LONDON, England - Cold, cold, cold.  That was Downing street when I arrived before dawn this morning. I'd dressed for it, no big deal. Waiting outside the British prime minister's house - Number 10 - has a reputation for being one of the coldest places if not in the whole south of England, then certainly London.  Today was going to be no different.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and British Foreign Minister David Miliband enjoy the sunshine outside Number 10.

By about 7.30 a.m., the sun had been up for about an hour and the blue sky hinted that Barack Obama's first day in Britain in over a decade was going to be a nice one. Lucky him. Some American tourists come here for week and will remember for a lifetime unrelenting grey skies and rain.

As 8 a.m. and the U.S. president's expected arrival approached, we were getting agitated, which was good – any movement tends to generate heat. Most of those gathered around me had never seen Barack Obama in the flesh before.  For a bunch of hard-bitten hacks you could say the mood was one of muted excitement.

Then something nice, really nice happened.  The sun rounded the corner of Downing Street.  It runs north-south, and from the southern end the sun pushed out shining in full warmth, inducing splendor from between the spokes of the giant London Eye. 

The huge wheel stands on the far side of the River Thames. For the cost of a few pints of beer, it slowly carries tourists high above the rooftops for a spectacular view of this ancient city.

The sun's rays splattered us, filling us with hope we may yet heat up. Unfortunately it also that meant we had to squint really hard to see if the presidential limo was pulling in to the street.

So it was, as Barack and Michelle Obama finally arrived at the door of number 10 and clambered out of the "Beast" - their ultra-armored truck/car - to greet Gordon and Sarah Brown, the street was bathed in bright sunshine. Well, all apart from the tiny spot where the foursome smiled warmly at each other and almost equally affectionately toward the cameras.

That's when I noticed there is a special inner warmth that spreads with the feeling that you're covering something that has the potential to be a good news story. Despite the talk of divisions we were witnesses to the beginning of a week that could yet prove to be a defining moment in history.

Then they were gone, whisked indoors so the serious stuff could begin. But before the big polished portal of number 10 could fully pull closed behind them, there was the sound of loud and hearty clapping from the corridors of power within. The world's most popular politician it seems was brightening and warming the lives of Mr. Brown's staff.

Within minutes though, somewhat disappointingly, as quickly as the sun had come, it was gone, continuing its westward path beyond Downing Street's narrow southern entrance.

For a moment we'd had the sun and the stars, now we had neither, which goes part of the way to explain why my fingers were almost too cold to take legible notes during their press conference two hours later.

BEIJING,  China - Hillary Clinton's name carries celebrity status in China. She came to Beijing first as U.S. President Bill Clinton's first lady, now as President Barack Obama's Secretary of State. But the Chinese just call her "Hillary."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chats with a Chinese church official after a Sunday mass in Beijing on February 22.

On the eve of her greatly-anticipated visit to China's capital this past weekend, Beijingers were thoughtful.

"I think she is indeed a very powerful woman," said a businesswoman. "She has a very strong personality. I even bought her autobiography."

"I'm very keen about Hillary's visit," said another man, a banker. "Actually, I really wish I could have a dinner with her, so I can hear more about her opinions on Sino-U.S. relations."

Unfortunately, Mrs. Clinton did not have time for dinner with him but did meet with China's top brass, President Hu Jintao, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Premier Wen Jiabao. It was the first time a U.S. Secretary of State chose to take a maiden voyage to Asia in almost 50 years.

"I think she chose to visit China because China means a lot to the U.S.," said one woman, a psychologist. "She wants to have a more thorough discussion with China."

It's no secret the discussion was dominated by the global financial crisis, still a source of bitterness among some Chinese who believe the U.S. is to blame for the downturn.

"Since China didn't suffer as much as the United States in the financial crisis, Hillary's looking for cooperation and help," said the businesswoman.

"I think China and the U.S. should combat the financial crisis hand in hand," the banker said. "If the U.S. only cares about its own economy, other countries will be left behind."

As first lady, Mrs. Clinton once pressed the Chinese on human rights but said the issue would not sideline other priorities on this trip.

"Well, if we compare the current human rights condition with that during the Cultural Revolution, then there have been a lot of improvements," one woman said. "But China still has a long way to go."

"I think the Chinese government should allow more freedom on news," said a student from the Communication University of China. "Chinese citizens need to know more about negative opinions of our country."

Perhaps there is hope in more visits from diplomats like Mrs. Clinton. "I think she is very talented," said the banker. "I still don't know why she dropped out of the presidential campaign."

In China, it seems, she still has a lot of fans.