In 2001, after university, my friend Niall and I undertook a three and a half month journey from Frankfurt to Cairo, exploring Eastern Europe and the Middle East at a time of considerable political change in both regions. A trip that took place before I had either a digital camera or this website, I have few records of it and no coherent “write up” – other than some reminiscences in my first book.

However from time to time I do retrospectively blog about the adventure, often sparked by events in the news. So far, I’ve written posts reflecting on…

Some chance encounters with some Syrians on the Slovenian coast | The bustle of Cairo, and the one solitary Cairene who didn’t seem interested in selling or scamming | The minefield of Balkan politics, as demonstrated by some Vojvodinan Serbs in Montenegro and their views on Albanian Muslims | My struggles to remember Bucharest, in the run-up to a work trip eleven years later | Croatia’s magnificent beer and equally magnificent capital, Zagreb