Mallaig immediately came to mind as the worst harbour to be in. Sea surface covered in diesel, fish oil, dead fish, rotting weed . . . but that was nine years ago.

Re the rubbish. A big improvement in Greece is that in most towns it is now collected in one place; as compared to ten years ago when it just grew in heaps around the outskirts of towns. I think that's an improvement.

Remember, Greece was in extreme poverty after an appalling civil war, and until 1974, governed by a very inefficient and suppressive military junta which allowed little change. You can't expect it to move from an agricultural nothing to run like Switzerland after 35 years . . . especially when most of the able population had emigrated to escape their hell.

They're returning now.

By the way, I seem to recall an enormous rubbish tip just by Port Solent . . .