25.-31.7.2008: Robbers Cave SP - Oachita Mountains - Hot Springs NP - Little Rock - Memphis (Graceland) - Natchez Forest - Nashville Our wi-fi wasn't working again on the computer even though it worked fine yesterday so we had to use the library computers. We stayed there a couple of hours and then went to an arts and crafts fair. Then we drove east to Robbers Cave State Park. The State Park entrance was easy to find but the signs to the cave were not very good and we nearly missed finding the car park for the cave. Then we completely missed the cave because there were too many paths and not enough signs. So we ended up trudging back up the hill to find it. It was already 6-30pm and yet we were still sweating profusely - it's just too hot! We drove to a free camping spot - well it's marked in our book as a free camping spot. A ranger came along to collect the camping fee. We showed him our book and he confirmed that we were in the correct place but it had never been free. He was very nice though and because it was already dark he said he wouldn't charge us and he would contact the publishers to get the mistake rectified! The next day we took the Talimena scenic drive through the forest and into Arkansas. It was a very curvy, up and down road and all the views were very hazy because of the heat. So we gave up on the scenic drive and took the low road. Hot Springs, Arkansas was a welcome surprise. We went to the National Park visitor centre which is in a renovated Spa hotel. It was very interesting to see the bathhouse, massage parlors and hot tubs as they were in the 1920s in its heyday. We walked along the streets looking at all the facades of the hotels and took a look at one of the hot springs - Kirsten burnt her hand because the water was 56°C!! (Hence the name Hot Springs!) The scenic drive took us up Hot Springs Mountain. The charge to go a short distance to the top of a tower was $6 each, so we walked to the free view instead! Kirsten drove out in her bikini top because it was so hot and we went straight to the Clinton Presidential library in Little Rock and stayed on the car park for the night. The next day we spent 5 hours in the library which was very interesting and informative. There is a full size Oval office and Cabinet room with plenty of interactive and video displays. We took ourselves on a full virtual tour of the White House via one of these displays. All in all there was just too much to see. Whether you agree or disagree with their policies both Clinton and Gore did a great deal of work during their 8 years. Needless to say there wasn't anything about the Lewinsky affair. In between, we had to go back to Winnie for a cuppa and to warm up after the air conditioning had made us too cold! The library building looks like a bridge "to the 21st century" which is next to an old railway bridge "to the past" - which was the whole idea behind choosing this location. Mr. Clinton has his own private suite on the top floor of the building which we are not allowed in to see! Afterwards we drove to Memphis, Tennessee which is an absolute concrete jungle with interstates and highways criss-crossing all over the place. Not easy to navigate. The only Wal-Mart was too far over the other side of town and so we found another shopping mall car park to stay for the night. We put out the solar shower and didn't go out for a shower until 11pm and yet, we were still sweating afterwards! Sleep wasn't possible. For Graceland we used our student cards and triple A card to save $12 on the entrance fee but it still cost $52. We went on the tour of Graceland, Elvis' house, which he bought in 1957 aged 22 years for $100,000. It was a self guided tour with a head set and took about 1.5 hours. We also went to see his private jet and airplanes and went to see a collection of his cars and hundreds of outfits. He had 140 albums and singles that got gold and platinum awards just in the US. He also starred in 31 films. What was surprising was that he never toured outside the US or Canada. There is a photo of the Racquetball Building where you will see a piano. On the day that Elvis died, 16th August 1977, he was supposed to go on tour. But he hadn't slept the night before and wasn't feeling well. The piano in the photo is the last time he played before he had a heart attack and died at the age of 42 because of substance abuse. His father Vernon Presley put the following on his grave: He was a precious gift from God we cherished and loved dearly. He had a God-given talent that he shared with the world. And without a doubt, he became most widely acclaimed. Capturing the heart of young and old alike, he was admired not only as an entertainer, but for as the great humanitarian that he was. For his generosity, and his kind feelings for his fellow man. He revolutionized the field of music and received it´s highest awards. He became a living legend in his own time. Earning the respect and love of millions. God saw that he needed some rest and called him home to be with Him. We miss you. Son and Daddy. I thank God that he gave us you as our son. Vernon Presley Underneath is the Elvis TCB logo. It stands for Elvis´s motto "Taking care of business in a flash". The highlight of the day for Helen was shopping at Aldi!!! We couldn't believe it when we spotted the store which is widespread in Germany! Then we went for a walk around Beale Street, the birth place of Blues music (very run down) and quick look at the Gibson guitar factory.