My son (Dave), his wife and the children are currently travelling the United States and gave me a special Xmas gift this year.
While Dave’s not Elvis crazy like I am, he knows the fascination I have for The King and he included Tupelo and Memphis in his itinerary as he and the family travelled across the US.
On Christmas Eve (US time) Dave and family arrived in Tupelo, at the birthplace of Elvis Aaron Presley. Unfortunately timing wasn’t great given it being Xmas Eve and the official gift shop was closed and access into Elvis’ original home wasn’t possible. There was free access to the grounds and Dave took a bunch of photos he’s already shared with me.
The highlight though was Dave doing a Google Hangouts video call from his phone to our computer here at home (in NZ). It was Christmas Day here in New Zealand and Jenny and I got to watch (and talk) as Dave wandered the grounds and allowed us to see our grandchildren running and playing in the same surrounding hills and grounds as Elvis did all those years ago. I was last there in 1987 and had a picture I had taken with me to show Dave on the Hangouts call. How times have changed with Dave video calling us directly from his visit nearly 30 years later. Dave was 13 when I last visited Tupelo (and Graceland), now my 13 year old granddaughter was standing in the same place I (and Elvis) once did.
This was the best present I could have asked for (other than being there myself).
Dave and family are touring Graceland on Boxing Day (US time), so we’ll post an update after that. They are actually staying in the RV park next to the Graceland Plaza carpark which is across the road from the Mansion on Elvis Presley Boulevard, so it’s nice know Dave and and family spent Xmas Day near The King.
Kevin