California Wedding

Today is my dear friend Sarah's wedding, all the way back in CA. She's getting married on a beach south of SF, off highway 1, an amazingly beautiful part of the west coast. It makes me long for CA, the rugged shorelines, the amazing shows of spring flowers, the sweeping mountains and desolate wilderness.

It also got me all nostalgic, thinking back over our time together as grad students in London, at the NHM. I loved my time living in Vauxhall, in no small part thanks to her. Sarah came out to visit me in CA when I was doing my PhD, and ironically enough came out to CA as a postdoc herself, soon after I left for Tahiti.

She even came out to Rurutu for the wedding, as one of my maids of honor, where she took a fancy to one of my wedding hats!

(Sorry Sarah I couldn't resist)

Now it's her turn, she's getting married to a dashing you man from the Bay Area! It's a real shame that I couldn't make it to the wedding, but I know she'll have a great time, and I can't wait to meet Mr. and Mrs. Dostal. I'm so happy for you, and so sad not to be there..........but beware, the whole tribe will come a vistin' one day!

I can't think of anyone I'd rather have hiked the Grand Canyon with!

Where are they now? Amy

Amy now lives in Nottingham, she and Dave have just bought a house and are busy renovating.

Amy is working for Nottingham University as a Community Scientist on the OPAL (Open Air Laboratory) project. Which aims to get people aware of the natural environment and improve peoples' skills in naming and classifying common organisms.

Amy and Dave were at our wedding. Dave put together our truly excellent wedding video, pretty much single-handedly, and Amy was one of my blue ladies! Since that memorable day Amy's been on an expedition to the Antarctic.

In August 2008 she and Dave got married, and I was able to be there as a matron of honor, it was a really beautiful occasion (see blog entry). So she's keeping busy!

Where are they now? Sarah M

It's over three years since our wedding, and I've recently heard the happy news that my good friend and one time maid of honor, Sarah M, is getting married to this dashing young man, in CA in May........
....before moving to New Hampshire and a new and exciting life! Congratulations Sarah!

This got me thinking about the rest of my fabulous blue-team girls....where are they all now and what are they up to? I'll be finding out and reporting back over the next few weeks!

Amy and Dave tie the knot

On August 2nd my good friends Amy and Dave tied the knot in a beautiful spot surrounded by a huge eucalyptus forest in the Dandenong Hills, Melbourne, Australia. It was a really beautiful occasion and I felt privileged to be a matron of honor (even if it was a little bit chilly!!!). I got some friends of mine in Raiatea to design some black pearl necklaces for Amy and us girls, and I think Catherine and Eric did an amazing job. Amy just looked stunning!

There's actually a really nice story behind their wedding, and of course it involves Rurutu. Amy and I were at uni together and we enjoyed some fun adventures, I got to visit her in Australia a couple of times. Amy and Dave were even able to come to our wedding in Rurutu back in December 2006, Amy was one of my maids of honor. In fact Dave proposed to Amy while they were here with us, so it's all one beautiful full circle.

Dave was also almost singlehandedly responsible for our wedding video - and he did an amazing job, so hats off to him. The family and even some of our guests here in Rurutu still really enjoy watching the DVD.

I spent most of the time in Aus hanging out with Amy and Dave's family, doing some touristy things, lots of shopping and of course topping up on speaking english!