After finishing writing Part 1, I finally had some free time to write Part 2. This part is more fun and intense, with new friends, better food, and sightseeing in the beautiful cities of Las Vegas and Boston. Without further ado, let's get started.

Part 1 >>> https://th.readme.me/p/1830 is the first 7 days of the trip.

Part 2 I will take you to visit Las Vegas to see the Miss Universe 2015 pageant, which is the most talked about Miss Universe pageant ever. It was so much fun! / After that, I will cross the country to visit Boston, the city of education, where the people are lovely. / Then I will go back to New York City for another round, this time to take you to eat delicious food, both Western and Chinese.

Date 8 (19/12/15)

This morning at JFK, we will fly to Las Vegas with Delta Airlines. We booked an early flight so that we can arrive before sunset and walk around before the sun goes down. We left our accommodation and arrived at the airport at 8:00 am. I recommend using Uber as it is cheaper than Yellow Taxi and the drivers are more familiar with the routes. We arrived at the airport on time. Right now, I don't want to get out of the car because the weather outside is so cold. I got out to wait for my luggage and I couldn't stand still, I had to jump around all the time. Try watching American movies, when it's very cold, people talk with smoke coming out of their mouths and they jump around all the time. It's a way to warm up their bodies. We came to check in and prepare to board the plane. Most domestic airlines in the US allow you to bring one carry-on bag weighing no more than 7 kgs. If you have a second bag, you will have to pay an additional $25 per bag, which is quite expensive. This flight takes almost 6 hours. We left New York at 9:00 am and arrived in Las Vegas at around 12:30 pm. Ahhh, you're confused, right? I said 6 hours, why did we arrive at noon? It's like this: New York and Vegas are on opposite sides of the US with different time zones. New York time is 3 hours ahead of Vegas time. We have to adjust to the time difference again. I'm on the plane now and I'm going to sleep for a long time because I woke up early this morning.

The view below is beautiful before the plane lands, isn't it? You can see mountains and some places are already covered with snow.

We arrived at McCarran International Airport, located approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles) south of downtown Las Vegas.

Las Vegas, nicknamed the "Sin City," is a city in the state of Nevada known for its abundance of vices. Located in the middle of the desert, Las Vegas has become famous for its gambling, shopping, and dining. The legalization of gambling in Las Vegas has led to its continued growth. While gambling was once the main draw for visitors, Las Vegas now attracts tourists from all over the world who come to experience its dazzling lights, extravagant buildings, massive hotels with thousands of rooms, and the natural wonder of the Grand Canyon. (Note: Alcohol is sold in Las Vegas 24/7 and can be consumed on the streets without fear of arrest. However, public intoxication is not tolerated and will result in arrest. In contrast, in New York City, alcoholic beverages cannot be carried without being covered in a bag, and public consumption is strictly prohibited. Violators face hefty fines.)

The prosperity of Vegas, with its shopping centers and large luxury hotels, is concentrated on the Strip. Outside of this, there are only normal houses built on the desert. It may seem strange, but they built this road for entertainment purposes. I took a taxi from the airport to the hotel. We will be staying at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, which is located on the Strip, making it very convenient to get around.

See, there's the Eiffel Tower too. It's really Paris (almost all hotels in Vegas have a casino on the ground floor, don't be surprised. You'll see a lot of people playing. If you want to try your luck, go ahead. Good luck, hehe)

Hotel Lobby.

The hotels here have rooms that cost at least a thousand baht. However, the rooms may look old because they may have been occupied by many people, making them look worn out. I will unpack my clothes from my bag, take a shower, and get dressed. Then, I will take you to dinner.

We have a reservation at Elffel Tower Restaurant. I'm here in Vegas with my senior from New York. It's nice to have a friend to hang out with so I'm not lonely.

