Whoops

So! A few updates to make! I’ll do this in chronological order – it’s gonna be a massive post. Some of it even predates previous posts as I forgot to mention some things…

Mid-June 2009

I went to Cavtat, Croatia on a conference and found out that my old pal Caro from Previous Job was also going. I highly recommend Cavtat as a holiday destination. It’s a boat or coach/bus ride away from Dubrovnik, which is a bustling walled town/city nicknamed the Pearl of the Adriatic. The picture above is me (left) and Caro (obviously right) with the suburbs of Dubrovnik in the background. We look calm here on the way back, but I have a video of the horrendously rough trip there where we were covertly checking out the location of any life jackets and the shortest swim to land… The scenery is mountainous Mediterranean scrub with bright blue seas. It was hot but not stupidly so, and we were treated to a spectacular storm on the last day where a river of water came off the hillside, streamed alone the roads down to the sea. As I’d been out that evening I was dropped off at my boss’s hotel and had to walk back to my apartment, through ankle high rushing water!

The view from my apartment.

Waterside reception meal

Caro walking through the back streets of Dubrovnik

The main streets of Dubrovnik

The walls of the city, repaired after they were damaged by the Yugoslav People’s Army in the Siege of Dubrovnik 1991; the new repairs are clearly visible but the extent of repairs of the city are impressive. Despite the history of the former Yugoslavia and the fact that Dubrovnik was targeted so forcefully the area is beautiful, Cavtat feels exceptionally safe to potter about in, the people are friendly and it’s not a particularly expensive holiday.

Early-August 2009

I got invited short notice to join in with the family diving holiday to Egypt! I don’t dive of course, but there is ample opportunity to snorkle while the divers are diving. Weather was hot to say the least – 35-40 degrees C every day. I improved on my Dubrovnik technique of staying cool, which is to move slower and move less. I also got very burnt as I didn’t have high enough factor sunscreen with me, and as a snorkler got burnt while swimming just under the water’s surface. We stayed in Sharm El Sheikh.

From left to right – cousin Tols (in water), Uncle G (stepping in), cousin J (in water) and Dad (stepping in).

Cousin Boleyn and me, on the boat.

This is what a reef looks like (the greyish-greenish stuff)

The pool in the next door hotel was better than ours, so we mostly spent the evenings there instead! This pic is for animal genetics people really – note the white tail tip! Rare in cats!

One of the problems with the heat is that we’d leave our books on the boat while in the water, and come back to find the spines had melted! This is Tols persevering with her novel, conveniently also in a strong breeze.

Seriously cool moth, though currently poorly camouflaged…

Naama Bay at night

There were some great parts of this holiday. Evenings spent talking, drinking and smoking shisha, Tols and J free-diving while snorkling to join the divers five metres below us, snoozing on the boat carefully avoiding sleeping in the sun, the spectacular problems of getting divers back on board in rough seas, and the gorgeous array of fish. I bought an underwater camera which unfortunately jammed half way through, but I hope to get at least a few pictures of fish from that.

5th September 2009

Ding’s Hen Do! As pending Maid of Honour I arranged this and Tols (aka The Other Bridesmaid) was instrumental on the day in keeping people herded effectively and sorting out wine, table plan etc.The night before we (Ding, Tols, Boleyn and I) had a girlie facemask and Guitar Hero playing evening in preparation for the do. Sadly I don’t have the scary pictures from that on this computer! On the day we had a massive group of people, 22 in total over the day and three events planned! And Ding (supposedly) knew nothing about the plans (cousin Lulu had actually let the beans slip about part 1 of the day that morning *facepalm*). The theme was water, titled “Something Blue”, since Ding is a marine archaeologist, and everyone had to wear something blue for the day, whether it be bracelet, shirt or entire outfit. Ding knew the theme was “Something Blue” but not that it meant water.  Part 1 was a trip to London Aquarium, which was very successful considering we were all 18 or over! We lost Lulu to the sharks – she refused to leave.

Everyone (almost – 2 were in the toilet!)

Ding, me and AnM, and a shark in the background (thus Lulu took this photo) – we were enjoying ourselves, honest!

After the aquarium we embarked on part 2 – the Absolut Ice Bar! I highly recommend this if you get the chance. You book the icebar for 45 minutes which flies, you get given capes and gloves, and a free vodka cocktail which is not only delicious but is also fluorescent! The furniture is ice, the walls are ice, the bar is ice (the floor is metal lol). We were lucky enough that a photographer was in the bar and got a photo of us:

Everyone (almost – 1 person got too cold and left!)

All of the Hen Cousins!

Straight after that it was on to part 3 which was a meal in a local modern restaurant, the Boulevard Dining Rooms. Much less stuffy than it sounds, it was an informal noisy atmosphere and they managed to get us seated on one long table. We’d sorted out a seating plan and using Sponge Bob Square Pants stickers bought from the Aquarium (yah – an aquarium with no actual fish related stickers!) Tols and S had decorated the placeholders while on the bus on the way to the icebar. Mum bought the wine, and with £15 for 3 courses it was a fab evening! Everyone was talking loads – great fun!

After that we decided it was too early to go home and made our way to a pub recommended by Lou a few streets away (Nano Byte) which isn’t technological at all so an odd name, and we sat and chatted for a hour or so until people started to fall asleep or drift off. And then the last bunch of us realised the last train was probably due and scurried to the tube to catch it, wandered home, sat up for a bit nibbling nibbles brought by H and then collapsed. The bride-to-be had to make breakfast for everyone in the morning 😉

September 26th 2009

Possibly the most important bit of news, lol; Ding’s wedding day! We travelled up to the cottage on the evening of the 25th and had BBQ, wine and natter, and gave Mum her birthday gifts, which was lovely. The cottage was very cute and rather posh! The next day…

Makeup!

Hair!

Flowers!

The wedding!

The Bride and Groom and The Dress!

Bridesmaids! (I’m the one in the middle with hair obscuring face)

The four cousins!

The cake! Ding modified the little groom to make his suit black with gold trim and to make him a hat.

The first dance!

The theme was peacocks, but it was a subtle theme so most people didn’t notice (which was the idea). Our dresses were peacock green, the invites, cake, flowers and Flower Girl’s outfit all had green and blue highlights, even the alcove lights in the hall were green. The wedding was held in an Elizabethan hall that had recently been refurbished and was stunning – stained glass and old beams etc. Ding’s old violin teacher played them in and out. Then into the garden for garden games like giant jenga, Pimm’s and very posh canapés (fish and chips in little cones, deconstructed duck spring rolls etc.) The official photos were mostly informal, capturing the atmosphere of the day. Ding’s dress was gorgeous – covered in little gems. I made her necklace and earrings, and made mine and Tols too, all out of gems and pearls I’d bought when in Bulgaria especially. Her necklace had two little blue gems at the back for the something blue. Ding bought me and Tols gorgeous necklaces for the pendant’s I’d made to hang on, and also bought us gorgeous silver bracelets. Everything went like clockwork. All the speeches (Dad’s, Dong’s and the Best Man’s) were hilarious, people are still talking about them ;). The meal was fantastic, cooked by a local top class restaurant. Trout for starter, lamb main and lemon tart for pud. The party was non-stop, and we all had a great time!

Ding Dong Wedding Bells!