A coffin, a harmonica and a big bass drum

It was a dull, rainy day in Antwerp, and the police had got there before us. When we arrived for the start of the march, there were two police riot vans waiting. This made us smile, firstly because we didn't know how many supporters would come, and secondly because there is almost nothing as mild mannered and polite as Oasis Belgium - we'd much rather make you a cup of tea than shout at...

The business of trafficking.

If you've ever visited Mumbai as a tourist, you'll probably have been to Colaba. It's where you can see the gateway of India, and where the famous Taj Hotel is. The Taj is a wonderful old building, where the rich and famous stay whilst in Mumbai and has boasted many world leaders, kings and Bollywood stars amongst its guests. Sadly it became briefly famous last year as the scene of a terrorist...

Hidden just down the street

We had to search amongst the usual mass of intercom buttons to find the right one. It was an ordinary house in an ordinary street, yet it was also the first Thai massage parlour we had ever visited, despite months of research. We rang the bell and waited. At first nothing, then the door swung open to show a man. He wasn't tall, but made up for it in weight and muscle. He was covered in tattoos...

Mail Order Bride

A few years ago I was on a plane, flying to Kiev. I'm not a very good flyer, so I tend to try to keep my eyes on everything that happens, just in case I spot something that might go wrong. I'm not sure what I would do if I saw something, but I keep watch anyway. The flight to Ukraine was interesting, largely due to the copious amounts of vodka that was being knocked back right from the start,...