Memphis memories

Memphis was a fascinating destination. I flew in early Saturday morning after catching a jet-lagged enhanced 6am flight from New York city. I picked a rental car from the airport and drove straight to Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley. Since his death in 1977 it’s become a shrine to his remarkable legacy and a rather gaudy monument to the enduring success of American capitalism. I was keen to arrive early before the Summer tourist horde began sweeping through the ticket hall.

As you approach the property’s iconic gates (comprising of an iron silhouette of the King surrounded by a musical score), it’s soon clear that the property’s original 5.6 hectres have grown to include a similar sized compound on the roadside directly opposite. This new compound includes an enormous carpark, hotel and guest centre containing museums, gift shops and a shuttle bus centre controlling access to the Graceland mansion. From the road you can also see a compound containing Elvis’ two private aircraft, including a large jet airliner called Lisa Marie. It’s fitted out with a separate living room, conference room, private bedroom (that includes a double bed) and a spacious bathroom.

US$35 gave me access to a range of fascinating exhibits; some awe inspiring, others rather tacky and crudely commercial. I ultimately spent almost four hours exploring the legacy of Elvis. The day started with a tour of the Graceland mansion. Even though I’d arrived within 30 minutes of opening time, I still had to wait at least 30 minutes to start my tour. Guests board a shuttle bus at an air-conditioned visitor’s centre that then drives across the main road and up the curving driveway of Graceland itself. The entire journey takes less than two minutes.

Once inside the mansion, a self-guided audio tour takes guests from room to room on the ground floor and basement. The building upper floor is not open to the public. I assume this includes the bathroom where he was found dead on the morning of August 16, 1977. Interestingly, the audio guide makes no reference to his less than flattering demise. As the years have passed the mansion has become an odd time capsule of seventies décor and popular kitch. The kitchen houses dated microwaves, the TV room displays three quaint CRT colour television screens and his favourite den is carpeted in a eye-watering deep green shag pile carpet.

However, the most memorable venue for me was the Hall of Gold. This a trophy room attached to the side of the mansion housing a mind-boggling display of dozens and dozens of framed gold and platinum records. Other rooms include his Grammy awards, film memorabilia and stage costumes from his final years of live Las Vegas performances.

The sight of wall after wall of awards is stunning. It’s probably the most awe inspiring tribute to one man’s fame and fortune that I’ve ever experienced. The scene brings his staggering success as an artist to life in the most confronting way. The audio guide claims that Elvis has sold more than one billion records since Heartbreak Hotel, his first hit in 1956; a feat that’s never been repeated by any other artist.

From Graceland I made my way into town to check into my hotel. I’d based myself a block away from Beale Street, the city’s blues music heartland. Today two short city blocks have been converted to a cobbled pedestrian mall where The street’s mid-20th Century shop front has been lovely preserved. Its simple venues continue to host a cacophony of live musicians who entertain the wandering (and somewhat intoxicated) crowds throughout the day and late into the night.

The scene was reminiscent of Bourbon Street in New Orleans; albeit on a smaller scale. Of course, this was America, and so it came as no surprise to find that access to the area on Saturday night was restricted to a handful of checkpoints requiring a full body pat-down for weapons before passing. I then spent a bemused hour or so wandering the crowd watching street preachers warn of hell, blues musicans sing of heartbreaks and dozens of youths drink as much cheap beer as humanly possible.

My first day in Memphis ended with a brief visit to the Cotton Museum. The museum is located in the ornate chamber of what was once the city’s thriving cotton exchange where thousands of cotton bales were bought and sold each day. The exhibit provided a fascinating insight into the Deep South’s agricultural past and an industry once depended on the slave trade for its survival. Like any dominant industry, cotton enjoyed its fair share of politics and scandal.

My second, and final day, in town was spent enjoying two iconic locations. The first was Mud Island, home to several venues capturing the spirit of the Mississippi River that marks the city’s western boundary. Once again I was reminded of the river’s awesome power as stood on its banks looking across 500 metres of fast flowing, muddy brown water. The island’s highlights included an extensive museum chronicling the history of the river and an incredible three-dimensional scale model of the Lower Mississippi River. This model maps the flow of the river from its confluence with the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois more 954 miles south to the Gulf of Mexico.

The scale model is filled with water that gently flows for more than 600 metres to a mock Gulf that doubles as a boat lake in the Summer months. Along the route twenty cities are mapped out; their main streets represented by carefully embedded stainless steel rods. The model gives you an incredible insight into the flood plains of the river, while marked displays along its length bring the river’s history and geology to life. It’s an incredible journey that took me more than an hour to complete.

