Climbing in Sandrock, I put more pics up at, http://www.kristiodom.com/sand/.

My friend in Finland just sent this one to me. It makes me smile.

I graduated ages ago, well not age, at the end of 2003. I finally got around to playing with the pictures.

Tom and Paula's Wedding

I shot a wedding about a month ago and finally have the images! They are up on www.kristiodom.com/tompaula/wedding.htm. Feel free to have a look and tell me what you think!

Updates

So I finally got around to editing my website. Hopefulling in the next month or so the whold site will improve. I started with the climbing section, so check it out. www.kristiodom.com/climbing.html. I added pics from Foster falls and Arapiles. Arapiles is one probably the coolest place I have ever climbed. I did a 5 pitched trad lead!!

Some of the places I have been. I didn't include all my US and all my Australian spots but you get the idea.

Weddings

So I have come back to Atlanta, and it seems like most of my friends (that are still in Atlanta) are getting married. Last weekend I went to my 3rd wedding since I have been back.

Number 1, a New Orleans Wedding: Dave and Tanya! I flew back early from Sydney for this one, and it was well worth it. Me and Derek took the road trip to New Orleans to see them get married. Highlights included: the outside reception, the beautiful rehearsal dinner, walking around the streets of New Orleans, and of course the Shirley Temples.

Number 2, a White Wedding on the Green: Mindy and Raj! This time me, Tim, and Derek travelled to Augusta (golf mecca). We stayed at the Raddison and used Golf carts to get around the outside wedding. Oh ya there were 2 weddings, a Hindu and a Christian. The Hindu one was really interesting, I will admit that I didn't really understand what was going on, and kept worrying that Raj was going to light his Indian wear on fire when he had to walk around the stage. It was beautiful. Check out the pics on www.kristiodom.com/mindywed.html. Highlights include: Indian food, golf carts, Bobby (the 15 year old in charge of watching the outdoor wedding), and Mindy's dress.

Number 3, a Big Fat Greek Wedding: Christina and Doug! Finally an Atlanta wedding. I will have lots of pics soon, I am writing this blog instead of editing the pics. Much like the Hindu ceremony, I didn't fully understand this one either. They had crownings, and lots of singing. Christina is one of my oldest friends. We spent a lot of years growing up together, so it was a bit crazy seeing her all married and such. She looked absolutly beautiful, and happy. I will link the pics when I get a chance. Highlights include: the bridesmates were all awesome, the food, the lighting (I loved the reception's lights), and the coffee bar.

Long Time

So it has been a while since I have posted, I am going to try and fix that...

Norah Jones

My pics finally went up on Rollingstone.com for my Norah Jones shoot back in Sydney. I took the first 10 pictures in the lot. They are currently on the photo main page, or you can just go to, http://www.rollingstone.com/photos/gallery/_/id/5400028/norahjones?pageid=rs.Photos&pageregion=double1. The shoot was really hard, because Norah didn't want to "see the photographers", so they hid us in 7th row, so it was a distance shoot, and I don't have a 10,000 dollar lens (a 300 2.8). So I am actually happy with the images.

I think that she saw me at some point, I have a photo of her looking right at me, and she doesn't look too happy. Guess that little red blinking light (my camera's focus light) kind of gives away my position. So not my best shoot, but under considering the situation, and Norah being strange, I am very happy.

Leaving Sydney

Today I just walked around Sydney on my own realising that I am about to say goodbye to a lot of things. In the lasts 5 years, I have spend 10 months in Atlanta, and now at 25 I am going to live there. Last time I lived there was in the 90's, crazy...

Well I guess with every beginning there is an end. And it's time to say goodbye, again... This time with a tear and a smile, and a ton of laughs :)

"waiting for the time when I can finally say, this has all been wonderful, but now I am on my way" -Phish

Clare climbing in the Blue Mtns over the weekend! I love hanging and taking photos! I struggled so much on these climbs, I need to get in shape, no more pearl teas for me!

Me and Christine outside the Sydney Opera house! It feels so good to be back, it is almost like I never left, except for the fact that everyone has different haircuts!!

Arapiles!!

This sunday, I am travelling 12 hours to go to one of the best crags in the world, Mt. Arapiles, http://www.arapiles.net/. I am a bit nervious, I am a bit weak these days (travelling tends to do that), and this is going to be some crazy climbing! I have been training a bit indoors, I have worked 7 of the last 8 days, today is a break day! I am starting to feel stronger, especially in my arms and stomach. My goal is to be able to do chin-ups on 4 fingers like the other girls I climb with! One day...

It is all trad (traditional climbing, no rings in the cliffs, I am going to have to trust myself to make my own protection). It is going to be great! Plus it has been a good month since I have camped, I have kind of missed sleeping in a tent. Soon I will have lots of climbing photos!

