Sitting cross-legged on a richly patterned Afghan rug in a Melbourne living room, we chatted for hours, reflecting on the fall of Kabul four years ago that brought us together and nurtured a bond of friendship across continents.

We had first connected in the chaos of August 2021, when the fall of Kabul shattered decades of fragile progress towards democracy, freedom and peace in Afghanistan. Our reunion this winter in Melbourne should have been pure joy – a celebration of survival and friendship – but it began in the quiet rows of a Muslim graveyard. We were there for the funeral of our mutual friend, Barez.

I saw the grief on their faces as we stood for the final prayers. “It is so sad,” Simon said softly, his voice carrying that mix of resignation and wisdom you only hear from people who have faced loss head on.

Later that afternoon, driving through Melbourne’s southern suburbs, we joined other Reuters colleagues for lunch at an Afghan restaurant. The scent of cardamom rice, grilled kebabs and freshly baked naan wrapped around us like a memory. Over green tea, we slipped into the past – and suddenly I was back in Kabul on 15 August 2021.

At midday I was sipping pomegranate juice........

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