A chance meeting on the River Thames starts Kevin Rushby on a voyage in search of the lost pirate settlements that once existed on the islands of the Indian Ocean. Along the way he meets the crackpot dreamers, the tough settlers, the fighters and the failures who live on the islands now.
Rushby was drawn back to the Yemen by memories of ancient cities, spectacular mountains and most of all, the dreamy afternoons spent chewing the stimulant leaf of the qat tree. This is the story of a journey, but it also unveils the rich and varied culture surrounding the drug, qat.
The Koh-i-Noor is the greatest diamond of India and one of the most famous stones in the world. Supposedly cursed, the stone can now be seen in the Tower of London. Here, Kevin Rushby tells of his journey to discover the history behind the stone.