Why the smell of my first classroom still floors me

Okay, nerd moment: I walked past my old primary school this arvo, just after a shower, and the gum trees by the gate had been rained on. Instantly eight years old: chalk dust, wet school bags, eucalyptus.

So I went looking for why. A review by Rachel Herz on memories brought back by smells says those memories are rated more emotional than ones cued by words, pictures or sounds, and that they actually tend to come from the first decade of life. That's me at the gate, exactly. Rant over.