After lunch I made my way to my second iconic venue, the Lorraine Motel, which houses the National Civil Rights Museum. Getting to the museum involved catching one of Memphis’ beautifully restored tram cars that still trace a leisurely route through the city centre. The Lorraine Motel is the site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination on April 4, 1968. The museum opened its doors in 1991, chronicling the history of the American Civil Right movement from slavery days until the passage of equal rights legislation in the 1960s.

The museum’s exhibits are well presented and incredibly informative. The volume of information and images is almost overwhelming. However, it gave me an incredible insight into the plight of Black Americans over the last two hundred years. I still find it hard to believe that such oppressive, institutionalized racism was part of everyday life across the South less than fifty years ago.

Perhaps the most poignant moment of the entire tour is the moment visitors are led to Room 306 on the motel’s second floor. The neighbouring room has been moved to create an open observation area looking over the concrete balcony where King’s lifeless body fell. Here you can also look up at the façade of the rooming house on the opposite hillside where James Earl Ray fired his fatal shot. The museum has since bought this building and visitors can now see the bathroom window where Ray had stood. Surrounding exhibits detail the international manhunt that led to his capture at Heathrow, as well as summarizing the Civil Rights movement’s enduring achievements.

However, the most unexpected and somewhat delightful moment of my visit came as I was leaving the museum. When I’d first entered, guests had been directed to a theatre to watch an HBO documentary replaying the final weeks of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life. Much the story is told in first person by the only other person on the motel balcony at the moment King was shot; Rev Samuel “Billy” Kyles.

Incredibly, as I was leaving, “Billy” walked into the lobby. A nearby security guard told me he still lived in Memphis and occasionally turned up at the museum without warning. It was awe inspiring to stand next to the man that held King in his arms as he died. Nothing could have made this tragic moment in modern history more real, and more personal.

One year and counting

London is buzzing at the moment. Today marks exactly one year until the city hosts the next Summer Olympic Games. The city is filled with construction works as the tube and other facilities are made ready. Perhaps the most interesting of these is a new cable car that will cross the Thames between the giant O2 dome and the Excel conference centre on the river's northern bank.

Tonight, as I type, the mayor of London is unveiling the design of competition medals at a public ceremony in Trafalgar Square. Last night I wandered through the square as they were installing the glitzy presentation stage and two giant video screens. Nearby stood the countdown clock marking the remaining days and hours until the Opening Ceremony kicks off. The atmosphere in the square brought back many happy memories of Sydney's magnificent Games in September 2000.

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Location:Hurst Rd,West Molesey,United Kingdom

Hot in the City

I'm currently in New York for business. On the way here I broke up my long-haul flight with a brief weekend stopover in Memphis, Tennessee. With the Summer heat at its most intense, I couldn't have picked a better time to visit. Soaring temperatures had sent the locals packing, leaving the city and sights all but deserted. This made it quick and easy to get around and enjoy everything without the constant stress of surging crowds.

Why Memphis? In 1960's it was heartland of the American Civil Rights movement and city where Martin Luther King Jr took his final breath.. I wrote a passionate exposition on his formative year as a poltical figure during my final year of University. For more efforts I was awarded one of the only A Grades I scored during four years of study. As a result, I was keen to gain a better sense of the culture and environment that spawned such a violent and angry period in American history.

Memphis is also home to some of modern music's most innovative artists including B.B. King, the man often considered the father of modern Blues. This pioneering scene went on to inspire the world's most successful musician, Elvis Presley. Since 1954 the self-proclaimed King of Rock and Roll, or simply just "the King", has sold over one billion records worldwide, more than any other artist in history. His music inspired a generation who went to create the world we live in today.

With so much transformative history its midst, Memphis proved to be a fascinating destination. Over two leisurely days I came face to face with some poginant moments in modern American history; including a chance meeting the only man standing with Martin Luther King Jr. at the moment he was shot and killed by escaped convict James Earl Ray in 1968. I'll share more details shortly.

PS: The photo above is the Pyramid Arena located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Memphis.  It's a 20142-seat arena, built in 1991, that dominates the downtown shoreline.  However, its been empty since 2004, after new, more flexible stadium opened its doors just off historic Beale Street.  The day I was in town the pyramid literally shimmered in the midday sun.  Spectacular!

