Ridiculous as it is to acknowledge, the travel editor of Hawai'i's largest newspaper had never been to Hawai'i's favorite travel destination: Las Vegas.

The time to remedy that omission came a few weeks ago, when I and my husband met up with his brother and sister-in-law for a little R&R for them and a lot of reporting for me.

And now the confessional part of our program: I am exactly the wrong person to appreciate Las Vegas.

I don't gamble (the only time I ever did was on a horse at Seattle's Longacres Race Track. When I realized I could have watched the race and kept my five bucks, my gambling days were over).

I don't drink anymore.

I'm not a bargain hunter and don't use coupons. (If The Advertiser would have stood for it, we'd have been at The Four Seasons instead of the Luxor, although the Luxor was very nice.)

But I do love to eat and shop and, of course, to see anything new, so I figured I'd find plenty to do.

I did. But along the way, I learned a thing or two. Usually the hard way.

I learned that there are two Las Vegases. There's Downtown, the northern end of the Strip (aka Las Vegas Boulevard), where the bargains are and where Islanders tend to stay and play. And there's the ritzy end to the south, near the airport. In the middle is a world of tacky shops, crumbling facades, empty (but no doubt soon-to-be-developed lots. A cab between costs $20. Plan accordingly.

I rediscovered childlike wonder more than once. (I'll tell you where and when.)

I laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed at a couple of great shows (I'll tell you which ones).

I yawned and yawned and yawned at a show everyone else loves (I'll tell you that, too).

I saw trained cats. Yes, domestic cats. (More on this elsewhere.)

I walked and walked and walked and walked. (Best line of the week came from comedian Carrot Top: One tourist to another, "Hey! There's the Stratosphere; it looks pretty close, let's just walk." Fifteen minutes later: "Is that (expletive) moving?")

I got so dehydrated my nose bled. (Pack saline drops, lip balm and moisture cream, and duct-tape a bottle of water to your hand; Islanders were not made for this climate.)

I spent a couple of hours roaming a desert landscape, as understated in volume and color as the Strip is loud and bright — a lovely respite. (See story on the Springs Preserve in this section, and a video online.)

I went crazy in an Ann Taylor outlet store (but don't tell my husband), but with all the running around, I never managed another day of shopping. Didn't even get a Vegas T-shirt.

I ate some of the best candy I've ever tasted — and it wasn't from Ethel's. (Yes, I'll tell you where.)

I talked to Las Vegans, to FLVVs (Frequent Las Vegas Visitors) and to Anthony Curtis, editor of the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter.

And even as we were winging our way out of McCarran International Airport, I was still wearing a perplexed expression. Why would you go up a fake Eiffel Tower when there's a real one? Why spend a vacation pretty much indoors? Why are there lions and white tigers, pirates and sharks, pyramids and Titanic artifacts in Nevada?

But I've had some time to think about it, and to reflect especially on the insights Curtis offered. (See an interview with Curtis on this page, and a video that offers his tips for the day).

And here's the deal: Vegas is about gambling, games of risk and chance. If you don't understand those, you'll miss something essential about the place. And I don't understand them (math was never my best thing, or even my third-best thing).

But even if you don't gamble, you can have a lot of fun there. A lot. Especially if you're with family and friends you really enjoy (which we were).

Of course, in Las Vegas today, you still have to be willing to lose your money — unless you pay religious attention to the coupon books and two-for-one deals, take advantage of the many free things to do (the people-watching is superb!) and spend most of your time Downtown, as Hawai'i folk tend to do.

Otherwise, you'll just lose your money as I did: at the outlet malls and other shops, in the restaurants and the show ticket booths. But at least you're guaranteed something for your investment.

Reach Wanda A. Adams at wadams@honoluluadvertiser.com.