From the beginning

On September 10th 2005 I moved to French Polynesia to work on the French Polynesia terrestrial arthropod survey, based at the Gump Station, Moorea. As a way of keeping up with friends and family I've decided to write a web journal, these are just a few impressions and experiences from my life in Moorea. I hope you enjoy them!

The House
We have rented a house a few kms from the station. It's a two-bedroom bungalow with a good bit of garden. Truth be told it's seen better days, but the shabbiness is mainly cosmetic and Viriamu and I have spent the last few weeks making it presentable. It's on the mountainside, backing onto bush, with a sweet view of mountains in the background. The stars are awesome at night. There is a grapefruit tree and a lime. We also have Gardenia tahitensis 'tiare' bushes, so that we can make leis. Here are a couple of pictures of the house:


and some of its inhabitants....


(clockwise from left) giant roaches, fat geckos, hundreds of sharpshooters, el dogo