I really enjoy travelling around the world. I get to meet some extraordinary people.

I read a lot of research notes about the countries I visit, and my mum and dad bought me a Kindle, but I'm still getting to grips with it. I prefer paper books.

I didn't even watch the soaps when I was in them because it's like a coal miner coming home and staring at the coal scuttle - I was never a great lover of watching myself act.

A day in Afghanistan is like a week at home.

I do dream about Afghanistan. I wake up and think I'm still there.

If you have extremes of haves and have-nots where the gap keeps growing, the have-nots group together and create social disorder, as they can't see a way out of their situation.

I don't think you should go into politics until you can stand on your own two feet economically, if possible, and you know enough about the world.