Having done our initial assessments of community institutions, we began meeting with local leaders to gain their support of the US effort. In Iraq, we met with secular community leaders (called Muktars), local religious leaders, academic leaders from the university and city leaders from the newly selected Mosul City Council.

There were moments when I doubted whether it was worth all the effort – whether it was crazy of Anderson to toil so obsessively over three breezy, cheeky vignettes which are neither sidesplittingly hilarious nor heart-wrenchingly insightful.

I could go from valley to valley and from hill to hill; I could “bring up” when it was necessary; and when my labours were finished in one place, I could go on, bag and baggage, to another.

The new sea wall may stop the waves from the sea, but not from the children who enthusiastically greet our train as it passes. It's great to see this ages-old habit is still going strong.