The chance to toss a question to dozens of state leaders, as well as 2,500 leading lights in business, opinion and media, is not one to be scoffed at.

But the warm glow faded somewhat when I realized I had to spend three hours commuting in the early morning and late at night by train between the hotel and the conference center.

To be frank, I have mixed feelings toward covering the World Economic Forum in freezing weather in Davos, a small ski resort tucked away in a Swiss valley where finding a hotel room can be an exercise in frustration. Normally, there is ample accommodation for skiers set to conquer the slopes, but when a global economic conference is being held, a vacant hotel room is unheard of.