Autumn Leighves

Today I was knackered. I over-socialised at the weekend, and the annoying sniffles persist. I offset with coffee but it was so caffeinated it gave me a headache. I thought it was supposed to have the opposite effect...

We had some interesting sessions at work about gender and conservation. There are so many horror stories in the literature about where development projects have not understood gender or other cultural dynamics, and have failed. There are few examples of successful gender approaches that have led to better conservation outcomes. We heard about projects in Madagascar, Guinea and Liberia, and had opportunities to discuss tips and ideas that can avoid the many pitfalls. For the South Sudan work it was useful to hear from projects that have engaged more on this topic in similarly remote and challenging communities, as there is much to learn and apply.

The evening was spent with Italian food and Leigh, alternating between my sofa and my table. We had a raucous time and I'm glad my flat has good noise insulation as I am pathologically unable to speak in a quiet voice. Leigh ain't much better.

This photo was taken early along one of Cambridge's well-to-do streets, De Freville Avenue, after meeting a friend from the office and acting as a sounding board for a work dilemma.