I'll be back later. The Eiffel Tower Restaurant is a French restaurant located in the center of the Eiffel Tower. Its reputation is well-known in Vegas, so you need to book early or you won't get a table. We sat at a table with a good view by the window, and we could see the dancing fountain from the hotel across the street, another highlight of Vegas at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino. Let's start with the first menu item. P.S. I can't remember the names of the dishes, so just look at the pictures.

The cold soup was delicious.

The second dish we ordered was a kind of shrimp salad, which was incredibly delicious.

This dish is mine, steak. It's so good, it melts in your mouth.

This dish belongs to P'One. The fish steak has sweet flesh and super crispy skin.

After a savory meal, you must have something sweet to complete the "Super Chocolate" experience. Those who love Dark Chocolate will be in heaven.

The view from the table will show the Planet Hollywood hotel.

My stomach is full and my eyelids are getting heavy. I looked at the clock and it was only 8 pm. Why am I so sleepy so early? Oh, I forgot that it's already midnight in New York. So I'm going to go to bed now. We have a national duty to fulfill tomorrow morning. We will be cheering for our Miss Universe Thailand, Nat, in the Miss Universe pageant this year. (Las Vegas wasn't originally on my travel plan, but when they announced in October that the Miss Universe pageant would be held here, I changed my travel plan almost entirely. Hehe. Since I'm already in the US, I'd like to do my part as a Thai person and cheer for a Thai person on this stage. I've only watched the live broadcast on TV for many years. This year, I have the opportunity, so let's do it once. I'm very excited about this. I wonder if it will be much more exciting to watch it live.)

December 20, 2015

We woke up early today. We have an appointment with another large group of Thai people to watch the Miss Universe pageant, but it's just a rehearsal. The actual competition will start at 4 pm Vegas time (1 pm New York time or 7 am on December 21, 2015 Thailand time). Not many people came to watch this round because everything will be simulated to feel like the real thing. That's what we want to see, hehe.

We're wearing t-shirts with a design of a Thai tuk-tuk. It was designed by Som-O, the winner of the national costume design contest. The shirts are super cute! / I'm wearing a red hat. We're also with P'Noom, who's from New York, and our new friend Beer, who flew in from Thailand to cheer us on.

Behind me is Aat, a new friend who flew in from Florida. And lastly, Madame Kay, a veteran in the beauty pageant industry, who has already visited many places. / I started introducing new friends I met during the trip. Sometimes, coming to a foreign country and meeting lovely Thai people like this is the reward of traveling.

During the rehearsal, the stage this year is simple but really cool.

After finishing watching the show, it was正好中午. We went to have lunch at Panda Express. As the name suggests, it's a Chinese-style rice restaurant, but it looks a bit better. Most of the food is Chinese-style, but it's delicious and not expensive. They give you a lot of food! After we were full, we went our separate ways to get dressed because we had to be in the hall at 4 pm to watch the real show. I was so excited! I'm going to go get dressed now.

The time has come...

I'm all dressed up and ready to go! Everyone is looking their best, with suits and dresses and plenty of jewelry. There are so many people here from all over the world, cheering on their own country's beauty queen. We, the Thai people, are sitting together in this zone, about 40 of us. We may not be a large group, but we are definitely the loudest! When the host asked for cheers from Thailand, we gave it our all, waving our Thai flags that we brought with us. We're not going to let anyone outdo us! People are starting to fill the hall as the live broadcast is about to begin. Right now, we're hoping that our girl, Nat, will make it to the final round so we can keep cheering her on. (If you've been following the competition this year, you know that Nat, our beauty queen, has been outstanding, participating in almost every activity of the pageant. She's been so prominent that the cheering squad isn't even considering the possibility of her not making it to the next round. Wow, I'm so excited, my heart is racing and my hands are cold. I think the Thai people who are cheering from home must be feeling the same way, right?) It's time for the competition! The host has invited all 80 contestants from all over the world to come up on stage.

Steve Harvey, the host of tonight's competition.

