Wedding fever...

Wedding anyone? Everyone seems to be doing it. I remember a few years ago genuinely believing that my friends would buck the trend and avoid all that messy wedding stuff when we got to our late 20s, into our 30s. Oh how wrong I was!

Don't get me wrong, I love a good union of two souls. And I get ridiculously excited when my friends announce engagements and actually manage to tie the knot because I know, for them, it's a wonderful, perfect display of their love and commitment.

But despite the happy tears and congratulations, I am still amazed that everyone still follows the rules. OK, so the wedding day might be different (some of the versions in my friendship group have been truely amazing: eloping to New York, getting married on a beach, getting married on a boat sailing around Sydney Harbour) but I'm surprised by the fact that in the end tradition reigns. Even in this day and age?

Isn't there another option other than the traditional one where the bride changes her name and wears a huge diamond on her left hand? I respect that decision but I'm astonished that the alternative of going de facto, no rings and hyphenated names is still so rare.

I thought by the time my friends got the that age, half of us would refuse marriage and settle for commitment without paper. Maybe it's a surprise to me because MY parents chose the alternative (hence the two surnames: Woodrow from mum, Hill from dad) and this has been the norm for me up until now.

Maybe it's the linguistics degree I did with a module on the power of names that stops me wanting to change mine. Perhaps it's the sociology module which discussed the negative impact of marriage on women's success and development in modern society that stops me following other people's traditions. Maybe this whole tradition malarky is just too political for me....

That said, I do love a good wedding!

Living in Australia

Living in Australia is a treat. With its aesthetic appeal, outdoor focus and the balance of opportunity and quality of life it's a fantastic place to settle. Sydney truely is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Having spent 3 years living here, enjoying its delights and building a life for myself, the end is approaching. With 3 weeks remaining, I'm left pondering what this place offers, what its value is and whether I made the most of my time here. This country is vast, welcoming and exciting and I'm leaving, safe in the knowledge that I've used my time well.

Here are the 5 best things I did in Australia:

1. The SHE Boat Parties (or the 5 that I went to anyway...) showcase all that is right and good about Sydney: sunshine, sailing round the harbour with blue skies, blue water and lots of fun people to dance with.
2. Harbourlife 2006: Chuck Love headlining, new partnerships blossoming, Sydney Opera House behind us, lots of hands in the air and a lot of love flying around.
3. Boomerang Beach trip 2007: arguably one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in Australia. Good friends, lots of crackers and dip, the BBQ roaring and the beach 30 seconds away. What else could you want or need?
4. Far North Queensland: diving with turtles, sharks and nemos up on the Great Barrier Reef; jungle surfing and canoing at Cape Trib; travelling through the topics watching the moody sky change from blue to grey in 5 minutes.
5. Visiting as many cities as possible: Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, Brisbane, Hobart - they're all so different to each other and all have their own character, secret spots and wonderful vistas. I feel so lucky that I got to delve a little into all of them (sorry Adelaide I missed you out - next time!).
   

With my Australian passport and partner, fantastic memories and great friends that remain - I'm sure to return. This may not be my last stint of living in Australia.