For some reason, this tart, dour, dismissive and curt Vegas guide in the New Zealand Herald is also strangely refreshing.

1: Leave your good taste at the state line. Or McCarran airport if you're flying in.

Tacky is in. If you feel your nose turning up in your first hour there, it's time to leave. Accept you'll see some hideous sights, structurally and on two legs, and you'll have a hoot.

2: Don't expect startling service.

You might think that a city whose lifeblood is tourism, in the wide sense of the term, would ensure the visitor enjoys themselves and be encouraged to return. Think again.

The lack of helpfulness, or even service with a smile, ranged from bored 40-something waitresses, to hopeless barmen and hotel staff giving out incorrect information.