Ken Bennett outdoes Jules Verne by whizzing Around The World In 80 Minutes - Las Vegas style - and gives some dollar-saving tips along the way, too

JOIN me on a journey that takes you from Egypt to Italy in eight minutes and from Paris to New York in an extra five.

Confused? Well don't be, because we are in the land of total illusion: Las Vegas, the only place on the planet where the moment you arrive, you're genuinely somewhere else.

Currently, 36 million people a year visit this Nevada desert neon mirage. And, with the launch of pioneering airline BMI's new direct service from Manchester, there will be even more fun seekers heading off to share almost every conceivable dream under the sun.

They come to find America at its glitziest. Yet in reality, what they'll discover isn't America at all but an alternative dimension of mega-resorts raking in more cash over a single weekend than some of the world's smaller countries take in a year.

My own global trip lasted just eighty minutes, ample time to cover the 14,000 geographic miles I would have actually travelled but I did say this isn't reality. My journey was compressed into the sprawl of seven Las Vegas miles.

And it cost no more than a £3 for a day pass on a comfortable, unpretentious bus, or CAT (Citizen's Area Transport), on route 301 and a return cab ride nudging in at just over a fiver.

The Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, a 3,700 room, 1,100 suite fantasy in eleven acres of sandy lagoon is typical of Vegas's uncertain grasp of geography - the real Mandalay doesn't have a bay.

Let me explain. My starting point was the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, at the southern end of five-mile-long Las Vegas Boulevard, the legendary 'Strip'.

The next stop was Egypt and the Luxor was just next door.

This shimmering, smoked-glass 4,400-bedroom pyramid once had the River Nile running through its vast lobby until management decided that pharaohs are fine but floor space for gambling is better.

The bus stop is near the Luxor's entrance, so it was easy to get from Egypt to Italy - specifically, the 3,000 all-suite Venetian, complete with St Mark's Square, Grand Canal, and gondoliers who sing in Italian.

Its shopping centre alone could occupy a full morning's tour with the stunning entrance lobby ceiling doing credit to Michelangelo. But I had no time to linger because, oo la la, Paris was calling . . .

Just a short stroll away there is a half size replica of the Eiffel Tower, standing proud on the roof of the 3,000-room resort. The tempting bistros and fountains were hard to resist, but I still had to make a high-five to New York, New York.

In truth, it's a mere two stops on bus 301, back up The Strip to the dozen skyscrapers housing 2,000 bedrooms, etched in the shape of everything from the Empire State to the Chrysler Building.

I really had to pinch myself as I gazed out from the Brooklyn Bridge at the 150-foot high replica of the Statue of Liberty. But, karamba, South America beckons! A brief cab ride to Rio Suites, and I was among the best of the non-Strip resort hotels.

And there is a bonus too: with the palm-fringed Ipanema Beach, it offers the best free show in town, a breathtaking aerial carnival, in which anyone can participate.

Back to The Strip, and I had time to say 'aloa' at the one resort which really has claimed the South Seas as its own, the sublime Mirage.

When it opened 15 years ago, this luxurious 3,000-bed Polynesian extravaganza was, at 630 million dollars, the world's most expensive hotel development. Even today, it's still a Vegas showpiece, with its waterfalls, lagoons and indoor rain forest. At night its outdoor water feature is transformed into a lava-drenched volcano every 15 minutes.

Finally, it was time to return to reality - though this particular road to Mandalay is more fabulous than Kipling could ever have imagined.

Yet despite the heady lifestyle, a visit, as the saying goes, does not have to be to Lost Wages. Take these tips and I promise you can sample the best of all possible worlds without it costing the earth!

Dining: Almost every hotel and restaurant has a special offer - if you have a coupon. Get these on the Internet in advance (search 'Vegas coupons') or drop in on the Visitor & Convention Bureau near The Strip.

Look out for coupon-packed free magazines in malls like Desert Passage, too . . . but don't expect to find these publications in the major hotels: they're too keen for you to stay on their premises to promote rival attractions!

With coupons, a typical breakfast (twice the size of an English one) will be around £3. A substantial lunch or dinner of prime rib steak with shrimp starter will be under £7 a head.

Vegas is also home to some of the world's finest restaurants, amongst them The Aureole at Mandalay Bay - definitely a must-visit for lovers of fine cuisine, at around 120 dollars for two, including wine.

Transport: don't hire a car - it could turn your fistful of dollars to ashes. The CAT system works fine and there's also a Strip tram that stops at every major hotel at just over £1.50 a ride. Vegas's new monorail should be fully operational next year with tickets a snip at $3 each day.

Free Attractions: all resorts are free to explore, as are attractions like the Casablanca indoor rainstorm, Desert Passage, next to Aladdin on The Strip. Or call in at the Mardi Gras at Rio Suites; the balletic AirPlay at The Tropicana, and yet another aerial spectacular at Circus, Circus.

The best free showtime is in the evening. Take a stroll including The Mirage's fiery volcano and (literally) explosive pirates show outside TI.

Arguably the finest spectacle is in front of the city's finest hotel: The Bellagio's Dancing Fountains contrive a breathtaking display of water, light, and classical music every 15 minutes from 7pm.

Shopping: The Forum Shops at Caesars could rate as the world's most magnificent mall. Prices can send your credit card into melt down, but Caesars' T-shirts and nightwear offer great quality from £8.40. Other shopping experiences include The Venetian, Desert Passage, and Fashion Show Mall.

FACTFILE

* Must Dos: City Lights night flight over The Strip, for less than £45 a head (www.sundancehelicopters.com); lunch on top of the 1,145ft Stratosphere, around £11 (www.stratospherehotel.com); the show Jubilee, in its 21st year and still the best, from £30 (www.ballyslasvegas.com)

* Accommodation: Avoid Vegas resort hotels at weekends, room rates plummet Mon-Thurs (from £10.60). One of the best booking sites is: www.tripreservations.com.

* Gambling: Video poker is the only slot whose outcome you can reasonably dictate. 'Best buy' casino game is Keno, like our National Lottery, except you make multiple-choice bets on one selection. It pays the highest returns fo r the least investment. But take my advice, it's better to watch than to wager if you are thinking of table games!

* Next year, Vegas celebrates its 100th birthday and they are already planning a record-breaking birthday cake weighing more than 130,000 pounds.

* BMI, the UK's second largest full-service airline, has now launched a scheduled direct service from Manchester with three flights a week, costing from £398 return, www.flybmi.com

* To check out websites in this report, click on to the city's official site: www.vegasfreedom.com