It should still work with a macro lens, but I suspect what you were after is a set of macro extension tubes? The full manual sort (with no aperture coupling) aren't that expensive on ebay, although I've no idea how good the cheap Hong Kong ones are.

More than high enough. Most of the ferries have movable mezzanine decks so they can either carry two decks of cars or one deck of lorries in the same space, the more freight-oriented operators like Norfolkline just have two main decks for tall vehicles and an extra deck above that for cars.

The days of only being able to carry two or three HGVs in the aft end of the car deck (after reversing them down the linkspan as you couldn't turn them around on the ship and only had a stern door) are long gone!

Yep

It's from the original K series rather than the M, although it will function like an M series (all manual, stop down metering in M mode on DSLRs).

It seems to be well regarded in common with the other K series. Expect cooler colours than you get with a DA lens but image quality is well up to standard. It will also be fairly heavy but not unduly so, and the controls are likely to be silky-smooth with precise clicks from the aperture ring. It's on my wish list although I'm not in a position to buy at the moment due to having finally tracked down an M 40mm f2.8 in good condition for sane money.

If you see one with the original case, caps and hood in good condition then snap it up...

I don't really think we'll run out of food. Bear in mind that we have very reliable ferry links to multiple ports. I could easily see P&O et al saying "most of our ships are freight only until it clears" if the situation required, especially as they make most of their money from freight traffic!

Presumably because to use Av mode on A series cameras and lenses you pressed the A button and then set the aperture on the lens (while the body read this in the same way as it did with K and M lenses).

The A series lenses have contacts, but not as many as the later lenses as all they do is allow the camera body to set and read back the aperture selected.

Didn't Spike Milligan do a sketch about the home life of a Dalek once?

I'm not sure if I would want a KX with chrome bits, I think it would depend on the finish. I've seen some chrome-on-plastic that looks surprisingly realistic (the top plate of the old MG being a case in point) but also some that just doesn't look right.

I think I'd either be tempted by a yellow or orange one, or a plain black one. The two extremes, as it were!

Save and buy the 31mm, I suspect the others may be disappointing after the 50mm you already have.

I am a bit surprised that they haven't offered a black one with silver top and baseplates. I know about that special edition K7 but IIRC they don't offer a K-x like that?

You could always look for the old K 55mm f1.8, will be a lot cheaper and it's a great lens.