Trip to Tuguegarao: Part Two

So this is the second instalment of pictures from my trip to Tuguegarao. I thought this part deserved its own post since it was just a tad exciting (and also since I took so many pictures!).

Although I don't really know a whole lot about helicopters, I have been fascinated with them ever since I was a little girl and have always wanted to ride in one. Well I finally got my chance! 

One of our pilots had to do a recurrency flight on the last day I was in Tuguegarao, and I got to ride along as he flew over town and practised various skills on the runway. As there were no backseat passengers to get blasted by the wind, we were able to fly with the doors off - perfect for taking pictures!

Here are just a few of the pictures I took:

Isn't she pretty?!

I'm guessing most people probably don't want to see a lot of pictures like this,
so I'll just limit it to this one!

This is the same runway used for commercial flights coming from Manila

Doing 360's at the end of the runway! It was cool to watch the shadows change shape...

At the other end of the runway, coming in for our first of several landings

Our second landing: a slower and steeper descent than the first, making for better pictures

Not the greatest picture of me, but proof that I was actually there! :-)

Trip to Tuguegarao

As I plod along with language study day after day, it can often seem like there's not much to write home about. Typically, either nothing noteworthy happens... or everything happens all at once, and then I have no time for writing about it! 

I had thought that uploading some pictures from time to time would be a good, less time-consuming alternative... but then my camera died. :-( 

Well, finally, after about nine camera-less months, I bought a new camera - so now it's time to revive this poor, neglected blog of mine!

I spent most of this past week up in Tuguegarao (Northern Luzon), accompanied, of course, by my new camera, so here are a few pictures from my trip...

My missionary friends in Tuguegarao took me around to all their favourite places

This Aussie girl sure enjoyed the open spaces!

We spent one morning at a beautiful river (kind of) nearby. This was our swimming spot.

After driving to the river, we took this boat to our swimming spot.

The water turned different shades of blue or green in different places. It was incredibly clear.

I found the blue sections particularly fascinating. (If anyone knows why the water is this colour, I'd love to hear an explanation!)

There were lots of cool roots along the river banks.