Winter returns

Sydney's just had its sunniest week in six months. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that an average of 10 hours sunshine has graced each of the past seven days, making it the sunniest week since January, when one week averaged 10.5 hours of sun.  In fact, we've had the sunniest start to July for at least nine years.  Tonight the sky is extraordinarily clear making our city view more spectacular than ever.

Sadly, the wonderful weather is forecast to come to an end as scattered rain is predicted for tomorrow.  Its likely to stay this way for the next week or so.  Thank goodness I'm off to New York for business on Friday. The Big Apple is forecasting sunshine and highs approaching 30°C while I'm in town.

Winter takes its toll

We’ve enjoyed another weekend of blue skies sunshine. However, temperatures struggled to rise above 16°C today, unlike last weekend when the high hit 21°C. With sunshine almost every day for the last two weeks even my daily walk to work has been rather pleasant. In fact, I felt uncomfortably warm at least one morning while simply wearing a leather jacket. The sunshine is forecast to continue until mid-week with highs reaching 18°C.

We’ve put the sunshine to good use potting around on our main balcony making minor repairs outstanding since our return. This included tying down irrigation pipes, repairing the outdoor lighting and staining an old teak bench. Today’s endeavours saw us applying a coat of marine varnish to the bench before the sun slipped behind nearby building.

Earlier in the week wind warning were in effect for much of the region. Despite our apartment’s location we only saw the odd gust from our balcony. However, the hills surrounding Sydney were hit hard. In the Blue Mountains west of Sydney trees were blown across rail tracks. One tree even struck a passing train. Nobody was injured. We later heard that winds had been gusting up to 70 km/h during the day.

On Wednesday morning I also witnessed a tree being toppled while working to work. My attention was initially drawn by a loud crack barely 50 metres ahead. I glanced up in response and was stunned to see a spindly pine tree gracefully descend across the pavement in a shower of needles. As I watched it slowly came to rest on the back of a parked car. Again, nobody was harmed while I was left to marvel how I'd found myself in the right place at the right time to witness such a rare event.

Trees aren’t the only things coming to grief at the moment. In the last few weeks we’ve had three appliances fail. First, our Italian coffee machine broke after seven years of faithful service. Second, our iron began blowing fuses around the house. Then finally, our new toaster’s release mechanism stopped working. Winter is clearly taking it toll.

Direct to Dallas

I’m currently scheduled to fly to London for business in late-July. This next flight will be another round-the-world ticket that has me stopping in New York and Hong Kong on the way to and from the UK. My itinerary includes the new Sydney to Dallas non-stop route Qantas began flying last month. The 13,800km flight is currently recognized as the world’s third longest non-stop commercial route. Garry and I will also be flying the same route again in September when we head to the USA for our grand southwest road trip through New Mexico and Arizona.

The photos above were taken in 2005 when Garry and I stopped for several days in Dallas. It's a bronze sculpture in Pioneer Plaza, a downtown park, that depicts long-horn steers being driven to market. The incredible artwork contains more 70 bronze steers and 3 trail riders, each cast slightly larger than life. The animals make their down a small hill, across a shallow stream and on towards the park's open ground.

While in the USA next month, I’ll be taking a weekend side trip to Memphis, Tennessee. My interest in this city was pricked a few years ago when I found myself in transit at Memphis airport. While waiting for my next flight I read a summary of the local sights and vowed to return. I’m hoping to visit Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley, sail on the Mississippi in an old paddle and steamer and tour the infamous Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. These days the motel houses a museum devoted to the American Civil Rights movement.

The following weekend while en-route to London I’ll be dropping in to see my brother and family in Austria. My visit will be a mini-family reunion as my parents will also be visiting at the same time. Phew! July's going to be a busy month.

Sealing the deal

We purchased our Sydney apartment more than seven years ago.  At the time we were aware of several water leaks that had plagued its early years.  Over the years numerous repairs have progressively resolved each leak, with one exception. Despite several attempts nobody has found the source of a persistent leak that appeared during unusually heavy rain. That is, until now.

Earlier this year, the building's Body Corporate finally agreed to undertake a series of extensive leak tests. Specialists were called in to spend the day dousing our external walls in a curtain of water. Two separate leak sites were subsequently identified. Everyone's confident that the source of the problem has finally been found.

