Wrapping it up

I suppose there should be some kind of closure soon of this particular blog thread. After all, the course is finished, I am back home and the stromatolites are safe where they are. That won't stop me from adding more material in the future, but before I fully go back to my real life I would like to take the opportunity to sum up the course.

It was great. Just great. From the first day in LA to the teary eyed godbyes on the dock at Catalina, I had just so much fun. Amazing people, amazing places (I will remember Yellowstone for a long, long time), food of... suficient amounts and quality (you spoiled us rotten, and you know it), very dedicated teachers, highly exciting things to learn and do... Wow. Just wow.

I learnt a lot - both biology, biochemistry and - more spectaculary - geology. I had never heard of the stromatolites before I got that paper before the course, but now I'm ready to challange anyone you care to name on a biogenicity deabate. And snowball earth... How comes no one has seen fit to mention to me before that the earth might have been totally (or at least mostly) covered in ice two or three times?? That is important stuff, you know.

I learnt other stuff too - about teamwork, about expedition mode and about leaving and reading footprints. We had a great time together and I'm sure I will see quite a few of you again.

The proud course, breathing out after the presentations.


Birthday boys - me and Ben - cutting the cake. The slight moist that can be observed is due to the epic relaxing waterfight going on in the background. (Thanks for the picture, Marcia.)

Some stats:

New stuff I learnt: Lots!!!
States visited: 4
Cameras bought: 3
Times I climbed Lunchbreak Mountain: 2
Mornings I cajaked: Many
New words learnt: Quite a few (thanks Sean)
Days I went hungry: 0 (thanks Ann and Sue)
New friends gained: At least 30
Suck factor: Low
Wow factor: High

Thanks all of you for a great course