It is with great pleasure and fond memories that I write about my fellowship in Sydney between July and December 2010. I was extremely privileged to work with Professor W P R Gibson, one of the early pioneers of cochlear implantation, who is well known for his work in otological electrophysiology and also a world-renowned figure in Ménière's disease research (Figure 1). It was therefore with some anticipation that I travelled, with my family, to Australia in July 2010.