Earlier this week, I was in a café in central Oxford listening in on a conversation between two – I’m guessing – academics. They were quite insistent that Oxford is the best place on earth – a utopia for people such as themselves. I don’t doubt it.

Later that same day, I saw an advertisement online which you may have stumbled upon: if you happen to be called Elizabeth Gallagher and in charge of a Canadian passport, you could be heading off around the world with a guy named Jordan Axani.

Once upon a time, Jordan had a girlfriend and her name happened to be Elizabeth Gallagher.

Then – for reasons unknown – Jordan no longer had Elizabeth as his girlfriend.

The trouble is that, before that happened, Jordan had booked a round-the-world air tickets for them both and it would now prove difficult to change one passenger’s name.

So there he is, offering a free ticket to any young lady – or femininely-named man – willing to accompany him.

In the interview, the guy says that he doesn’t care whether the replacement Elizabeth accompanies him for the whole journey, for part of it, or for none of it– they can just sit together on the plane and go their separate ways the rest of the time as far as he’s concerned.

Though I imagine that’ll be a touch awkward. ‘Hi, thanks for the free once-in-a-lifetime-experience. See ya!’ I imagine anyone who uses the ticket will feel quite indebted to share at least one drink and meal with our hero.

Oxford can be a funny place. On the one hand it’s steeped in tradition and fusty-dusty safeness. On the other, we have some of the innovative minds on the planet and are a perpetual holding dock for transient students and visitors.

I love Oxford – and if you stay here too long it’s easy to think it’s the centre of the universe. But Jordan reminded me this week of a sense of adventure which should always be embraced. I’m thinking of changing my name and nationality immediately, if not sooner.

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