From Cockney to Cowboy!

Howdy Ya'll


I'm Back. Miss me? Of course you did! Straight to business.

Last week I went with Laura back to her hometown of Roswell, New Mexico, via Texas to meet some more of the Zuber clan, and what seemed like the rest of Roswell (seriously, the Zubers know everyone in that town). I was a little nervous about staying with her family and meeting her father Colonel Kenny Zuber for the first time. I wondered what they would make of the foreigner dating their only daughter. I'll start from the beginning. Meet R. Dub. He's a Texan through and through. It was with him and his girlfriend (Laura's old roomate), that we stayed with in Lubbock Texas on our first night. As I got off the plane in my ski jacket, I noticed the tempreature outside was a mild 88 degrees. I soon dispensed with the layers I had become accustomed to wearing in Vancouver.

I wasn't quite sure of what to make of R. Dub when I met him. He seemed very friendly, but I think we were a little cautious of eachother at first. Until that is, I learned of his love of home brewing. The pic shows, R. Dub with his beer taps (root beer on the right for pre 9am drinking). Needless to say we both ended up getting plastered drinking his 7.7% Winterfest ale. Arm in arm, we went to visit some of his friends down the hall. Later on I gave him my concidered opinion of some of the fine British ales he will soon experience when he comes to Britain.

Next morning, we both wake up hungover, go to play shuffleboard, and he asks me "Andy, do you smoke Cigars". I had to reply in the negative, but R. Dub, what a guy!

Laura soon dragged me away from my new best friend. She took me on a tour of the Texas Tech campus where she was a student. It's the largest campus Uni in the States. It was vast. The most interesting thing was comparing it to British Universtites.
NO BARS! Texas Tech is in the buckle of the bible belt, and drinking is over 21's. All the students get to go is play sports and study hard. What a waste of an education! Seriously, that facilities put British uni's to shame. Howver this does come at quite a hefty financial cost to the students. To study here is not cheap.

Later that day Kelly (Laura's youngest brother) came to pick us up and drive us the 200 miles back to Roswell. He was with a family friend Ryan, a US marine. I was surrounded by these two huge slightly scary looking fellas wondering how I was going to make it through the next week. I was too afriad to even make eye contact with poor Laura, just in case I got jumped on.


Happily, Kelly was an absolute charmer. The next day while Laura went to the dentist, Kelly took me Golfing. This photo illustrates the only straight driving I managed that day.
Kelly playing a shot up to the green. No it's not a bunker, it's just how dry New Mexico is at the moment.
Sadly more style than substance. I think my handycap is lurking dangerously near the three figure mark. Kelly thrashed me, but had the patience and good nature to forge my scorecard so it didn't look to bad.
Next day Laura drove me to the Carlsbad Caverns. It was here that Laura and me bacame proud parents of our adopted bat called Pinky. We sat Mum and Dad down to tell them the joyous news, but they only seemed happy when we told then it was just a bat. What else were they thinking I wonder!

The view from the Caverns car park. Absolutely stunning.
The Caverns themselves, aare the most spectacular I have ever seen. They were beautiful and dramatic. I know none of you will appreciate that so I took a photo of one that looked like a boob!

Laura and me out by the lakes

The lakes and the dam. This is where Laura ans her family learned to water ski, on THEIR boat! How cool is that

Be warned! Not all roads lead to Rome.

Meet the Colonel. After showing me the stuffed heads of the animals he has shot, he showed me how he did it! Perhaps a subtle warning not to get too close to his daughter. Big boys toys! Great fun.
Welcome to White Sands (guess why it's called that?). This had been created by gypsum rubbing together to create a brilliant white sand. It is the largest gypsum sand plane in the world. The dunes form a dramatic and phenomenally beautiful landscape.
So what do you do with it? Get a sled and slide down the dunes on your bum, thats what!
Laura and me on the dunes
Me attempting to snowboard down the dunes
Daniel (Laura's middle Bro), indulging in the new sport of running off a dune jumping and seeing how far you can fall. 6.0 for artistic impression.
Back in Roswell, with the Colonel in Millitary uniform with his most prized possession (even more so than the Oryx head)
Roswell, being the home of the alien landing some 55 years ago has a little museum and research centre for people who are curious as to what really happened at area 51. But and area as pretty as Roswell wouldn't play on the aliens to drag in the tourists would they??? A spaceship shaped Macdonnalds
The street lighting is out of this world (I also get Paul to write my Jokes for me)
On our last day Daniel, Laura and me went out to the lakes to take in some of the Big Country and enjoy the sunset.
Views of the craigs
Laura and Daniel lookign cool, calm and collected
Looks like something out of Pride and Prejudice. A wind swept LauraOn out Last night I was treated to another Zuber tradition. Earlier in the week, we had a fish fry where the Colonel frys up all the fish he has caught in a light batter. It's so good even Laura let's her vegetarian crown slip a little for this one. This though id the famous wiener roast.

Basically you roast cook your hot dogs over an open fire and have it with Chilli and baked beans. Nancy (Mrs Zuber) cooks the most wonderful baked beans in a tomato sauce with a little onion and brown sugar. They were fantastic.

Laura and me also went into Laura's mums school to do a presentation about the UK and Canada for her class of 10-11 year olds. The children seemed to like my presentation. My favourite question I was asked was "are the guards at Buckingham palace allowed to blink?"

I was sad to leave the Zuber house hold. They had made me feel so welcome. The Colonel had even given me one of his flick knives to take home as a momento. Nancy also gave me some new PJ's to take back with me. I got them both a little something to say thanks for having me, but it was a small token for what was a big thanks.

I had a really fantastic time. I enjoyed meeting all these new people (some of whom though I came down to ask for the Colonel's permission to marry Laura. Small towns!) and it helped me to learn about Laura a little more which is all good!

I wondered if the trip had any affect on me. I love the big country it's people and it's ways. I have always secretly wanted to be a Cowboy too. Nevertheless, I think I'll always be me and I'll never really change.

So Goodnight Ya'll and DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS! YEEEE HAAAWWW!