Cities have sexes: London is a man, Paris a woman, and New York a well-adjusted transsexual.
Angela Carter

We have lived in many cities and I could have included more. It was a difficult task deciding which ones to include and so I have chosen those that we have lived in or visited in the last five years; that way the information is more current. I will try and keep details of restaurants up-to-date by asking friends still in a particular place to keep me posted of any changes.

Cities that I have missed out include London, Seoul, Phnom Penh, Hong Kong, Accra, Moscow, Mombasa and Nairobi from all of which we have good memories. London is tremendously rich in culture with people from every country in the world - you can buy fresh kimchi and ho doc in Little Korea, New Malden or eat African in Covent Garden. Accra is a surprisingly safe city with little or no personal crime and So Young has some exquisite jewellery made of 22 carat Ashanti gold by a Syrian jeweller called George Hakim - most people are unaware of the large Lebanese and Syrian communities in West Africa.

So Young with Stitt outside the HSBC Building in Hong Kong

Nairobi by contrast is crime-ridden but where else in the world can you watch wild lions and giraffe in the middle of town? And the jacaranda trees in bloom are as wonderful a sight as the blossom of the cherry trees in springtime Washington. If you are in Mombasa do not miss out on a meal at the Tamarind restaurant - chilli crab, quails from Mount Kenya, Kilifi Creek oysters with cheese and bacon - or spend an evening under the stars eating on their dhow.

The May dragon boat races at Stanley in Hong Kong and the Phnom Penh November Water Festival add something unique to a visit. Both are vibrant, exotic cities although you won’t find skyscrapers in Phnom Penh!