The hall was filled with deafening cheers. Everyone was shouting the name of their country and waving their national flags. Thailand! Thailand! Thailand! Although we weren't a large group, our voices were incredibly loud. The host began announcing the 15 finalists. The first person passed, and everyone was still having fun. We continued to chant "Thailand!" When the host asked which country would be next, we started to quiet down around the 10th person. We turned to each other and wondered if Nat would make it. Then the 11th person passed, and the 12th... still no us. By the 13th person, we were starting to lose hope. We turned to each other for encouragement. By the 14th person, we were extremely disappointed, and tears were threatening to fall. We told each other that we would try again next year, but we were heartbroken if Nat didn't make it because she was so beautiful and stood out. When the host said that there was only one more girl who would be the last finalist, we hung our heads in despair. As soon as the host announced the last person, Miss Thailand, we all started crying with joy. We jumped, danced, and screamed as if she had already won the crown. It wasn't easy to make it to the finals, and just being there filled us with so much encouragement. We were so happy that we almost hugged everyone. We didn't even look at the stage because we were so excited.

Thailand team, break time.

The beauty queens are now changing into their swimsuits. This photo shows the contestants who did not make it to the next round dancing before the announcement.

The last person to walk in the swimsuit round was Nat. She walked very well. If she has the heart, she will definitely be in the top 10. After finishing, the 15 beautiful women stood in a line. Our Thai girl was announced in the early order. Yay! Nat did it! We are in the top 10 for the first time in 28 years. The cheering section is now jumping like kangaroos. Screaming as if they were sprinkled with holy water. I'm so happy. Now everyone is going to change into evening gowns. The final 10 beautiful women.

Everyone's outfits are beautiful, but Nat is the most beautiful. Let's wait and see if the Thai girl will be in the top 5. Four people have passed, no Thai. The 5th person, please be Thai. When it was announced as USA, we all sighed and were disappointed. But we're not that sad. We're so happy that she made it to the top 10 and also won the best national costume award. That's worth the ticket price.

Congratulations to Mr. Som-O Hirankrithi Pattaboriboonkul, the designer of Tuk Tuk Thailand.

The highlight of the competition wasn't over yet. We cheered until the final two contestants remained: Miss Colombia and Miss Philippines. Everyone in the hall was on the edge of their seats, wondering who would be crowned the next Miss Universe. The tension was palpable as supporters from both countries chanted for their respective candidates. When Steve Harvey announced Miss Colombia as the winner, we were overjoyed. She was truly beautiful. The outgoing Miss Universe then walked out to present the crown and bouquet to Miss Colombia, who waved with joy. Miss Philippines walked to the side of the stage, and Filipino fans began to leave the hall. After a few minutes, the host walked back out and apologized for the announcement, stating that it was a mistake. What?! He then changed the announcement, declaring Miss Philippines as Miss Universe. What was going on? This couldn't be a joke, right? No, the announcement was truly a mistake. Everyone was stunned and confused. What had just happened? This was serious business. A new crown was being prepared for another candidate. Chaos ensued. Filipino fans rushed back into the hall, bewildered but screaming with joy. However, the supporters on the other side felt emotionally devastated. They had been tricked into celebrating, only to be left heartbroken. They began to protest, booing and throwing ice in their dissatisfaction with the announcement. The atmosphere was extremely tense. We watched for a while and then decided to leave, fearing we might get caught in the crossfire. No one knows the truth behind this mistaken announcement. Was it a genuine error, or was it a staged drama? I feel sorry for both contestants. Miss Colombia felt like she was publicly slapped, and Miss Philippines did nothing wrong, yet she now appears to have snatched the crown from Miss Colombia. I hope both of them can overcome this incident quickly. Only the host and the Miss Universe organization know the truth.

The final three are Miss Philippines, Miss Colombia, and Miss USA.

The other contestants went to express their condolences to Miss Colombia, while Miss Philippines stood with the MU staff on the other side of the stage.

The MU committee has shown the results of the competition, proving that the announcement of the winner was indeed incorrect.

