Floods of memories

I have vivid memories of receiving an LP by Esther and Abi Ofarim when I was nine years old. The songs on the LP were from a live concert the couple had given at the Royal Albert Hall in London - and ever since I saw a photo of that funny looking building, I had the desire to, one day, see it for real!

The wish was big and fortunately the day I was to finally stand in front of The Royal Albert Hall eventually came. I moved to London in September 1985 and the following year I got the chance to photograph a Tennis Doubles tournament held at the Royal Albert Hall. It really was a big achievement because not only had I only just started up as a freelance photographer, but I had no press accreditation and simply smuggled my way in ... :) something which would be absolutely impossible these days!

I remember calling my parents (who lived in Austria) from the press office. Journalists around me were well impressed thinking I was some new hot shot photographer because I was effortlessly switching between English, French (to speak with my mum) and German (to speak with my dad). Little did they know that I was literally the "new kid on the bloc" who had just started a career in horse photography with an insatiable passion for tennis :)

It was all good fun then and generally speaking people were far less paranoid than they sadly have become nowadays.

Anyway, I have been back a few times since that day - not only to watch tennis but SGI-UK, the Buddhist organisation I belong to, held their General Meeting in May 2005 in that very hall! That event, for sure, matched the excitement of when I first set eyes on the famously unique building!

When going back today all those memories clearly flooded back into my mind.