Trish's Travels

2007-03-24T13:11:00.000-06:00

Isn't Charleez soooo cute. I know i am biased, but anyway out of the hundreds of photos to blogg this is one of my favourites. I will post somemore soon.

2006-12-30T20:34:00.000-07:00

CHACO CANYON. This was by far my most favourite place that i visited in New Mexico. I wish i had visited it earlier so that i could have gone back. These pictures don't even show half of what it has to offer. It is the largest ruins in New Mexico and you can spend a whole day there and still not have seen it all. It was also very pretty to see with the snow which made it all the more special.

2006-12-30T20:12:00.000-07:00

AZTEC RUINS. Wow these people were small. These ruins were also amazing. It was interesting how you had to go through mult doors to get to some rooms. I wonder how tall they were?

2006-12-30T19:54:00.000-07:00

ACOMA

Another name for this place is sky city, which as you can see by the last picture that it is a city ontop of a large rock. Still very traditional and a very interesting place. It was one of the first places i visited after my return from Oz as it was only 40min from where i lived and the start of my quest to visit every national park/monument in new mexico before i ventured off again. I was very fortunate also to visit with a friend to share the experience with.

2006-12-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

SNOW STORM IN ALBUQUERQUE

Once i got back from sunny Australia i got to experience living in snow. I didn't expect this much though and as i was told this was abnormal for new mexico to get so much snow. Apart from the driving with all the dick heads that had no clue it was a great experience. And i got some great photo oportunities.

2006-12-30T01:32:00.000-07:00

EL MALPAIS This was a very interesting 3mile hike where you thought you were in the middle of nowhere and then suddenly there were caves. This place is very popular for caving and bats. I took a little venture down one cave but no bats to be found.

2006-12-30T01:13:00.000-07:00

MORE PICTURES OF CHACO CANYON. Here are more pictures of my favourite National Park in New Mexico.

2006-11-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

DAYS SPENT WITH FRIENDS I managed to catch up with almost everyone during my 4 week visit to Australia. It was great to see old friends again. I will miss everyone but look forward to catching up again next year and also to see the new editions that will be there. Just as i got to also meet the new babies on this trip.

2006-11-23T06:20:00.000-07:00

CHARLEE'S NAMING DAY
Today November 19th we celebrated Charlee's Naming Day and i become one of the grandparents. Afterwards we had a family photo with the new edition to the family.

2006-11-11T03:39:00.000-07:00

Charleez has her first bath at home. Then afterwards has a nap because she is exhausted. How cute.

2006-11-04T02:48:00.000-07:00

CHARLEE'S SECOND DAY
Today Charlee had her first bath. She wasn't that keen but at least she smelt nice and clean. She also opened her eyes today and we got to see her beautiful blue eyes. I also got to have a hold of her. She is very good and hardly cries. She also likes to suck her thumb.

2006-11-02T03:41:00.000-07:00

CHARLEEZ IS FINALLY BORN

At 0936hrs today November 2nd 2006 Charlee was born weighing 6.1 pounds. Mother and baby are well. We are all very excited as this is the first grandchild/niece/daughter. And we are looking forward to many happy times together as we watch her grow. Congratulations Shane and Tash on the birth of Charleez Lotte Zerha-Doherty.

2006-10-31T06:29:00.000-07:00

WHITESANDS NEW MEXICO In the middle of nowhere South of Albuquerque there is an area of land full of white sand hence the name of the place Whitesands. It was an amazing place to visit and the sunset that night topped off a great day. Unfortunately the clouds were too low for the full moon shot i was waiting for. I guess that gives me another excuse to visit again.

2006-10-31T06:13:00.000-07:00

CARLSBAD CAVERNS & BAT FLIGHT I finally got myself down to Carlsbad Caverns and had a tour around the caves and saw the bats take flight at sunset. Althought slightly rushed it was a fabulous cave with loads of detail. And when they say there are thousands of bats taking flight they really mean it. I was a little disapointed though at how small the bats were. But i guess the numbers made it just as impressive. On the way home there was an awesome full moon which i had to stop on the side of the road and take a picture of but it didn't portray how big it really was.

2006-10-31T05:29:00.000-07:00

BALLOON FIESTA - ALBUQUERQUE
This year i experienced my first balloon fiesta. I was very lucky and fortunate to be able to experience this first hand by crewing for a group and then being allowed to go up in the balloon. It was awesome and i am very grateful for the opportunity to be involved. After my balloon ride i was then initiated and toasted in the traditional way to my first ride. It was a great day. When Esther then visited me I also took her to the festival as tourists enjoying the dawn glow and then the mass ascension. Unfortunately the weather was not so great and not so many balloons went up, but all in all it was still a great day.

2006-10-31T05:11:00.000-07:00

HALLOWEEN 2005 V 2006

This time last year i was experiencing my first halloween in the US. My friend and i got costumes (i am the skeleton) and hung out with her neighbours who had gone all out, doing up the lawn as a cemetry with lights and sound effects. Very impresive i thought. We gave away loads of candy and scared many kids. This year was different. I was back home in Australia and enjoyed the night with my family. My Dad and i were having competitions on who could photograph the best sunset from the balcony. Here is mine. I am looking forward to many more sunsets like this while i am at home.