As a result, this week we've been woken to the sound of builders hammering away outside.  Brick by brick a series of faulty water seals are being removed and replaced by new, modified alternatives. By the time they've finished we'll be ready to take on Noah's flood without so much as damp patch to show for it. 

The repairs are an impressive affair.  A temporary hanging scaffold platform has been swung from the roof of our building, giving the builders access to the entire outer wall.  We've watched them chiseling away as their platform gently sways seven vertigo-inducing floors above the courtyard below.

However, their good works got off to a bad start.  Garry returned from a job interview earlier in the week to find that the glass skylight in our bathroom had been broken by a careless scaffold labourer.  We've now got a second repair to endure before our home is finally waterproof.  We've waited seven years for these repairs, what's another month?

UPDATE:  September 7, 2012
It's been more than a year since our leaks were repaired.  I'm pleased to report we've absolutely no water penetration problems since despite Sydney recording one of its wettest Summer's on record in the months that followed. Our home is water-tight and we're loving it! 

Images of Melbourne

Garry and I enjoyed three days of sunshine in Melbourne although the daytime temperature never rose above 14C.  Fortunately, we came prepared with winter coats we'd brought with us from London.  We spent three days enjoying great food, exploring central Melbourne's Fitzroy Gardens, and leisurely cruising up the Yarra River past more of the city's picturesque parkland. Central Melbourne is far greener than I'd ever appreciated and the former Olympic precinct on the Yarra's northern bank has been dramatically transformed into an appealing public space.

Dinner on Saturday night was particularly enjoyable.  We caught a tram out to South Melbourne on the shores of Port Phillip to join a former work colleague for dinner. Much to our delight, we discovered a completely new area of Melbourne. Who knew that Port Melbourne boasted such a large, expansive white-sand beach; less than 15 minutes by tram from the city centre?  Dinner was at The Graham, a contemporary gastro pub in an old stone building, located on a quiet residential street. The service was exceptional, as were the food and wine.

On our final day, we came across Cook's Cottage in the midst of Fitzroy Gardens.  This small stone cottage, sitting in the heart of the gardens, was once the home of James and Grace Cook, the parents of English explorer, Captain James Cook. The cottage was originally built in 1755 in the North Yorkshire village of Great Ayton.  In 1933 the cottage was sold to Russell Grimwade, a Melbourne businessman, and philanthropist, who arranged for it to be deconstructed and shipped to Australia. More than 253 cases and 40 barrels were required to transport the building to Melbourne where it was reassembled in time to celebrate the centenary of the city's European settlement in 1934.

We were also captivated by the street art in Hoiser Lane.  This narrow, cobbled lane of featureless buildings and back entrances has become a cultural institution.  Local and international street artists vie for the opportunity to “tag” its walls with fascinating spray paint art.  We were surprised to learn that its graffiti-covered walls and art installations have become a popular backdrop for fashion and wedding photography.  Thanks to our hotel’s location we found ourselves wandering past the lane’s entrance several times a day.

All in all, it was a lazy few days where we simply kicked back and enjoyed the sights in Australia's second-largest city.  Here's a few more pictorial memories.

Are we stranded?

A recent volcanic eruption in Chile has thrown Australian air travel into chaos overnight. In scenes reminiscent of last year's Icelandic volcanic ash cloud disruption in Europe we've woken to news that flights in and out of Melbourne were cancelled overnight. Tens of thousands of passengers have been affected as the three-day holiday weekend draws to a close.

Currently flights covering the lower southeast corner of Australia and across the Tasman have been disrupted as a dense ash cloud lingers 8,500 metres overhead. We're scheduled to fly from Melbourne at 7pm this evening however Qantas says no decision on the resumption of flights will be taken before noon today. We could be in for an interesting evening!

UPDATE: 9.15pm
We've arrived safely back in Sydney after an uneventful flight back from Melbourne.  There were long queues waiting at the airport in Melbourne for new flight assignments at both the Qantas and Jetstar counters. At least one staff member from our Sydney office was caught up in the chaos and is now stranded in Melbourne for another 24 hours.

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• Location: Bourke St, Melbourne,Australia

Down South

It's a three-day holiday weekend in Sydney. With an extra day to hand Garry and I have decided to head south for a change of scenery. We've cashed in some frequent flyer points and made our way to Melbourne this morning. Our trip was well planned as three continuous days of sunshine are forecast for Melbourne, while Sydney prepares for a daily shower or two. 

