There’s something deeply romantic about train journeys. In a fast-paced world where the skies are dotted with aeroplanes and air traffic has become the norm, the nostalgic appeal of trains can hardly be denied.

We live in a time of carbon dating, of ancient languages being rediscovered regularly, of genealogy, and miracles of science that can nearly figure out the exact age of the earth itself.

It’s Halloween once more and across the world various traditions are observed for the spookiest day of the year.

It is four in the morning, on a blustery dawn at Leeds Bradford airport (where there is no such thing as non-blustery days) and I, a small 10 year old girl, am about to go on my first airplane.