2006-08-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

MINNEAPOLIS JULY 2006 I went to St.Paul in Minneapolis to visit my friends Carolina and Aaron. It was a great weekend, also too short, but i got a small taste for the area (except for Betty's Pies). Our plan was to go to Lake Superior and go hiking and camping. Getting to lake superior and going hiking was great, unfortunately it rained so hard we never managed to get the tent happening and had to drive the 3 hours back home agian. We did manage a HOT shower and a BBQ before we left and i had my first experience with Smores. Mmmmm yummy. The next day Carolina and i did a boat cruise down the Mississippi and went to the largest Mall in America. We mainly went to the Aquarium and only did a smidgen of shopping ( i think we only saw 1/16th of the whole shopping center). We also managed to go to the movies and then I went back home to Albuquerque.

2006-08-27T19:54:00.000-06:00

FLORIDA
Feb 2006
Esther and i set off on our adventure to Florida and met up with Kori in West Palm Beach. The next day we planned to go to the Keys but unfortunately it rained so hard that we only made it a quarter way and had to go back home. We stopped in Miami and had lunch then went and got dvd's and then got home for the rain to stop (Bugger). This was the sunset taken on that rainy day. The next day Esther and i went to the Everglades to go on one of those boats with the big fans on the back. A bird decided to join us for the ride. It was a great day (no rain). Then we had to go back home. I guess i will have to come back to see the keys.

2006-08-27T19:44:00.000-06:00

LAS VEGAS July 2006 I flew out to Vegas to meet the girls (bottom photo from L to R - Yvette, Cara, Shelly, Iris) after their big night out on Sat. They were a sorry sight that afternoon still hung over and very tired. After picking up the car i drove them to our accommodation for some sleep before we then headed out again for some food and fun. It was a short but sweet weekend walking up and down the strip, looking at all the new hotels, shopping, some gambling (i spent $2 on gambling and won $11 not much i know but still was excited), and eating. Unfortunately i did not get to see any shows but once i go there for an assignment i can see as many as i want.

2006-08-27T19:29:00.000-06:00

THE RESTON CENTRY

Today Esther and i got up at 0530hrs to do the Reston Centry. It was an overcast, hot and humid day (it reminded me why i didn't like summer on the east coast). We both did the metric centry which was 65miles. There wern't too many hills and apart from the painful last 9miles on the trail it was a great ride as you can see by our smiles at the end. It was also a great ride in that it was marked out very well and there was plenty to eat and drink at the rest stops. My training over the last 4 weeks also helped in that i didn't get saddle sore or any cramps. All in all a great ride and a great weekend with a great friend.

2006-07-09T17:55:00.000-06:00

MUSHU
This is Mushu who belongs to Carolina and Aaron. While they have been working in St.Paul i have been looking after him. We have been enjoying each others company while they have been away. Mushu is very entertaining and cheeky. He loves my koala bear and always tries to run off with it and hide it under the bed with him. I guess i have been spoiling him abit too.

2006-07-09T17:52:00.000-06:00

TRAVELING ACCROSS AMERICA
In February this year i finished my contract with Inova Fairfax in Virginia and got in my car and headed west to Albuquerque, New Mexico. My first assaignment was finished. I was sad to leave my friends (especially Esther) but looking forward to meeting new friends, reuniting with new friends and starting a new chapter in my adventures accross America. The trip started out with snow and went through fog, turrentual rain, warmth and then the heat of the desert. It was a great adventure (except i would not recommend driving 19 hours in one day) but it would have been nice to share it with someone. I guess Esther and Julia did share some of my travels with my via the phone which was great. These photos show the beginning and end of my travel from east coast to the west.

2006-07-09T17:50:00.000-06:00

SANTA FE CENTURY
I set out at 5.30 am to Santa Fe and arrived there to start my ride at 7am. It was a great sunny day with no wind and i clocked up 40miles in no time. It was tempting to continue and do the full 100miles but i figured i had already gone further than i had already planned. Thank goodness i did that as there was a strong headwind the whole way back and it took twice as long to do the 40mile return trip. And then just as i was to climb the hardest hill of the day i had a crash and injured myself. "Not happy Jan" I was hurting and tired and almost got a ride back at the 66mile mark but i managed to pull myself together and ride the last 14miles. It was a great accomplishment as i had not trained or ridden very much prior. It was a great day.

2006-06-30T06:41:00.000-06:00

MY SISTERS WEDDING
On March 10th 2006 my little sister got married. WOW i almost have to repeat that to realise that my little sister is no longer little anymore. It is so far the best day of my life (until i have my day) and i was very proud and happy for her. She looked absolutely gorgeous and i think shocked everyone with her black wedding dress. But i didn't expect anything less from her. As far as weddings go i think it was perfect (weather and all). And then we got some great news the next day when she announced that she was pregnant. So all in all a great weekend.

2006-06-30T06:40:00.000-06:00

SHENANDOAH VALLEY JULY 2005
Today Esther (who i had just recently met) and I rode our bikes in the Shenandoah Valley. This was our first cycling trip together. The weather was a little humid but apart from that the company was great and so was the scenery.

2006-06-30T05:53:00.000-06:00

GILA TOUR
This weekend was my first bike tour here in New Mexico. The route follows one of the toughest bike races here in the US. The actual race was last week and we saw reminence of that while we were riding. Some people have picked up some souveniers but i spent most of my time concentrating on breathing and enjoying the scenery. I have not got used to the altitude yet and now i am another 3,000 feet higher which is not helping matters. The downhills inbetween were great but unfortunately were made up with loads of uphills. Still not my strong point. The first day was only 77miles but it felt like 177miles and the second day was much shorter with 40miles but was maily uphill. Despite all that i had a blast, increased my fittness and made some new friends.