This past weekend I joined my family on a trip to the city of Las Vegas. Twelve people, three children, two wheelchairs, and four fluent English speakers made up our group. I somehow expected an uneventful trip and instead met many things that surpassed my expectations. Some things had to do with smiling until my cheeks ached and other things had to do with turning the other way with tear filled eyes. Here are seven things that I learned from Las Vegas.

1. What the trip did for my family.

A step into our Italian themed casino hotel revealed hordes of people clad in outfits suited for a heart racing night out. Many of them sang about their plans in a plethora of languages. My family kept to ourselves and struggled to move about as a big group. On first impressions I thought my family sought a retreat from the busybody of the Bay Area. Just a standard vacation that left everyday worries at home. Instead I found that the trip was meant to be a gauze for their existing wounds— to soothe the gap of absent family members. Everyone had someone they were separated from and wished to be with.

2. A deeper understanding of people’s personalities and habits.

Traveling together means that you'll generally be in each other’s company for around twenty hours a day. You’ll learn their morning and night rituals, how they choose to spend their free time, and how they respond to upcoming situations. Details that you have never witnessed before will be revealed to you.

3. Even if you're on vacation, you should still eat healthy.

My main diet during the trip consisted of seafood and restaurant specialties. I completely forgot to keep balanced meals with vegetables due to the idea of letting loose on vacations. Even though the trip and poor dietary habits only lasted a few days, I returned home feeling like a baby beluga whale.

4. Secondhand smoke is real.

Back at home in the Bay Area, the most chemicals polluting my lungs was smog emission from cars. But once I stepped foot into any area in Vegas with a casino nearby, drifting cigarette smoke instantly clogged my sense of smell. (Smoking is only allowed in casinos but many of the casino hotels have connecting food courts and other common areas.) The air I inhaled felt thick and weighed down by contamination.

5. If you get a chance, go to the shows.

There are endless shows ranging from zero dollars to a couple hundred dollars. The Fountains of Bellagio is a free "spectacular show of thoughtfully interwoven water, music and light designed to mesmerize its admirers". One of the shows on the more pricey end is Le Rêve - The Dream at the Wynn resort. The show takes place in an aquatic theatre-in-the-sound and presents aquatic ballet and gravity-defying stunts. Regardless of the costs, the shows leave their viewers in awe.

6. Valet parking is your friend.

For visitors at hotels along the Strip, valet parking is about $15 for zero to four hours. It's pricey but it's super efficient, especially if you're traveling in a big group with time constraints. It’s also handy to have some spare bills available for tips. The valet parking attendants were very friendly and helped us with our wheelchairs in the trunks.