It’s one am and the taxi’s here to take us off on the start of our journey to Greece .. specifically Thessaloniki in northern Greece. The second biggest city after Athens. We are self funding our trip to support refugees in the northern camps after the EU / Turkey deal means that almost all the island refugees are being exported to mainland Greece.

So we set off in technicolour neon at Manchester Airport. 4 intrepid explorers off to do our best to help refugees in what ever way we can.

After landing and setting up our own base camp, we arrived at the first camp at an Eko garage (a petrol station) and quickly find ourselves welcomed by lots of little smiling faces eager to have pictures drawn on balloons. Making animal noises as a question of which animal face to draw for them. I made a rod for my own back there as it was quite a challenge to do! Tie some string and you’ve a home made balloon kite in the wind, that brings a bit of joy to a little ones snotty smiling face.

After the rush died down a little, I picked up my camera to capture Trace in the midst of a pile of kids. Colouring and making art with so many happy kids, that are ecstatic for some distraction.

It’s amazing how the language barrier disappears when playing games of football, tag ball and so many more. We even had a request for Macerena the song with the dance routine .. gonna have to re-learn that one. The hokey kokey went down well and soon after it was hugs and goodbyes.

We swiftly made a tour of the other local camps, we had visited Eko, then went to Idomeni which is the largest and main camp of the area. We then detoured to view Hara Hotel which is just down the road from Idomeni. I asked to pull over to capture what looks to be .. the most peaceful view of Idomeni camp you will ever see, shot when the sun was setting with most of the camp falling quiet at a distance.

I think it was a gentle introduction and that this photo is very much false advert for its reality. It looks so wholesome, clean and good. Can’t we pat ourselves on our backs for such great humanitarian aid. Just try to remember the road the cars are on in this photo, I’ll show you tomorrow what’s on the other side.

Until then, good night.

Ps. I have blurred out childrens faces because they are fleeing war and I don’t want to inadvertently put them at risk.