Here in the middle of the desert at a conference, along with the thousands of other people who have all decided at the same time to trek into this mecca of irresistible imagination. It is horrendously crowded as the crowds ebb and flow through the buildings from dawn to dawn. Hoteliers have featured deep discounts for lodging and happiness at 106 degrees Fahrenheit. Some hotels had 99 percent occupancy rates for the week, while others seemed fairly well-populated. The lobbies are jammed with swarming humanity: multiple languages, groups, sizes, and shapes.

The noise is surround-sound deafening: staccato light bursts from jangling, tinkling, slot machines; raucous party music from every available commercial orifice, including sidewalk grates and restrooms. Judging from the faces in passing, it either feels like the promised land (for those who are anticipating the BIG win) - it is their turn this time. Or, purgatory for those who lost it all on the first night on the town and are doomed to watch their friends whoop it up.

Elevator etiquette. There is a basketball tournament ahead and the teams are in town. You haven't lived until you've stood in an elevator with athletic giants. These individuals carry handsomeness, success and bigness like an aura. The door opens and tiny ladies mince on in six-inch heels. There we all are four point nine feet, five feet, six feet, seven and a half and eight feet tall. I feel like a mushroom under a huge cloud. Amazing differences, amazing sameness.

This is a town of illusion and escapism where pretend acts (almost the originals) cost as much as the real thing and are extremely good performances. Elvis lives on every corner, there to greet you, flirt with the girls as he should, and look real cool even in this dry intense heat. It is a feat of perseverance itself when you see the gear he is wearing - the lacquered ducktail wig alone must weigh ten pounds. People just love it, flocking around him - sort of waiting for absolution from the King, himself.

Outside, the sidewalk tarmac is so hot that rubber soles are semi-melted, sticking with each footstep while water vendors scream $1.00 cold water offerings. Water is a precious commodity here. With 40 million visitors plus city residents showering up every day, Lake Meade, the main supplier for this arid district, is down 100 feet from its normal levels. The drought has lasted more than 12 years, according to a tour guide, so long that teenagers have no concept of what full up means.

Almost everyone seems to be enjoying themselves except small children who have that glazed stoic look as they trudge on. Those showing animation have just come out of the famous M&M Candy store; some delightedly covered in chocolate, already liquid in the intense heat. Nothing like sugar to lift the spirits.

The Las Vegas airport, a little more than a mile away operates with the precision of a fine Swiss watch. All day, all night, planes land and take-off, a minute apart. It is a scheduling feat of stunning Migraine proportions, only appreciated by driving on Sunset Boulevard as the line up of planes pass directly overheard. One by one, looming off in the distance, as each drawers closer to land, it is replaced in the distance by four more carrying the more than forty million people a year who visit.

People also come here to shop and there are far more shoppers in the stores than sales clerks reversing an empty forlorn look seen a year ago.

An informal count of those leaving showed about 50 percent carrying packages home. With a 14.5 percent unemployment rate in the area, what you don't know are the demographics: are they visitors or residents? Are they charging on credit, or paying cash? Many brand name stores market their own credit cards. Clerks were aggressively selling these credit plans, rather intrusively so on any decision process.

Retail stores are managing inventory tightly. Stores offering less choices, wider aisles, but overall, superclean and bright.

There were fewer 50 to 75 percent off sales, or all items must go at fire-sale prices. Some retailers offered no deals, another indication that confidence in getting their price is returning.

Many retail items have increased in price; truly surprising in a difficult market, perhaps a small trend that demand is starting to outstrip supply.

Service appeared to be slower, perhaps because of the deluge of visitors or lower staff counts. Overheard in a restaurant, this group of diners was not worrying about who could hear them. One individual working in the service industry is telling his friends that 25 percent of staff were recently made redundant. He felt lucky to still have a job as the remaining crew was buckling under the strain of covering the difference.

It is late morning, the heat is bouncing off the highway asphalt in oppressive waves. We are in a car waiting at a stop light. The gentleman in front of us is ensconced on a massive old Harley Davidson. It is plastered with US military symbols - his helmut, too. He looks over to his left lane, then waves jauntily to the young ladies in the adjacent car. He adjusts his handlebars, scratches himself under his T-shirt. We sit shocked for 40 seconds or so as we see his exposed back and the 45 mm automatic pistol, just stuck casually into his waistband. He roars off - ready to protect someone, I assume.

We are in a medium size car. No one wants the big junkie cars, clean, or otherwise cause they are real gas guzzlers. No one wants these cars to lease, either, or so they say. But, go to the nearest shopping mall - every other car it seems is a monster truck, or an SUV. Some of them are new.

Is this a sign of a gradually recovering economy, who can say? Overall, the perception was that there is more discretionary cash available, whether from visitor experience or local necessity, there was more activity the week we were there.

And after it is all over, it is back to reality of the journey home. Maybe you were the average tourist, who leaves $400 behind in those shiny singing machines. They just didn't have your name on them this time. Better luck next time.

You can plan to generate your own luck, rather than betting on the future. Think about it.

Note that these are informal observations made by one person attending conferences each year. In no way can this article be taken as economic commentary.

Martha Harris Myron, CPA, CFP (US) TEP (UK) JP - Bermuda is an independent fee-only cross border planning specialist in investment, tax, estate, and strategic retirement planning services for Bermuda residents with cross-border and multi-national connections, internationally mobile people and US citizens living abroad. For more information, contact martha.myron@gmail.com">martha.myron@gmail.com or 296-3528 at Patterson Partners Ltd.

The article expresses the opinion of the author alone, and not necessarily that of The Royal Gazette. Under no circumstances is this advice to be taken as a recommendation to buy or sell investment products or as a promotion for financial plans. The Editor of The Royal Gazette has final right of approval over headlines, content, and length/brevity of article.