I had been planning this trip for almost a year and a half. Finally, the time had come. Spring Break! The time for college students to wander about strange, beautiful places and partake in the excesses of Hawaii, Tahiti, Baja, Cancun, Miami, LA, or any one of 100 different places to visit. For me, only one place would do; a place I went when I was 14 years old. I enjoyed it immensely then, and now, at 21, the best was yet to come.

"The City that Never Sleeps." The Oasis. Sin City. Las Vegas. This is the destination. I'd been saving my money, and lots of it, to spend four days and three nights in Sin City. Gambling, drinking, clubbing, and seeing things I'd never thought I'd see. This would be the trip of a lifetime.

Driving to Las Vegas from Fort Bragg (my hometown, located about halfway between San Francisco and Eureka on your maps, on the coast), is slow and boring, especially when you want to get there NOW. Leaving at 5 a.m., I hope to get there sometime in the evening, probably around 7 or 8. I know the first part of the road. Highway 20, from my drives to Ukiah and Santa Rosa. After that stretch, it's on to the Bay Area, to catch I-580 over to I-5. Then a turn onto Highway 46, and a merge onto Highway 99. Soon to Highway 58, and after a couple of hours, onto I-15, and then I will be at my destination, Las Vegas.

I check in to my new residence for three nights, the Harrah's casino. I crash for a few hours and get a nice nap. And now, the fun begins.

It's Sunday night. It just so happens to be St. Patrick's Day and yes, I am wearing green. My first stop on the road to unabated partying is a place called The Beach. According to their website, "The Beach is a complete entertainment complex with dancing, twenty four hour sports bar, gift shop and restaurant. The Beach decor and atmosphere make this the favorite hangout of locals, visitors and celebrities."

So, being the party animal that I am, I decide to go. The Beach is a hoppin' club with beer bongs, loud music, and on this night, a wet t-shirt contest. Not too bad for my first night.

The club does have its drawbacks, though. On this night, it wasn't very crowded, which to some people is a good thing. But for me, a crowded club means it's a popular club. And this club, on this night, wasn't crowded at all. Also, the drinks were a little more expensive than what I was expecting. A Corona was $5. Now, for a casino club in which the place is jam packed, I can understand that. But a barely half full club that's a 30-minute walk from the strip? I don't think so. My advice to you is that if you want a great club experience, stay on the strip, and avoid The Beach.

Day two, night two. Destinations: the Mandalay Bay and Rumjungle. The line is long to enter Rumjungle. The walls of water lined with fire, the illuminated bar, the cages suspended in air with go-go dancers inside them, neon and black lights (the only sources of light), killer drinks, people packed to the ceiling, hot girls everywhere. Now this is a club! The pulse-pounding bass vibrates the floor, the house drink called "The Volcano" unparalleled in taste, music so loud you have to yell into someone's ear just to talk -- this is Las Vegas in its best form.

Rumjungle is a great club experience for those traveling to Las Vegas. As with The Beach, and everywhere else in Vegas, the drinks can be a bit pricey for those not used to it. But the experience is well worth it. Rumjungle is my personal favorite out of the clubs I visited. It's not too big, not too small; it is a perfect club for my tastes.

Day three, night three, the must interesting night, to say the least. I spent the majority of my night enjoying myself at the MGM Grand. I started off with a nice dinner, and then reveled in the comedy of my favorite comedian, George Carlin. After enjoying a couple of drinks during the show and laughing my ass off, I walked across the casino and got in line to enter Studio 54.

I was fortunate enough to get in between two beautiful young ladies from the University of Kansas, who were excited that their men's- basketball team was" doing well in the NCAA Tournament, and another pair of stunning young women from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They asked where I went to school. When I told them I went to Humboldt State University, all of them asked if I brought any "homegrown" stuff with me. Ah, the reputation of Humboldt County. It never ceases to amaze me. I spent the rest of the night drinking and dancing with these four beautiful coeds, not a bad night at all, if I do say so myself.

Studio 54 is a huge club in the MGM Grand. It has three floors, each with its own music, bars, bathrooms, lounges and rest areas. It is an amazing experience to walk into and explore this club. The club was packed this particular night, and it made the experience wonderful. Studio 54 can only be appreciated if visited more than once.

After I exited the club and started my walk to my hotel, the "fun" really began. As I was walking toward Harrah's, three women asked me if t wanted a ride to my hotel because they were heading that way. Being the naive drunk person that t was, I accepted their invitation.

Two black women and one white woman, who weren't exactly skinny, start asking me questions.

"How's it going baby?"

"Couldn't find any cute girls to take back to your room?"

One girl started caressing my leg, another my chest.

"For just a few bucks we can make your night a whole lot better." This statement finally got through my drunken haze and it hit me that I was in a car with hookers. Gee, just what I wanted.

"Listen," I said, "if I want to hook up with a girl, I'll go back to the club and get one for free."

This angered the evil hookers. They climbed all over me and tried to reach for my pockets. I threw them off me, opened the sliding van door, and jumped out to safety. Luckily for me, we were at a stop light, so my escape was easy -- for a drunk person that is.

After a good night's sleep, 1 headed home with lots of new memories. I cherish the memories that I have of Sin City. They are of a time in my life that will never be again.