Well what can i say about Franz Josef? As u can probably tell, it has arguably some of the best scenery in New Zealand and it was right at my door step - literally! i spent 5 weeks working here at the Rainforest Retreat, doing stuff like bar work, kitchen/restaurant and housekeeping. it was great fun but to be honest the town is tiny and really expensive so on nights off there wasnt really anything to do except go to the bar or watch TV...which i did a lot of as American Idol is on over here at the mo :o) Go David Archuletta! woo! :o) Anyway, apart from the usual get up, work, go to sleep, go to work, bar, eat etc...i managed to fit in a few of the walks and a helicopter flight on my days off (have put up a video in the videos section) but mostly i would spend the days lazing around and catching up on laundry and sleep - doing over 50 hours a week is a killer, but at least its not permanent. :o)

The flight over the Glaciers and the mountain range was stunning - and for a really cheap 60 bucks! staff perks are an added bonus. i didnt get to walk on the ice, but i did that last time i was here so i wasnt too fussed with the effort of an 8 hr walk this time around. I did however do a 2 hr walk with Yhana to the Tatare Gorge and the tunnel and my god was it scary. We forgot flashlights and waterproof shoes but that didnt stop us! we just took our shoes off and used our phone lights....which made it really errie and after 5 minutes we couldnt feel our feet. but it was a good walk and burned a few of the pounds i have put on since being here in Franz. When you work here your classed as a 'local' therefore get loads of cheap drinks and food - making it impossible to say no and eat healthy. what an excuse huh?? Oh and not forgetting the highlight of the house when 4 kittens strolled up our drive one afternoon...we reckon they had been dumped and had wandered over to the noise of our house. We kept them for 3 days and then re homed then, god they were cute!

It was really sad leaving these guys, but its the end of the season anyway and i know that they are all leaving in a few weeks so i was kinda glad to be gone and out of there before everyone left. Anyway - i have Seans wedding to prepare for - meaning loads of exercise and starving myself! ok, well not quite the last bit but i need to lose a little weight before i get back in a month or so. And a few weeks in Thailand will get me that tan back....god damn it im gonna be brown! woop! :o)

The weather is usually sunny or wet, there isnt an inbetween on the west coast so usually it was sunny when i was at work and wet when i was off, but hey at least i got a few good days to get up and about. Jumping back on the bus and heading South to even colder weather for a few weeks will be a bit of a shock, but then i have to get used to it if im heading back to the UK! will put up more stuff in the next week guys and keep safe - will be seeing u all soon! :o)

love ya's

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