Mixed month of May.

This May was a mixed month. A tough time with my studies, but some good times with good friends in Scotland and Ireland. Spent a few days in Scotland, where there were double rainbows over deep water - quite like how my life feels:

That was over Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness. Loch Ness is very deep - over 200m - and a surprisingly quiet, nontacky and monster-free place to spend a weekend.

A good time in London with the Unfortunately Loyal Boyfriend, including winning great, cheap, front-row tickets in the pre-show lottery to see The Book of Mormon. Hysterically funny, remarkably sophisticated and surprisingly heart-warming musical theatre from the creators of South Park. Very much recommended.

Then I took the #boattovote #hometovote to vote Yes in the Marriage Equality referendum in Ireland. Which passed, in a wonderful day for the country, for equality and for lovers of love everywhere. It was great to travel home on the train and ferry with such dedicated, passionate people, and to join so many of my family, friends and compatriots in being the first country in the world to pass by popular vote the right for two people to marry "without distinction as to their sex". There were many emotional moments, like this one on the train from London to Holyhead where the conductor, who told us she is a gay woman set to marry her long-term partner later this year, made a special announcement to urge the Irish passengers to vote yes to allow everyone to marry the person they love, without prejudice:

Click the pic to go to the little video of the conductor's announcement.

There were many other things that happened this month, happy and sad, but for once the news coming out of Ireland, and heard around the world, was something good, and - whatever your views on marriage - a celebration of equality, togetherness, pride and love. Rainbows all round.