Former Guardian foreign correspondent Walter Schwarz has led a pretty adventurous life. He spent time in a prison in Nigeria during the civil war and served in the Malayan jungle for the British army. Now he is sharing his experiences in his memoirs, The Ideal Occupation. It tells of the adventures - and misadventures - he has had during his varied career.

The 81-year-old grandfather freelanced in Israel and Nigeria before joining the Guardian. He tells People: "Every country had its highlight. We once borrowed a horse in Jerusalem and when it came to retuning it to Tel Aviv, I rode it there. I had great fun. You learn a lot about Israelis when you turn up in a village asking for water for your horse and seeing the reaction you get."

Mr Schwarz, who lives in Essex, retired in 1995. He has spent the past two years writing the book. "It started off as a hobby but I found it very good experience. It puts you in touch with stages of your life that you may have forgotten."