Face-offs with cows, and flying chickens. Lessons in community from Ethiopian roads

Face-offs with cows, and flying chickens. Lessons in community from Ethiopian roads.

It happens so often, you suspect the animals must enjoy it: why else do they spread the full width of the tarmac, instead of using the broad gravel verges? The cows are the worst: they glower balefully as if they might charge, and only turn aside from our approaching vehicle at the very last minute. At least the goats lose their nerve sooner.

Book review: The New Road: Charting Scotland’s Inspirational Communities

The New Road: Charting Scotland’s Inspirational Communities: a truly encouraging book, delightfully written, in the form of a one-week rail and road trip around Scotland, seeing what’s new and working well in raising community resilience. It has just the right amount of practical detail and atmospheric colour.