I stood staring at the ticket machine in Berlin’s S-Bahn train station, and the words ‘Refugees Welcome’ blinked back at me. Ahh so it’s true. If the old battered ticket machine has been configured to welcome the victims of war, then the media have got one thing right – Germany is the promised land.

I’m here, I’ve landed and I’m starting to acclimatise! It’s mid-October and the beaches are choca-block, because that’s right boys and girls the sun is shining here in Barcelona. It was a shaky start. My taxi driver from the airport knew no English, I knew no Spanish. He didn’t have a clue where I …

Poor Melbourne, I placed so many expectations on this one city as I had hoped to make it my home one day. Sure, Melbourne delivered and as far as modern cities go it’s pretty fantastic. Trouble is, I’ve changed. So many questions whirling around my head now about what I want from this life. …

Landing in George Town, Penang, waiting for my rucksack (my whole life for a year) was a touch hair-raising but for some reason I wasn’t worried. I sat on my empty airport trolley and waited, sure enough it found me after choosing to catch a slightly later flight. I think Penang’s optimism had already …