Back in Australia

I am back, I missed Sydney heaps! I had welcome back drinks and put the pic up on my Photo-Friends page. Or you can just go to http://www.serablue.com/kristi/welcome.html. The guys I know from windsuring partied hard, some out until 5am with me!

Front Page

I was really excited today, when I noticed that my pics is on the front page of www.rollingstone.com! It is a shot of the Beastie Boys, from the Big Day Out!!

Rollingstone

I got to do my first shoot in New Zealand, the Big Day Out, last week! It was really exciting. My photos just went live today, you can either go to www.rollingstone.com, click on photo, then on Big Day Out 05. Or you can just go to, http://www.rollingstone.com/photos/gallery/_/id/6858521. I really don't know who is scarier, Slipknot or The Polyphonic Spree.

Climbing in New Zealand

Last week I did 5 days of Rock Climbing in Wharepapa New Zealand. It was awesome! I just love climbing with the Kiwi's, they are so relaxed and just love being outdoors, it was a real pleasure! I stayed at this really cool Hostel, Bryce's Hostel, where they had their own bouldering wall and climbing shop. Bryce knows all about the area, climbing equiptment, and was really cool to just chat to. He took me for a climb, it was great climbing with the area master!

I climbed a lot with this German guy, Reinhart. On the second day we got lost on a farm looking for a climb. It took us a little over 2 hours! The climb was well worth it, it was up a tube. I got sunburnt, and I really never want to see another cow again. They would moo at me while climbing! It was definitly a unique experience. The farm land (Smith's Rock) looked like something directly out of Lord of the Rings.

I am working on a website with my climbing pics, I will link it soon to my climbing page. They are on http://www.serablue.com/kristi/smithspics.html, and http://www.serablue.com/kristi/waipapapics.html.

New Zealand

So today I am off again, flying to New Zealand, and arriving 2 days later (I arrive on the 12th). No more Winter for me!! I am going to summer:)

My first few days I will be rockclimbing in Wharepapa, then off to Auckland to photograph the Big Day Out! After the Big Day Out I am going to go to the very North of the north island and hopefully learn a bit about the Maori.

New Page

I put up a new page on my site for some of Dave Scales' travelling pics. He has recently travelled to Damascus, Chatila and Beirut. I have him linked on my Friends page under "pics from my friends travels". The direct link is http://www.serablue.com/kristi/scales2.html. Check out his Blog for his travelling stories, http://tnfalpha.blogspot.com/.

Please feel free to send me pics for this section of my site. I really want to get pics from all over the world from people who travel or live in different countries.

This is Charles, outside his Kitchen in the Jungle. He made me as well as 3 others, Dr Lau (leading cacti botinist) as well as a German author and her son, a New Years FEAST in this kitchen. He took all these herbs from his Organic farm and gave us all a meal to remember.

more San Miguel Kids

Kids in San Miguel

Life is Rich

It is crazy how people who have nothing in the way of material possessions can have so much in the way in way of life. I have seen way more smiles in poor villages then I have in New York City, Atlanta, or even London. These village kids really taught me that life is rich, no matter how poor you are. Sometimes I think that all the western world has built has taken people further away from what is truly important in life. People are so busy trying to make it, or be rich, or successful that they have forgotten about life. I feel like our progression in a way is pulling us further away from enjoying the simple things.

Mayan Village

After an overnight in Belize City I flew down to Punta Gorda in the Toledo district of Belize. I decided to stay in a Mayan Village to learn a bit more about their way of life. I had read that the Toledo district was for "those who are truly adventurous" as well as "be prepared to rough it". Did I listen, not really.

I woke up my first night in the village to go use the bathroom only to find two huge black transulas. I don't know much about these spiders so I decided it was best to just stay away. Then I went back to sleep. I woke up early, (it was still dark) turned on my headlamp only to see a scorpion right next to my head! It was inside of the mosquito net with me, so it probably slept with me the whole night! The little village children said that they have all been stung and if the scorpion bites to kill it, and squeeze the green stuff out of their bodies and rub it on the bite! Luckily I was never stung.

I learned a lot about the Mayans during my stay in the village. I really wanted to learn a bit about their religion so I started asking questions. I found out that in the villages, the people were either Catholic or Christian. The Mayans I met didn't know much about the Mayan religion. I had this group of women try and sell me a carving of a Mayan God in a rock. I asked "which God is this" and then replied " I am really not sure, I think that it is the God of Corn". I just thought it was crazy to have people continue with the arts celebrating the religion, but yet know nothing about the religion itself.

I did meet some lovely people in the village. The girls in the pic below are from the Choco family and I just loved hanging out with them and their family. I would sit on the porch and the girls tried teaching me their language Katchi, and we would watch the other villagers. These little girls knew 3 languages, English (the official language of Belize), Spanish, and Katchi. The families in the village are usually quite big with up to 10 people sharing a small room and sleeping in hammocks or on the floor.

With the Choco Girls in an Mayan Village