My wife and I decided to go on an organised trip to Afghanistan, to see for ourselves what the place was like.

It didn't start well as the train we were travelling on broke down just a few miles south of the station. We found ourselves stranded in a scary hell hole where no one around us spoke any English.

The train, and surrounding streets, were full of Muslims, angry bearded types glared at us.

The wife stood out in her brightly coloured sun-dress. All the local women were draped in black head to toe, burqas. We were extremely scared and convinced that we were in deep trouble.

Just then, Jenny our group leader ushered us off the train and around the corner from Bankstown Station to the bus terminal, where we continued our journey safely to Sydney Airport.