Since arriving, we've already trawled through the opening hours of the nation's annual Winter sales and enjoyed a leisurely lunch soaking up the sun on the bank of the Yarra River. This evening we'll catch a tram to South Melbourne and the shores of Port Phillip where we'll be joining friends for dinner in an old stone pub.

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• Location:Wellington Parade S,Melbourne,Australia

The Banana Republic

Cyclone Yasi ripped through North Queensland in early-February this year. It was Australia’s most powerful cyclone in living memory, recording wind speeds reaching 225km/h at its peak, and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The nation’s banana crop was hit particularly hard. In the months since, the fruit’s price has soared. As of yesterday, our local supermarket was selling bananas for a staggering $13.98 per kilogram, or more than $30 per pound. Elsewhere I've seen them selling for at much as $15.00. Prior to Yasi’s arrival bananas were going out the door for less than $5 per kilo.

However, the soaring price of bananas, while understandable, isn’t the only retail price that’s stunned us since our return from London. In fact, almost every price tag has been something of a shock, regardless of the retail category. For example, our cable television bill has doubled, our internet bill is almost three times more expensive and our first utility bill was mistaken for an accounting error. In short, Garry and I are beginning to appreciate that fresh food and most retail items were significantly cheaper in London.

Nationwide, Australia's retail prices are becoming a contentious subject. As the Australian dollar rises in value, offshore online shopping has began increasingly popular, and frequently cheaper than buying locally. We’ve already noticed identical items online that are significantly cheaper than prices we’ve seen in local stores, even after shipping costs are added to the invoice. Given the tyranny of distance and its impact on freight costs you’d expect price tags to differ. However, the difference has become so extreme that it’s clear something else is driving up local retail prices.

Numerous theories abound. Retailers claim that commercial rents are three or four times higher in main street Australia. The minimum wage, and thus the cost of labour, is also higher. There may be some grain of truth to these claims. Commercial rent typically represents up to 25% of revenue in Australia, while global brands typically pay less than 10% in the United States. Last week the minimum wage was increased by 3.4%, or $15.51 an hour, to $589.30 a week for a full-time employees. By contrast, the current minimum wage in the UK, set in October 2010, is £5.93 per hour for adults aged 21 or older; less for younger workers. That less than A$9.20 per hour.

However, higher commercial rent and labour costs cannot account for the entire price differential. Analysts suggest that Australians, use to higher prices generated by a weaker dollar, are still willing to pay the same retail price even though the wholesale cost of imported goods has fallen 40% or more. Personally, I’m waiting for the new banana crop to mature.

Sydney's version of winter

Winter officially starts five days from now.  Until this last week you'd have never known it.  Only a week ago I spend most of Sunday afternoon at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) watching a football game and soaking up the sunshine in a short-sleeved shirt. However, the weather took a turn for the worse on Wednesday as a cold front brought rain, wind and rather cool temperatures.  Daytime temperatures dropped as low as 14°C and fell to 10°C overnight (much like an English Spring).  I even turned on the central heating  in the evening for several hours; the first I've felt such a need to since returning to Australia.

Today, after three days of inclement weather, we've woken to blue skies and dazzling sunshine.  The view from our balcony is simply sublime (see above). It's been made all the more inspiring thanks to Garry's hard work.  He took it upon himself to sand and re-stain the weathered teak bench on our balcony while I was in New York.  He's done a brilliant job, returning the grey lifeless wood to its former glory. We now have another cosy spot to sit, enjoy the view and contemplate life.

Sadly, the sunshine is forecast to disappear as another week of rain is on its way. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry.  After two unusually cold winters in London we've returned to Sydney just in time to enjoy the city's wettest Autumn for more than 20 years. March was particularly damp. On March 19 alone, Sydney recorded its heaviest 24-hour period of rain for more than 27 years when 99mm fell. April then proved no better. The city received 206.2 mm of rain during the month, well above the historical average of 125.8 mm, making it the wettest April since 1999.

UPDATE: May 30
I read today that weather watchers are pedicting that May 2011 will be declared Sydney's coldest May for more than 40 years thanks to overnight temperatures falling well below their seasonal average.

Seven flights; 38,000 kilometres; 12 time zones

I've just returned from three weeks on the road for business.  My travels have taken me to San Francisco, New York and Hong Kong; with a few quirky side-trips along the way.  In the days ahead I'll share four posts on the following topics; check back regularly for new links as they're activated:

• Ground Zero - towers are rising again. 
• Niagara Falls - a close-up look at nature's awesome power
• The deja vu inspiration for Sydney's famous icon (that's right; the opening photo in this post wasn't taken in Australia)
• Hot dogs and cold brews at the Yankee Stadium.

