I am on route to Kyiv. What used to be a 3 hour flight just a few years ago is now a 26 hour journey.

I am going “home” for a couple of weeks. I was in Kyiv last just over 2 months ago. The war is still raging on and the attacks on Kyiv, and other Ukrainian cities, have intensified. I know I will be spending many nights not sleeping. I am not unfamiliar with spending nights in a bomb shelter, but the scale of the recent attacks sounds truly terrifying. From all our friends and family in Kyiv we get updates when the strikes happen and we get the air raid siren alert on our phones, so we are always in the loop. But again, the scale of the attacks have increased and the bombardment from Thursday night last week was the biggest one yet. I am not scared. But I am a bit anxious.

My luggage is always packed full when I travel to Ukraine, and when I leave Kyiv my luggage is pretty light. There is a reason for this. I am putting stuff in our home. Books, Bunster things we want to keep (that he has outgrown), and other bits and pieces. I know it may sound a bit crazy, but Kyiv is the place I call home. Of course, nothing is simple or easy now and I know it is going to be stressful being at home.

Everyone in Kyiv, and throughout Ukraine, is exhausted. And the war has no end in sight. So much has changed over the past 3 years and so much is still changing. I was going to share some thoughts around this from my last visit home but I am still thinking about everything. The mood in the past month has shifted again, as the intensity and frequency of the attacks on Ukraine’s capital have increased. Russia’s evil knows no limits and Putin will not stop, unless he is stopped. And of course, Donald Trump is not making things any easier. It is all so unfair and tragic. It is a tragedy not just for Ukraine (although Ukrainians are suffering and are traumatized) but for the whole world. And if you think that this war cannot develop further and spread, then you are dreaming (as I once was).

I have a lot to do in Kyiv, and if all goes according to our work schedule then next month we will go live with our film series project “Kyiv of Mine”. We will launch it on YouTube around Ukraine’s Independence Day. We are all hoping this storytelling adventure makes a difference.

We told the Bunster yesterday that I was going to Kyiv. He knows he is from Ukraine but he doesn’t understand where I am heading. Thank God. But he did cry a few times during the day and said that he is going to miss daddy. When I put him to bed last night he sounded sad. I promised him I will be back soon. Marta and the Bunster need me. And I need them.

Most people we know in Kyiv used to sometimes be a bit casual when the air raid sirens went off but not recently. The scale of the attacks and the evilness of it all, has gone up. I know I will be spending many long nights not sleeping, in the shelter. I know I have to have my “go bag” (passport, phone, laptop, wallet, power bank, bottle of water) ready and I will not mess around.

I am currently in Poland. The journey started in the small hours this morning. If all goes according to plan I should get to Kyiv around 10 am tomorrow.

Marta and I often wonder if the Bunster will ever get to know the place he is from. I have faith. I believe he will. He spent the first year and a half of his life at home in Kyiv but of course he doesn’t remember. And he doesn’t know about the evil in the world. Thank God.

Some of the best memories of my life are in Kyiv. It is a soulful, magical place. I hope the Bun man gets to experience all of this one day. I hope this evil war ends this year.

The Bunster does not stop delighting us. Every parent we chat with says the same thing, that this time, between the ages of 4 and 6, is a lot of fun. They are right. What comes of the Bun’s mouth is often just so funny and sometimes pretty amazing. He is a learning machine. And he has a sense of humour, with a mischievous streak, and he enjoys magic.

This morning he did some kind of a magic trick, where he crossed his legs and his left and right shoes changed positions. He had has us smiling. This little man likes to entertain people and to make us all laugh.

I have enjoyed learning magic for over a decade now. Because of the war in Ukraine and all the trauma I didn’t spend much time learning any new magic during the past few years, but lately I have started again. The Bunster has a lot to do with this. He is starting to understand things more and he is keen to learn how to perform some magic too. And he loves storytelling.

I was reading something a magician wrote a few days ago: When it feels impossible, think like a magician.

Imagine someone asks two people, a magician and a non-magician, to make a lady float.

The non-magician says, “That’s impossible.”

The magician thinks, “What would that look like?” And then creates an illusion where it appears the woman is floating.

The non-magician responds, “But she’s not really floating.”

The magician says: “That was never the point.”

It’s a powerful reminder: while some people stop at “impossible,” creators, magicians, see possibilities. We ask different questions. We build what others don’t expect. We say, “yes, and…”

So if you’re facing a roadblock this week, think like a magician. Be bold. Be inventive. You have a set of skills that others don’t.

There is a lot of wisdom in this text. I am not a magician but I do enjoy the art of magic. It is a very cool hobby, and there are endless avenues to explore. And as the Bunster gets a bit older he is going to be easier to teach some cool magic tricks to. I can see he is very keen.

I hope the Bunster embraces the art of magic as he grows older. The world sure could do with more magic, especially in these darker times. And also, as this magician articulated above, this art form also inspires people to think outside of the box.

The Bunster is a very loved little boy. Marta and I pour everything into him, and we can see how confident and enthusiastic he always is. It makes our souls smile. The Bunster, child and all, has a lot of wisdom to offer us adults too. As this image below captures. This is what makes the Bun man happy. To spend time with mommy and daddy. The Bunster is a magical little man.

I am getting closer to a life of luxury. By the end of this year I aim to be as offline as much can be. I have not had Facebook or Instagram for a few years now, and only use LinkedIn and Twitter to read news updates and perspectives about Ukraine. But it is not just social media, it is online in general. I want to only check WhatsApp and email once a week and eventually once a month – I am on a path to reach this destination. Heaven on earth. Quite ironic, as I was part of the ISP industry in some other lifetime.

