Lviv to Odessa, 16 hours, from the west to the south, through miles of flatlands. The former bread basket of the Soviet Union, perfect for farming crops, vegetables and potatoes. Also the front lines in

At a local café I wasn’t sure what to eat, no specific breakfast on the menu. Everything gets served almost together, they had no sense of timing. Anna continued her friendly banter, “my family have friends

Also, AN BHFUIL CAD AGAM DULL AMACH GO DTI AN LEITHREAS [may I please go out to the toilet]. Every student at my local Blackrock primary school would not forget that one. When nature called you had to ask in Irish. I should be better at speaking my native language.

Caterpillars, bought from an ex-workmate at wholesale price because of a slight defect, or so I thought until this guy got hold of them. What was supposed to be a quick polish job, developed into a renovation. Replacing stitching, shaving the oversized sole tip, cutting the tongue shorter and changing the shabby laces. But his fee kept increasing.

was Saturday, ‘Brides Day.’ Every twenty minutes a wedding party passed through the Opera house gardens and along the cobble stones leading to the steps. It’s high altitude with heavy growth in the backdrop down to the sea. Skilled looking photographers directing and clicking, the guest list normally limited for economic reasons. In the afternoon w

that selfish individuals dominate, it too often appears. Periodically, I will think about these energetic but somewhat isolated young folk. I should return one day with some form of help. I should,………………right?.............. But will I? Dhading town is near the epicentre of the 2015 Nepal earthquake, loss of life has been heavy.

younger boarders, after class, he was bloody testing me. I put Phurba standing on one leg facing the wall, the following day I did the same, this time for the entire class. It did the trick, he became more obedient, slowly becoming my friend. Nina and I were a novelty to the students,

certainly could do a breakfast fry-up, but it would be lunchtime when it’s ready. The stove-top rings took forever to heat-up. The shower hose was all leaky and the toilet tank took ages to refill. “Yes, but this is Russian style,”

Everything was brown; the arm-chair, table, wardrobe, floor, cabinets, mats. Even the wallpaper, which was probably a nice beige at one time, black and white television.