Tuesday 7 December 1999
Highlights: Economic despair of the area 😦

The overnight Greyhound bus got in around 7 am and we had to walk to the cheapest motel we could find in the area since there are no hostels in Memphis for some reason.  We ended up staying at the Admiral Benbow Inn which charged $29.95 which is way too much for such a terrible place.

Walking around the CBD you could see and feel the economic despair as it seemed everything was closed down including a MacDonald’s!  Venturing down to the Mississippi River we found that the riverboat wasn’t operating.  Next stop was Mud Island which was shut for development.

Unfortunately we couldn’t visit Graceland today as it too is shut on Tuesdays.  Walking down the famous Beale Street, the home of blues music, and again there was almost no activity.  We had at least seven people beg us for money.  Totally depressing area which felt unsafe and somewhere you would not bring a family to.