Shania Twain In Vegas! (*Spoilers*)

Last weekend, my parents and I went to Las Vegas to see Shania Twain for my dad's birthday! We didn't leave until almost noon, because my dad had some things to do, and when he was finished, we hit the road. It was pretty much a "turn and burn" trip, but totally worth it!

I love road trips. It's kind of my dream for Ryan Seacrest to make a reality show about my family going on a road trip across the country in an RV. I have no idea where that idea came from, but probably just my love for road trips. To me, it's like you see everyone's true colors and it just gives you a chance to be outside of yourself, and see things from a different perspective, because you're in a new setting and can really think, instead of just being stuck in a certain situation.

Our car ride consisted of listening to music, playing random games to pass the time, and just talking about whatever. There are always a lot of laughs, which is something I'll always treasure the most about trips-the people and the conversations exchanged.

After several hours of driving, we made it to Las Vegas! We checked into our hotel, Excalibur, and didn't have much time to dilly dally. We unpacked the car, freshened up and changed, then headed downstairs. We had planned on having a nice dinner, but ended up not having time after we got there, so we went to a burger place in our hotel. It was pretty good...Burgers are burgers.

By that time, it was getting closer to the show and we still had to make our way over to Caesar's Palace, and traffic was pretty heavy. Well, the streets are weird, so we had to go down several side streets and take detours, etc. It felt like something out of a movie. Either a high action chase type scene, or something out of a chick flick; something really cliche, where the guy is trying to get the girl back and he has to get to the airport or something like that.
Well, we FINALLY made it. My dad found a parking spot, and we were almost running to the casino part of the hotel (which never happens), and had plenty of time to spare. We made our way inside the Colesseum, bought a program, and glanced around at some of Shania's clothes that were set up in the lobby area.
Then, we found the way to our seats. We were in the balcony, but it worked really well for a show like this, because there are so many aspects that you want to be able to see in full effect; graphics, lighting, dancers. 

When we made our way into the theater, there was a backdrop that made you feel as though you were in the forest. There were green trees, logs, and other little woodland creatures hanging around, and the sound effects were so real. It really felt like you were hanging out in the middle of nature, which is very Shania! It felt comforting! As the show got closer, the sun started to shine through the woods more, and finally...SHOW TIME!

I was excited about the concert when we bought the tickets, and obviously in the weeks and days prior to it, but I was feeling extremely excited right before the curtains were lifted. She was a huge reason of why I loved Country music so much when I was younger, and I just remember watching specials with her on TV and hearing her on the radio as I got ready for school each morning. To finally be able to see her perform live?! Definitely a dream come true. And she was every bit of what I thought she would be and more.

Having just finished reading her book, I felt like I knew her! I found out so much about her life and what she went through; things I never would have known or realized just by looking at her. So, to know all the struggles and trials she's been through in her life and has still been able to rise above all of that, standing before thousands of people in an arena like that is proof to me that I really can do anything in my life. It doesn't matter what walk of life you come from. You have the power to change all of that.
It's definitely on my top 5 concerts I've been to! Even if she hadn't had the dancers, the horse, the graphics on the screen, costume changes or any of that, she just has this commanding stage presence that has everyone's eyes on her. She sang all of her uptempo hits, as well as a few of her slower ballads like, "You're Still The One" and "From This Moment On" (my personal favorite). Then, of course, she sang her earlier songs, like "Any Man Of Mine", "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" on the steps of a saloon set, while wearing pink cowboy boots and plaid shirt, and it still felt like I was seeing her in her prime days. In fact, she hasn't gone ANYWHERE. She worked that stage and got the crowd going. I still can't believe she's like 47...Or something like that?? I don't even look like that and I'm 21. This is just not right. HA!
My favorite part of the show was the "campfire" type setting, where they set up a fake bonfire with a nature-esque background with rocks and logs to sit on. Shania said that her husband, Fred, picks a few people out of the audience to bring onstage each night, so he brought them to her, and she picked a few more people out of the audience herself. It definitely reminded me of something Taylor Swift would do, or that her husband in the future might be doing, if she's still wanting to tour when she settles down. Shania was very laid back and seemed very personal in those moments. You could tell it really is the part of the show where not much is planned and she just gets to know the audience and hang out with the few fans on stage. They played the acoustic guitar and she sang a few of her more folksy tunes, like "Today Is Your Day." It really opened my eyes to how sincere she is...and also, just how badly I want to meet her.

The only pic I snapped because we weren't supposed to take pictures. This was at the end!

She closed the show out with "Man! I Feel Like A Woman" and just like that...It was over. She truly is an artist and one heck of a performer! I was truly blown away by her presence, as an entertainer and as a person. And she does seem really happy now, which is good. After all this time, she deserves that.

After the show ended, we spent A LOT of time in the gift shop. I got a shirt from Shania's organization, perfume, and guitar picks! Let's just say there was a lot to choose from in the store..But, most of it was overpriced. When we finished up there, we made our way back down the strip and to our hotel. We ended up stopping at Starbucks and Pizza Hut and brought them back to snack on in our room, since we'd eaten pretty early.
We watched TV, ate, and got ready for bed. Obviously, much earlier than I'm used to, because I stay awake until 2-3 a.m on most nights. So, while my parents fell asleep, I was staring at the ceiling, brainstorming and daydreaming, as usual. It's good for me! And pretty soon, I was fast asleep.

The next morning, we were able to sleep in a bit (like I don't do that enough), get ready and get our things together to leave. We checked out of the hotel and had lunch at Claim Jumpers, which is at the outlets that we usually go to. It's a nice outdoor shopping center, and since it was for my dad's birthday, he got to pick the place. They weren't open when we get there, so we killed time at this store called, Fry's. It's basically like an electronic heaven, and in all of the trips that we've taken to Vegas, I've never been there, so it was cool to be able to check it out. They had just about everything; DVD's, CD's, books, appliances, etc. It was amazing! I definitely could have bought plenty of series' on DVD if I'd had money...So, it's probably a good thing I didn't.

We headed back over to Claim Jumper and had lunch, which was yummy! And we had some great conversation, while my mom and I explained a few scenes of The Office to my dad...Good times! When we finished, we looked around at a few of the stores and tried some frozen popcorn at one of the little booths. It was scientifical and tasty, oddly enough. After an hour or so, we realized we should probably get on the road.

The road trip felt a little longer this time around. I guess that's always the case with vacations, right? On the way, you're excited and anticipating everything that's going to happen...And on the way back, all of your memories that could have been made, have been and now it's back to the town or city that you belong. *Sigh* To pass the time, I watched One Tree Hill, wrote in my journal, stared out the window, and checked Twitter quite frequently. Then, I got a text from one of my friend's, asking if I wanted to go to a taping of Conan the next day. I said YES! So, I had that to look forward to as we continued the drive back to town. I was really excited! :)

We got home around 6:30 or so, ate dinner, and got some stuff ready for the next day! It was a relaxed night and a great end to an incredible weekend. And the official start to spring break, even though I technically don't get one, because I only have one class, and it's online...Oh well... ;).

That's all for now,
Shelby