With Elvis at Graceland

We're a bit partial to Elvis Presley in this family.

Okay, so maybe that's understating things. I walked down the aisle to Elvis' "It's Now or Never". So the respect and adoration is enduring.

And here in Memphis, Tennessee, with Bessie camped directly across the road from his beloved Graceland, we didn't want our communion with the King to be spoiled in any way.

That meant leaving the kids behind and taking turns completing the Graceland Platinum Tour which allowed us to visit the house and adjoining buildings, Elvis' resting place and numerous associated museums.

What struck both of us within the main house was how many of the rooms served a useful purpose and had a natural (not extravagant) size.

His mum and dad lived in the house with him for as long as they were alive (his mother predeceased him) and because of the lived-in feeling of the rooms, you could really imagine family life within the house.

Several recordings were made in the lounge of his 'Jungle Room', where the floor and ceiling were coated in a thick green shag.

And there were a LOT of mirrors. Everywhere.

The open, grassy pasture behind the house still has horses to this day, and the self-guided tour walks you through areas like this and the numerous buildings adjoining the main house.

He did so much for charity. He knew what it was to have nothing and perhaps that early association with struggle-street fed his need to help others.

There are so many costumes and platinum records and keepsakes and videos - we each spent more than three hours going through all of the exhibits at the house and the museums.

The automobile museum showcases the pink caddy that was his mum's favourite along with several others from his collection, including toys like golf carts and trikes they used to race around the lawns of Graceland.

Two of his private aeroplanes are also open for viewing, including the "Lisa Marie" replete with its gold-plated seat belt buckles.

Nath's favourite exhibit focused on the '68 comeback special. Is there anything better than when somebody's written off and up against it and comes out and does their thing and proves to the world that they've still got it.

Mine was probably the Vegas years.

Those who know me best are aware of my affection for jumpsuits. Mum's skills with a sewing machine meant I had several of my own as a young girl. My favourite was a yellow, green and brown floral number.

The exhibit featuring the Vegas concerts had so many of his costumes -- I could have spent hours admiring that bejewelled and embroidered bounty of one-piece awesomeness.

The tour doesn't touch on his demise apart from mentioning that he played the piano in his racquetball lounge area on the very morning of his death. His weight gain and prescription drug addiction isn't addressed.

Standing at his gravesite was perhaps my most emotional moment; reading the inscription written by his father who survived him by only a couple of years.

For days now, Bessie has been rocking non-stop to the sounds of Elvis (with just a bit of Paul Simon's Graceland thrown in here and there).

We'll never tire of listening to the King.