In the days before the “chunnel” was constructed to join the UK to mainland Europe I used to enjoy travelling by ferry. It seems such a long time ago now, but what I remember is an overnight trip. I would get inebriated on cheap alcohol, to avoid feeling sea sick and then I would find myself in Ostend, or Amsterdam. It felt like much more of an adventure than the current simple train journey (which is very convenient and time saving, by the way.)

Since we are living in times of heightened green consciousness, (through direct action on the streets of London) is it worth considering a reversal to the previous mode of travel to reach Paris from London, for example?

There were some tragic events such as the capsizing of the Herald of Free Enterprise, which many folks have forgotten about nowadays, but this shouldn’t deter people from travelling to the continent by sea.

I have always felt that cities with sea ports, such as Liverpool or Hamburg have something special about their atmospheres. Is it a coincidence that The Beatles cut their teeth as an act, performing in both cities?

My life in Lagos doesn’t hold much nostalgia for me nowadays (apart from some school experiences). It was fun, however to cross the Lagoon from Lagos Island to Apapa, or to occasionally play in jam sessions on a ferry called The Floating Buka. I sense that there will never be another Nigerian city to compete with Lagos for its vitality. This is definitely linked to the sea life that runs at the heart of the metropolis.