Hi everyone, it been over a month since I last updated my blog and I am sorry about that. I have become lazy and I apologize about that because I know alot of you are interested in what I am up to. After failing to get a job at Walter Peak I continued to look around Queenstown for work, I had an opportunity to work at Starbucks but felt that wasn't really for me and was really looking for something more.

As well as Andrew (the manager at Walter Peak) I had been in contact with Neil who is the Te Anau and Stewart Island area manager for Real Journeys. We had been exchanging emails and he was keen to arrange an interview. He rung me one evening and asked me to come to Te Anau for an interview. Te Anau is a little town about 2 hours outside Queenstown and about 2-3 hours from Milford Sound. I travelled over in a Real Journeys bus from Queenstown to Te Anau for the interview. During the interview which lasted about 40 minutes I met Heidi who is manager of front line staff. After the interview Neil said he will let me know his decision in about a week. As I left his office I was please about how it went but just really wanted to know either way. During the interview Neil asked me if I want to go and see the Glowworms and I course said yes. So he sent me on a FAMIL of the Glowworm Caves. The Glowworm Caves tours are operated by Real Journeys, the caves are made out of limestone and are lit by thousands of glowworms. The caves are carved out by the force of a river and they are surprisingly spectacular and beautiful. I had never heard of Glowworms before so it was an amazing experience for me. When I arrived back at the office after the tour Neil called me into the office and offered me the job then and there. I accepted straight away and felt a huge weight had been lifted off my chest. Working at Walter Peak would have been great but the Front line staff role in Te Anau was the one I really wanted.

I travelled back to Queenstown knowing that I had scored a good job with a great company. I would personally like to thank Peter and Aileen for there help regarding job hunting in New Zealand without them probably wouldn't have found out about Real Journeys.

So back in Queenstown I continued to meeting some great people and have an awesome time. I was still staying at Base Hostel but not for much longer. I moved to Te Anau (Yha hostel) and began working for Real Journeys. In Te Anau I also work for i-SITE which is part of Real Journeys in Te Anau, i-SITE is New Zealand's official network of visitor's centers in New Zealand. People come in and ask all sorts of question like 'how long does it take to drive to Milford Sound' or 'can you book me accommodation in Christchurch'. The one is Te Anau is owned and run by Real Journeys. It was weird working again, living in one place and not moving around after a week or so like I had been for the previous 6 months. I also started looking for a room to rent and I am please to say have found a really nice place on the edge of town in a brand new house. I have a contract with Real Journeys until the end of April 2010 so Te Anau will be my home until a least then. Te Anau is even more beautiful and stunning than Queenstown. It is between Queenstown and Milford Sound which means so many tourists are passing through everyday. Since working for Real Journeys I have visited Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, the Glowworm Caves and the Milford Track. The company has many different types of cruises and I have been lucky enough to do them all. The Milford Sound overnight cruise was just unbelievable. Milford and Doubtful Sound are totally different fjords, Doubtful is a lot bigger, has more trees and you are more likely to see wildlife but Milford is more dramatic, with steep cliffs and waterfalls. Personally I prefer Doubtful Sound because is it so remote. No roads go there, you have to get a boat and then a bus before you even begin your cruise in the sound itself. Fiordland is area in which Te Anau is located. Fiordland National Park is the biggest National Park in New Zealand infact is it one of the largest national parks in the world. The weather is extremely unpredictable due to the high mountains and costal weather systems. It reminds me a lot of Scotland, which I don't mind at all!

I have been working for Real Journeys for about two months now and have been traveling to Queenstown on some of my days off to visit friends. I have done a few bungy jumps, whitewater rafting and luge riding since I have started working for Real Journeys and i-SITE. I hurt my elbow quite badly on the luge due to a huge accident with a few friends but is it healing not to bad which is good. I plan to go canyoning, skydiving, kayaking and loads more before my time is up in New Zealand. I am currently on my days off (Monday-Tuesday) so I am heading up the Kepler track and Mt. Luxmore tomorrow which should be fun. I hope you are all well.

Al x