Disco in the cosmos

The Eastern Free State free of drought, the cosmos out in force. Driving through it now there's nothing to suggest the devastation of December, the dead cattle, the relentless Mars landscape, the lost hope.

Berlin, Berlin

What a place. Along with Lisbon, a new favourite. Gritty, changeable, strangely reminiscent of 70s Witwatersrand in the wide pavements, tangible energy, weird, wonderful orange retro vibe.

Stockholm, southern Sweden

Nice surprise - a city less ordered than I was expecting, the countryside full of red barns. Will certainly go back.

Munich, Bavarian Alps

Part of the trans-continental leap-frogging, Munich delivered clean streets, monochrome corporate zombies and a BMW Museum in equal parts fascinating/clinical. An autobahn blast into the southern Alps proved more rewarding - monks, Heidi, an Italian coffee shop and an assault of green.

Lisbon love affair

The only obvious thing about Lisbon is it's diversity, that's a given. Third time back and everything is new, each alley colonised by some freakzoid brilliance that demands pictures and enquiry. I love this place, and look forward to peeling back the layers yet further, come December.