The online world is not the dream we all thought it could be. Go to the comments section, for example, on a social media posting, and there is often so much negativity. It seems like people are constantly projecting their anger onto other people. Because they are hidden behind something and they feel a safety in that. All these armchair angry warriors. Toxic.

To be offline is to be happier. Maybe I am wrong, but this is where I am at.

We got such a cool email earlier this week from the kindergarten that the Bunster attends. It made us smile.

David approached the fizzy experiment with wide eyes and an inquisitive mind. What began as a simple reaction quickly turned into a hands-on scientific investigation, and David was ready to take on the challenge.

We began with a basic setup: baking soda, vinegar, and a few drops of food colouring. David observed the fizzing reaction closely, then hypothesised what might happen if we changed one ingredient. With growing confidence, he suggested using more vinegar to see if it would create a bigger reaction, a clear demonstration of his scientific reasoning and prediction skills.

But David didn’t stop there. We added extra layers to challenge his thinking.

Variable testing: David compared reactions using cold vs warm vinegar. He noticed the warm one fizzed faster and immediately began wondering why. He explored the effect of temperature on chemical reactions, an advanced concept for his age.

Timed reactions: With a stopwatch, David measured how long the fizz lasted in different mixtures. He recorded the results with help, learning how to collect and analyse data.

Fizz-powered rockets: David helped build a small container rocket using baking soda and vinegar sealed with a cap. He worked through multiple trials, adjusting amounts and learning about pressure build-up, force, and safety in a controlled environment. He reflected after each launch: “That one went higher, maybe I added too much vinegar last time!”

Through this engaging exploration, David practised: Mathematical thinking (measuring, comparing, estimating amounts).

Language development (using descriptive and scientific vocabulary like “reaction,” “explode,” “pressure,” “observe”).

Cognitive flexibility (adapting ideas, testing different approaches).  Persistence and resilience (when the rocket didn’t launch the first time, he calmly reassessed and tried again).

Most importantly, David took ownership of his learning. He asked questions like a true scientist and embraced the messiness of discovery. The activity was more than just fizzy fun; it was a gateway into active learning, problem-solving, and higher-level thinking.  Well done David.

As my one friend in Kyiv texted me yesterday : “russians suck cock today”.
“Nato now must now join Ukraine.”

Jokes aside, what the Ukrainian military achieved yesterday is simply incredible. Movies will be made about this one day.

“Ukraine’s SBU used advanced FPV drones to strike russian airbases thousands of kilometers deep.

The targets? Strategic bombers that fire cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities. Some were part of russia’s nuclear triad. Gone—without jets, without missiles, without satellites. Damage is estimated at $2 billion already and targets keep burning.

This is next-gen asymmetric warfare in action. Cheap, smart, unstoppable.

If you still think drones are just tactical tools, think again. Ukraine is rewriting military doctrine in real time.”

“This special operation with destruction of over 40 russian strategic bombers (including some capable of carrying nuclear warheads) overshadows the sinking of Moscow battleship. It was accomplished with remotely operated FPV drones launched from the hidden platforms under the roofs of trailer trucks on unsuspecting russian truck drivers.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) secretly delivered strike drones into Russia near the ‘Belaya’ airfield and other airfields where A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22 M3 aircraft were stationed.

In a single moment, on the command of the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Maliuk, the strike drones rose near the airfields and simultaneously hit more than 40 aircraft.

The Russians had no chance to sound the alarm, launch the aircraft into the sky, or protect them from the drones. It all happened in an instant.

This unique special operation has no equal. No one in the world has ever done anything like it.”

“The question is not what happened to Putin.

The question is what the hell has happened to America?”

“What happened to Putin … ?!

It’s not like he’s been a homicidal, psychopath for the last 25 years. It’s not like he killed dissidents with radioactive isotopes, murdered journalists, shot down civilian aircraft, sent political opponents to the gulag to die, stole assets from oligarchs and put them in jail, invaded peaceful neighboring countries, brutalized their civilian populations, tortured and executed prisoners of war. No one knows know what the hell happened to Putin. One of life’s great mysteries.

Trump has only ever talked about taking action against Putin. He’s slapping the EU with 50% tariffs but nothing on Russia.”

I have never wished harm or death on anyone. Even people that have wronged me. But in the case of Putin and Trump, in my view, the one individual is pure evil and the other is a conman and a sociopath.

Putin started the war in Ukraine, and the fact that there are even debates in the world about who the bad guys are here is just mind boggling. And I blame this madness squarely on Trump. This moron avoids ever saying a bad word about Putin. And yes, we can laugh at Trump, and call him names, but he has the power.

‘Putin is laughing at Trump’ — Ukraine in disbelief as Russia makes a mockery of US-led ceasefire attempts

This is the title of an article yesterday from the Kyiv Independent. It says it all.

Trump puts pressure on Ukraine but when it comes to Russia, it is all just blah blah blah. Russia are the aggressors, and yet, they don’t even get called out by Trump. But Ukraine, who is the victim here, is constantly bullied and scolded.

Another week begins, and with it comes new hope.

Last week Ukraine and its European allies were together in Kyiv and they are demanding that Russia agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting on May 12, which is, well, today. “We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States,” Zelensky said. Further to this, Zelensky and the European leaders held a “productive” call with Trump, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has stated.

But of course, Putin rejects the ceasefire and he calls on Ukraine to begin direct talks in Istanbul next week. “Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions,” Putin said. So much game playing. So much evil. Just end the war. It can end as quickly as it started.

If America puts Russia under pressure something will happen. But under Trump’s America trust and confidence is low. We live in hope. America remains the key here.

Does Putin really have a hold over Trump? Is Trump really the soulless grifter many people believe him to be. We will soon find out. Either Russia is put in their place, or the world’s values will continue to decline. As my one friend in the US said to me the other day, “There is just shareholder value. I think those are the only values left.”