Sitting inside the Ethiopian coffee shop in the heart of Brixton I surveyed my surroundings. Photos of Ethiopian men and women hanging on the wall, a traditional coffee ceremony rug on the floor and authentic Ethiopian jazz played softly in the background.

Anees sat on a stool whilst I leaned back in a comfortable chair. The owners husband a tall Caribbean man sat in an identical chair to my right. A table separating us with my coffee placed in the middle. The fourth man a white, unshaven Guy wearing a white T-shirt and black trousers.

None of us knew each other, all strangers brought together by circumstance. The conversation flowed back and forth between each one of us. I heard from Anees about his job working in Iceland as a reporter, 20 years in the trade.

The unshaven guy didn’t share much about himself but offered thoughts on philosophy. And the Caribbean showed interest in my completed project on the Appalachian Trail.

Finishing up my coffee I asked to pay but was told this one’s on me. All the owners husband wanted was a photo of us together before I left.

Departing whilst making item contact with the various characters in the room I felt a sense of connection to people whom did not know in 30 minutes earlier.

And that was the conversation.