We escaped the chaos inside the hall to eat outside. Hey, what's going on? The street outside the hotel is full of police officers. All lanes are closed. Is it a bomb? So we went to ask the police officer what happened. She refused to tell us anything, just saying it was something bad and she couldn't say. Um, my imagination started to run wild. What happened? Was it a bomb? I mixed it up with the beauty pageant results and, fearing for my life, I quickly walked back into the hotel and joined the rest of the Thai people to eat together. When we arrived at the restaurant and watched the news, we realized it wasn't a bomb, but a car accident that killed someone. Phew, what a relief. P.S. We also grumbled about why the police officer didn't tell us it was a car accident. Saying "I can't tell you, it's a bad thing" was really bad. My imagination went as far as a bomb.

The taxi queue was very long and we were hungry, so we had to negotiate a price for a luxury limousine. It was a very long car that could seat more than 10 people. We went to eat Thai food together. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was good, and we had a lot of fun gossiping about what happened at the hall. After dinner, everyone went back to their accommodation. It was a very worthwhile night. We got to see a very exciting beauty pageant of the year. I'm happy that Thailand stood out so much. I'm glad I met new friends, new friendships that money can't buy. Everyone was so lovely.

Date 10 (21/12/15)

This morning we woke up a little late. We have a program to take a tour of Vegas. We will take you to see the various hotels located on the Strip. We checked out of the hotel and left our luggage there. We will return to New York on a 11pm flight. Let's start walking around, the weather in Vegas is cool, around 5 degrees.

Starting from the hotel we stayed at, we walked around.

Caesars Palace Hotel. There's a Brahma statue outside, so we didn't forget to pay our respects and make a wish. May we have good luck all year and get to visit America again. Hehe. Inside the hotel, there are shops selling luxury brands. The atmosphere is decorated in a Greco-Roman style, which is beautiful.

We walked to many hotels and couldn't capture them all in photos. Each hotel was truly grand and had its own unique character. It was absolutely amazing!

We have another lunch appointment this afternoon. Chef Boy, who works at Planet Hollywood, will be treating us. Thank you.

On the way, we came across a very cute little church. My friend said that a movie was filmed there, but I can't remember which one. If anyone knows, please let me know in the comments.

If you don't reach this sign, you'll be told you haven't reached Las Vegas. We walked here, and our legs were exhausted. At first, we thought it was close, but it turned out to be several kilometers away, and our legs were stiff. It was also very cold.

It's time to say goodbye to Las Vegas. Bye Bye See you next time......

**Date 11 (22/12/15)**

Everyone is now going their separate ways after watching the contest. They all have a feeling of joy. But my trip is not over yet. I have arrived in New York after taking a plane from Las Vegas. I was so tired that I fell asleep as soon as I got on the plane. After getting off the plane, I took the Subway to catch a bus to Boston. I got on the bus at the same place as before, Port Authority Bus Terminal (625 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018). I got off at 42nd Street. When I arrived, I followed the signs to get in. I used the same bus company, GreyHound. https://www.greyhound.com The price is not the same all day, it depends on the time. The bus leaves every hour and takes about 4 hours. You can book online or buy at the counter (price around $40). Booking in advance is cheaper. Try it out. The ride is relaxing. The bus has Wifi and charging plugs. The route between New York and Boston is very green, with lots of trees. Today it was raining all the way. 4 hours on the bus, my body is almost falling apart because it feels like I've been traveling for 10 hours straight. The bus will stop at South Station, not far from Boston's Chinatown. As soon as I got off the bus, luckily, I had a senior who came to study here. She volunteered to pick me up and arranged the trip for me. We walked from the bus station to the hotel. We walked around in a big circle. It turned out she took me the wrong way. That's how it is, it's great! Finally, we arrived at the hotel. Today I'm sleeping in luxury again, using the employee rate as usual. 555++ Super worth it. We will be staying at the Doubletree by Hilton Downtown Boston.

Being a hotel employee is worth it like this, lol.

