't normally listen to him because of who he is, I was having a little chat with him and not once did he ask me for money. He seemed happy considering and I just felt he was a good guy. As I got my money out I reached into my pocket and gave him all the loose change I had, not much maybe £1.50. He took it and was grateful. I asked him not to spend it on beer and he got up and said he wasn't going to and that he was off to get something to eat. I hope he didn't buy super strength booze with my money but he probably did.

I remember an incident many years ago when I was in the Army. They had made a error in our pay and for the christmas month I was paid only £200. I was set for a shite christmas but went shopping with my bro to get some pressies. He gave £5 to a tramp, I was fuming. There was I, a soldier not long back from Northern Ireland and skint and now this tramp had more money than me!! From that day I vowed never to give them money. I have no qualms about giving money/clothes etc.. to charity but tramps are a no no. I hope I revert back to normality and stop giving them money but I can't guarantee it.

The country is on a knife edge.

I was horrified and shocked to learn that Ross Mason , a ukmma standout fighter and good guy, was stabbed outside a nightclub in birmingham on friday night. I don't know him personally but know that he is a nice fella and a top fighter. What is going on with the knife culture in this country? Every day someone is killed or seriously injured by knife crime. Ross is in critical condition but will be helped by the fact that he's as tough as they come and has a warrior spirit. It just goes to show that it doesn't matter how good a fighter you are in the gym or in the cage, it may even be a disadvantage, cos' when these cowards come for you they are going to come in numbers, armed to the teeth and intent on serious damage. They know they can't win in a fair contest so have to take it to the next level. The most worrying thing is that these people do not care about the consequences, they don't think past the act. This means there is a problem with the legal system, most are not scared of going to jail and know they will only serve minimal sentences, it has to change. The main point is it doesn't matter how tough you are, how skilled a fighter you are, there are too many arse holes out there who will stick a knife in you without a second thought. There are no winners in a street fight that's for sure.

My best wishes go to Ross and his family, keep fighting mate!!!

How's your Doanld Duck!!

I decided to take a week off from the fire brigade last week for 2 reasons- 1, to catch up on some sleep and have some chill time. 2, My watch is going through a lot of changes and it's a shit place to be right now. 

In theory it was a shit hot plan, in practice however, it just went to rat shit!! There are substantial building works going on in my road at the moment, I didn't think this would be a problem as once i'm shattered I can sleep like a good un'. It just so happens that last week, the one I decided to take off, they decided to do all the extra loud demolition work. On top of this the lovely old dear who resides in the gaff directly above me has decided to have her place done up, in the week I take off to chill. I was lying in my bed and the noise from the drilling and the demolition meant that I may as well have dragged a sleeping bag into the fucking main road, it may have been more peacefull there. I found myself wishing I was in work for some peace and quiet. Not only that but even trying to sit on the sofa and kick back it felt like someone was drilling a hole directly into my swede. 

The result of my week being, no lie in's and a waste of a weeks holiday. On the positive side I got a few extra training sessions in and feel fit, good news with the fight just 8 weeks away now. Lets hope I get some kip in vegas- Yeah right!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway I better go to bed, early start in the morning- For a change.