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| The Venetian, Macau |
One thing I can say for sure, casinos have often featured
somewhere in my solo travels, and have often been, dare I say it, a beacon of
(neon) light on a dark and lonely horizon. Especially on those evenings when
you’ve done all the sightseeing you possibly could and suddenly you’re staring
at the four walls of your downtown hotel and it’s only 7.30pm. Sure, there’s
the theatre and the movies, and a glass of wine whilst reading a book in a
quaint pub. Sure. I’ve certainly undertaken all of those activities on my own and
thoroughly enjoyed them. Sure. Or ...
... there’s the casino. On the one hand, you can sit quietly
by a roulette wheel for hours without anyone really bothering you or asking you
to order a drink or get out. Contented alone time but amongst real people and
life. Just avoid eye contact and no one will try pick you up either. On the
other hand the casino is also full of lots of friendly folk who are willing to
chat and for a champion chatter like me, that’s a lovely bonus. Casual gamblers
the world over like to compare notes, see how you’re faring, ask where you’re
from and generally smile and are pleasant. (Note: serious gamblers do not.)
‘What else’, you ask? Well, you don’t actually have to
gamble. Casinos always have free entertainment and cheap drinks. You can listen
to a band, watch performers, enjoy magicians all while contentedly sipping $5
gin and tonics. Do you like dancing? There’s usually a free bar to do that in
as well. The dance floor is usually packed – no one will notice that you’re
bopping along on your own. Empty dance floor? Pretend you’re drunk and dance
anyway!
There are, however, some pitfalls you should be aware of. Crowne
Plaza Casino, Canberra for instance.
This casino (and I’ve been to quite a few!) unfortunately
holds the honour of being possibly the most glum and tragic casino in the
world. One big empty room with signs and information about entertainment but no
actual entertainment. High minimum bets and burly, surly looking staff. If
there had ever been any fun or magic in this casino it died a long time ago. In
the dim lighting you could clearly see the silhouettes of slumped shoulders and
hung heads. It’s possible no one had ever won anything in this casino. Ever. It
had a funereal air and certainly had the capacity to suck the life out of any
unfortunate person who accidently and blindingly stumbled inside it unwittingly.
Stay clear of those casinos. They will only make you feel more
wretched and lonely/ homesick.
And there’s also a little thing I like to call ‘The Witching
Hour’. At around 11pm, especially on a Friday or Saturday night, a group of
tipsy 18 year old ‘men’ will somehow stumble past security and gaze around in
awe. It’s usually a first or second visit and they swagger up to the roulette
table with no clue whatsoever, nudge each other and say things like, ‘Oi, can
you put something on the zero?’. They proceed to spill their drinks, bump into
everyone at the table and generally make crass jokes and giggle like school
girls. I have watched one of these witching hour heathens dig deep into his
pockets and pull out about $8.50 worth of change and slam that onto the table
proudly (next to the flurry of $100 bills). ‘Put it all on black!’, he cries
with gusto. He is inevitably drily told that the outside bet is a $10 minimum
at which point his kind friends rustle up a $2 coin and wait with baited breath
as the wheel spins.
Red.
‘Ah, this game is shit!’. He just resists kicking the table
and walks away disgusted.
Look, the witching hour kids can be entertaining in their
own way. As long as you don’t get beer on your dress.
But back to the positives! Even if you’re not travelling
solo, what a great way to spend some alone time even whilst with your companion!
You’re in the same place, at the same time, you can still talk about the
experience together, but you can, if you choose, just sit at the bar quietly
having a drink on your own while they play Blackjack. A moment of peace and
silence. Ahhhh.....
And casinos may even save you from natural disasters! In Singapore
I was stuck in a resort while a torrential and frightening storm raged outside.
Every room in this hotel, including shops, cafes, and bars, was floor to
ceiling glass so that every flash of lightening struck me with the fear of God
and imminent catastrophe. Except the casino. Comforting with its lack of any
windows and reassuringly dim lighting, I peacefully and repeatedly played zero at
the roulette wheel until all danger had passed and I was able to emerge an hour
later in blissful calm and tranquillity.
Too much?
Ok, well visiting casinos on holidays is not everyone’s
thing. I’m just saying – if you find yourself yawning before the sun has gone
down and with an hour or two of evening time to fill, it’s there if you need
it!
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