Go west, young teens

'Hey guys, why don't we go and blow a few of those bucks I won on the roulette table at Caesars Palace?' I ask the kids. 'Anybody want a zillion-dollar Versace outfit? A suite in a hotel, with its own private Grand Canal and Rialto bridge? A chopper ride off to one of those penthouse Top of the World restaurants serving lobster thermidor, beluga caviar and Roederer Cristal?

In our dreams. Fantasizing about what to do if we got seriously lucky in Vegas, had become an in-joke for us all. But in truth we had only come here because Las Vegas airport is the gateway to the ranches of the Wild West.

Obviously, teenagers are too young to try their luck in the casinos, never mind glug Champagne. But it would be a travesty not to experience the bright lights of the city that claims to be 'The Entertainment Capital of the World'. Some of the thrill rides rival anything in the theme parks of Anaheim or Orlando; there are outrageous circus acts, and outlandish theatre shows. The whole place is so shockingly over the top, that you need to get it out of your system before you can move on.

OK, we didn't become instant millionaires after all, but the kids' spending money did stretch to new wrap-around shades and Quiksilver T-shirts. And they settled into the back seat of the snazzy Buick convertible that was part of the Virgin Holidays' package with the insouciance of film stars. Then we streamed across the Arizona desert towards the next fantasy - the one we have all lived in the cowboy movies.In fact, the ranch we were heading for was much more than a fantasy, because it was a real working cattle station with several thousand head of livestock. It is hard to think of a holiday better suited to outdoors-loving teens, than a stay at a ranch such as the Stagecoach Trails, just over the Arizona state line, about two and a half hours from Las Vegas.

There were wranglers on hand to pair people with horses and make sure everybody had fun in the saddle, whatever their riding ability. Twice a day we rode out into the fabled landscape dotted with mushroom rocks and cacti while others chose to improve their riding skills in the corral, yeee-haaa-ing with the best of them. Those who prefer it can explore the stunning scenery on mountain bikes or follow hiking trails.

Meanwhile back at the ranch' there is a swimming pool to relax in, and go-carts for hire; or, if you are really swept up in the cowboy reverie, activities such as games of horseshoe to join in. After dark, we would sit quietly in the open-air hot tub, watching wisps of cloud scudding across a moon-filled sky. And as far as I remember, we were still telling in-jokes about the razzmatazz of Vegas.