• Vodici Ceremony, North Macedonia

    Vodici Ceremony, North Macedonia

    When I checked in to my apartment in the North Macedonian capital of Skopje, the landlord mentioned that the following day was a public holiday. He explained that a ceremony, involving hardy souls plunging into the freezing Vardar River, would be taking place in the city, and that it’s something…

  • The Kindness of Strangers III, Ukraine

    The Kindness of Strangers III, Ukraine

    Although we didn’t seek recognition for our work in Ukraine, we were grateful and humbled to receive the kindness of strangers.

  • Midnight Run, Ukraine

    Midnight Run, Ukraine

    A night run of medical aid into a Ukrainian front-line city gave us an insight into the sharp end of Putin’s war.

  • The Sound of Lake Ngototo, New Zealand

    The Sound of Lake Ngototo, New Zealand

    Hearing kids nearby singing along to Chris Cornell had me reminiscing about seeing live music in the 1990s

  • The Storks of Poland

    The Storks of Poland

    Apparently 25% of the world’s white storks nest in Poland, and therefore ‘every fourth white stork is a Pole’.

  • Strange Meeting, Poland

    Strange Meeting, Poland

    After seeing the main areas of Birkenau Concentration Camp, Poland, and learning of the horrors that had occurred there, it was a relief to find a tranquil patch of nature. Whilst enjoying the quiet and the late afternoon sun, I had a strange meeting.

  • Into Ukraine

    Into Ukraine

    Apart from my short trips across the border from Medyka, it was my first time back into Ukraine since the full scale invasion began. It turned out to be a long day.

  • BunkArt 1

    BunkArt 1

    A Cold War Bunker on the outskirts of Tirana, Albania, has been repurposed as a museum and art space.

  • Taupo Volcanic Zone

    Taupo Volcanic Zone

    New Zealand is pretty much made up of a whole bunch of volcanoes linked together by other volcanoes. Despite the risk of incineration, tourists like me flock to the Taupo Volcanic Zone to experience a little geothermal action.

  • Letting go, Poland

    Letting go, Poland

    I remember being told once by a psychologist that if you bottle sadness up inside, it will eventually overflow, sometimes after being triggered by something unexpected. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one bottling sadness by the six-pack on the Polish Ukrainian border.

Midlife Crisis Odyssey