experienced that people are, by and large, kind, hospitable, entertaining and enduring. So I hoped that Afghans would be the same. And indeed they were. Afghans would be the same. And indeed they were. Of course there were some unpleasant moments and a couple of times of danger but an Afghan film crew in England would have suffered far worse daily trouble than I, although I admit they may not have faced the possibility of mines or armed roadblocks in quite the same way. The people of Bamiyan were generally very warm and accommodating, especially those one actually sat and talked to. That's not to say it was entirely safe: on one occasion, the people of Bamiyan decided to march in demonstration and all westerners were advised to hide indoors. I chose to film but my fixer later told me that comments were evenly split between 'he's alright, leave him alone' and 'give him a good kick up the backside'.

7. What shocked you the most about the situation in Bamiyan?

It takes a while to really comprehend just how little people own - no photographs, no pictures on the wall, barely any books, magazines, clothes, shoes, toys. They own so little that they can - and have - put all their possessions on one donkey. Imagine how large a vehicle we would need to move our possessions. I don't believe we'll have ever have a world of equality