Is the bedroom on the 6th floor comfortable to sleep in?

I would love to have a coffee machine at home.

A white-toned bathroom, clean and pleasing to the eye.

After putting everything down, I'm going to take a shower first. I'm so sweaty right now, I haven't showered all day. Good thing I washed my face and brushed my teeth before getting on the bus. Later, P'Oi (my senior) will take me for a walk around town, see the sunset view, and then take me to eat the famous shabu in Boston. Hehe, I'm so excited!

Hotel lobby

We were walking in the light rain. (People here always check the weather first thing in the morning when they wake up so they can dress appropriately.) It's a good thing we each had an umbrella. We walked around the city, looking at everything. It's very clean here and the people dress well. I like it, hehe.

Ready to travel!

How is it, Boston on a rainy day? Walking around feels like shooting a music video. Walking in the rain, beautiful when walking in the rain, haha.

After walking for a while, my stomach started to growl. We'll take you to eat a delicious shabu here. If you come, don't miss it.

The restaurant "Shabu-Zen" is located in Chinatown and is easy to find. It is a large restaurant located on the corner of the street. The servers are very good-looking.

Incredibly delicious! It truly lives up to its reputation. There are many different types of broth to choose from, depending on your preference. The food is fresh and the prices are reasonable. Big thanks to P'Oi for treating us to this meal. (When paying for food or services, don't forget to leave a tip. In America, people take this very seriously. Some restaurants will even calculate it for you and indicate what percentage to tip (20%, 18%, or 15%). If you don't tip, some servers may even ask you why. They might say something like, "Did I not provide good service?" etc. It's important to research these customs before you go so that you don't offend anyone.)

Date 12 (23/12/15)

Good morning, the weather is nice. We woke up early so that we would have plenty of time to explore. Before we go sightseeing, let's have some breakfast so we have the energy to walk all day.

The first place is Boston Garden.

Locals, we will see squirrels in every public park. They are not afraid of people at all. They stand for us to take cool pictures.

The activity area has now been converted into a skate park. When we went, it wasn't very cold yet, but they were able to create an ice rink here.

Let's continue. We walked out of the garden. Let's change from looking at the garden to looking at the building.

We came to the place that is famous for having prestigious universities. If we don't visit, they will say that we haven't arrived.

The founder of Harvard University. Take a look at his shoes. The left shoe is gold-colored. It is said that when people visit, they touch the left shoe and make a wish to study here. (However, there is a rumor that at night, students pee on the shoe as a prank on those who touch it. 5555 I don't know if it's true, but I didn't touch it when I went there. I was afraid of getting pee on my hands.)

We walked outside because we were hungry. We found a Japanese restaurant with a lot of people waiting, so we decided to try it out.

This salad doesn't pass the spinach test. Even though I love vegetables, I have to pass on this one.

The karaage fried chicken, with its blackened appearance, was surprisingly delicious.

This takoyaki is just okay.

This salmon rice is soooo good! I give it five stars.

This dish deserves five stars! The broth is rich and flavorful, and it's so delicious. I'm stuffed! Let's go for a walk to digest.

I walked along the river near the university. The view of the river was breathtaking. A little further down, I came across the King Bhumibol Intersection sign. My heart swelled with pride. I stood there for a while, smiling. It's true that this intersection is no different from the others in the area, but just seeing this sign made me feel like it was something special. The air was starting to get cool as it was already 5 pm, marking the end of my day here. Tomorrow morning, I'll be heading back to New York to continue my adventure for the remaining 3 days.

December 24, 2015 (13th)

I arrived in New York on Christmas Eve. Tonight, we are staying near Wall Street, which looks very nice. I am staying at the Hampton Inn Manhattan / Downtown / Finance.

I initially thought this area would be bustling all day long, but when I arrived, it was the complete opposite. There was no one around in the evening, only security guards. I guess everyone goes home after work. There are only hotels in this area, no condos. Bummer. Let me change my clothes first, then I'll take you for a walk around Times Square. It's probably going to be crowded.

