In order to meet a tight publication date I started on the book of my latest journey almost as soon as I returned from Iraq. This meant no long recovery to get the sands of Iraq out of my hair but it also meant that I could start while the memories were fresh. For me the real insights of travel are in the details – faces glimpsed, sounds caught on the wind, tastes of dishes you’ve never eaten before, words exchanged over a mug of sweet tea, the shocks and surprises round every corner.