For this trip I took advantage of the OneWorld Alliance's Circle Pacific fare.  As a result, I found myself flying Qantas to the USA, American Airlines to New York and then on to Hong Kong courtesy of Japan Airlines and Cathy Pacific. I can safely say that Japan Airlines has the best premium economy cabin, second only to that offered by Virgin Atlantic.  However, it was Qantas that pleasantly surprised me on both legs I flew with the airline.

First, en route to San Francisco, I found myself assigned a flat-bed seat despite travelling on a premium economy ticket.  Earlier this year the airline stopped providing a First Class cabin on this route.  However, the original seats remain in place.  As a result, some business class passengers find themselves notionally upgraded to these seats, which means that some Premium Economy passengers are assigned business class seats.  Hooray! 

Furthermore, the inflight entertainment system went on the fritz during the flight.  I wasn't too annoyed as I had a couple of magazines I wanted to read and was keen for a good night's sleep across the Pacific.  However, upon arriving home I discovered a $350 travel voucher from Qantas sitting in my mail pile apologising for the inconvenience.  That'll be a weekend away for Garry and I courtesy of Qantas.

Finally, was able to cash in some points for a business class upgrade out of Hong Kong and thus secured another flat-bed seat back home.  Even after accounting for these points I've still earned more this trip than I ultimately cashed in. Perhaps there is an upside to flying more than 38,00o kilometres in less than 20 days.

Ground Zero Redux

In few short months from now Americans will pause to remember the tragic events of September 11, 2001. As the tenth anniversary this year’s remembrance will carries greater significance than usual. With the date rapidly approaching, construction workers are laboring to complete a new national memorial at Ground Zero in New York. An accompanying museum will open next year on the 11th anniversary.

The memorial consists of two square waterfalls set within the footprint of twin towers. The waterfalls will cascade into the reflecting pools before finally disappearing into a gaping central void. Surrounding the waterfalls is a cobblestone plaza filled with more than 300 oak trees. The trees were selected from a 500-mile radius of Ground Zero in acknowledgment of the area directly impacted by 9/11.

When I visited Lower Manhattan last week I was surprised to see how much progress had already been made. The oak trees are already in place and the framework for bronze panels surrounding the memorial falls is rapidly taking shape. Elsewhere on the site construction is well underway for two high-rise towers, the first of eight new buildings and a new soaring transportation hub terminal.

By far the tallest of these is 1 WTC, formerly known as Freedom Tower. It will ultimately rise to 105 stories and stand 1776 feet high, taller than the North Tower of the original twin towers. Construction is well advanced. The framework has reached 68 stories, while the glass facade installation had reached the 40th floor. Nearby the memorial museum’s external façade is nearing completion. The foreboding, empty hole that once dominated Lower Manhattan is rapidly disappearing.

With the tenth anniversary approaching the recent news of Osama bin Laden’s death was all the more symbolic. As the architect of the most deadly foreign attack on American soil since the War of Independence his death had been long sought. He was ultimately killed on May 1 by a team of elite Navy Seals as I flew over the Pacific en route to San Francisco. This meant that I found myself in America as the media reacted to this cathartic milestone in the nation's history. For the next week every available news channel was inundated with mind-numbing analysis of Osama's life, his clinical death and the men ultimately responsible for his demise.

The saturation coverage bought back some stark memories. I still recall where I was when CNN first crossed live to New York shortly after the first plane struck the North Tower on the morning of September 11. I was sitting in Hong Kong hotel room at the time after returning from dinner with a work colleague.  I'd literally switched on the television moments earlier and was settling in for the evening. I distinctly recall watching the second plane fly into the South Tower live on air. Moments before impact I’d noticed its proximity to the tower, its presence seemingly unnoticed by CNN commentators. Within seconds the tower exploded and the rest is history.

A few days later I found myself flying home to Australia on what was to become Ansett Australia’s last flight from Hong Kong. As we flew through the night the airline went bankrupt. As a result, when the aircraft doors were opened in Sydney, the crew was greeted by news that their jobs had disappeared. It wasn’t until I arrived home that it dawned on me how close I’d come to being stranded in Hong Kong with worthless airline ticket. I consider myself privileged to be able to witness so many historic events in such a personal manner. I guess my job, despite its stress, has some unusual perks.