We've arrived. It's just like in the movies. There are a lot of people and it's cold.

Dressed tightly.

I didn't finish my dinner tonight, I had to take it home. I saw that almost every table was taking food home. Of course, with a cold plate like this, who could finish it?

The sweet water quenched my thirst. I drank half a glass and my face tightened. I even staggered. This place really packs a punch.

Date 14 (25/12/15)

Merry Christmas everyone! Today is the last day of this trip. I have to fly back tomorrow. Today, I have to take pictures of as many important places as possible because I don't know when I will have the chance to come back again. In order not to waste time, I woke up early and had breakfast. It was 8 o'clock, so I decided to start my day. Today is Christmas, so almost all the shops and offices owned by Westerners are closed. Important places are also closed, even the Statue of Liberty is closed only today. Isn't it great? Westerners value this day very much. Today, all the offices on Wall Street are closed, so we will see that the people walking around this area are all tourists. The weather is not very cold today. Let's start with the first spot. I walked out of the hotel for a while and met this guy, Charging Bull, the symbol of Wall Street. Stock players believe that if they touch the bull's testicles on that day, they will be lucky and green all over the board. It's a pity that I didn't touch it. There were too many people, a Chinese tour group came down. That's it.

The buildings are very beautiful and grand, befitting a financial district.

The way down to the subway is like this. Anyone who drags a large suitcase to travel and uses this service will find it very difficult. Because there are only escalators to drag up and down. It made me feel like I was working out.

We continued walking along the path. My next stop was the World Trade Center 9/11 Memorial. We followed the tall buildings, which were built to replace the old twin towers that were destroyed in a terrorist attack. There is only one building here, called One World Trade Center. The top floor is an observation deck for New York City. I didn't book a ticket to go up because I checked the weather and it was too foggy.

The well, sir. They didn't build a new building, but instead made this well as a reminder of the many people who have passed away. The atmosphere here, sir? People seem quiet and respectful of the place. Some people bring flowers to lay for their loved ones who have passed away. There are two wells located close together.

The next stop, I have an appointment with a beautiful woman here. Who else could it be but P'Nung? I'm walking alone today. Our appointment is to go for a walk in China Town and then find lunch there. Western restaurants are all closed. Chinese restaurants are all open and every restaurant is crowded. Let's see what we're eating today.

Deep-fried prawns with creamy salad

Soup

This is also delicious, I can't remember the name, hehe.

This Peking duck is the star of the show today, it's absolutely amazing! Unlike in Thailand, here they carve the duck at your table. They don't just eat the skin, they carve it with meat and serve it with warm steamed buns. The duck is so tender and the skin is crispy, it's heavenly!

After finishing our meal, we headed to Brooklyn Bridge for some photos. We took the Subway and got off at the Brooklyn Bridge station. It was crowded with people. We saw an ice cream truck and decided to get some to warm up.

Today there are a lot of people, so we changed our plan. We took the Subway to the other side to take pictures of the view of Manhattan Island.

After we finished taking photos, we went back to Manhattan. Since it was Christmas, we had to take a photo with the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Everyone wants to take a photo with this tree. It's the star of the show.

Another day has passed. I will be leaving tomorrow. Let me go back to pack my bags first.

Date 15 (26/12/15)

It's time to say goodbye. The fun is over. JFK isn't crowded today. We came early. Thank you, P'One, for dropping me off and for the Christmas present.

Date 16 (28/12/15)

I took a plane all day long, which was very tiring. I slept all the way. Thank you to everyone who joined me on this trip. It was a lot of fun and I gained both experience and new friends. It was just the beginning of my courage to travel alone. After this trip, I already planned to travel alone like this again and again. I'm starting to get hooked on it. Try it and you'll get hooked too. Thank you everyone for reading this far. If I go anywhere else, I will share more good stories and small tips for traveling like this again. Thank you.

Life is a journey by Nhong_Lip