Tasmania

Joe and I took a small holiday, an extra two days off work to go down to Tazzie.  

Day 1:  We left on the 22nd of Jan. around 11:30 pm, had a layover in Melbourne and then carried on to Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania.  It was like a mini version of Seattle.  The first thing we did was get ourselves some coffee.  We went to a small cafe in Salamanca Market area, called Retro.  It had an interesting atmosphere and sufficed the crave for caffeine.  At that point we had pretty much been up all night and morning from the plane ride.  

Our first two nights were spent at Cherryview (a self contained unit that an older couple rent out) www.cherryview.com.au  it was very pleasant.  They had a pig named Hazel, two horses (don't remember their names) and a goat named Billy.  It was very relaxing and a good place to begin our travels.  The accommodation was near the town of Cygnet in the Huon Valley.  First thing we did was enjoy a fine local wine and take a nap as we were pretty 'smoked' from all the traveling.

Day 2: we drove to Cygnet and then around a bit.  We had to stop at a blueberry farm for Joe, and he was able to buy about a pound or so for under 5 dollars, pretty fantastic.  He managed to eat them by the fist-full.  Later we ended up stopping for cherries as well.  This was entertainment just to see him drive and spit the pits.  The roads here are everything but straight.  Let me tell you, narrow, no shoulder and very curvy and up and down hills.  Luckily we rented a hyundai getz (for future car rentals, say no to the hyundai getz if it is offered.)  I don't think we even took a picture of it.  We held up more traffic in that thing, and that was with the pedal to the floor.   We attempted to go to this tree walk thing (it was mentioned in the travel book) tree walks are quite big in Australia.  They build these large bridges between and over trees and well you walk on them.  Anyway, we drove out to this tree-walk thinking it might be worth while.  However, upon arrival the fudgie buses and fanny packs were out in full force, we declined.  Definition of a fudgie:  tourist in search of fudge at the nearest gift shop, barely remove themselves from the bus to make their way to the gift shop and never experience what they came to see.  I guess a fanny packer is similar, then again you don't want to say fanny pack in Australia as it has an entirely different meaning!  We turned around and drove back to the Cherryview and made dinner.  

Day 3: we began our trek northward to Cradle Mountain National Park.  This drive took all day, but we did get to go to Mt. Field N.P. on our way which had several of the largest gum (eucalypt) trees known.  You will have to look at the pictures, over 85 meters high.  This drive took forever and then some.  The roads again were up, down and back and forth and we were in the getz.  There was quite a bit of road kill (possums, wallabies, taz. devils...), luckily we didn't manage to hit anything.  Joe was on a mission to see a wombat, and finally at the end of the drive we just about hit one.  It was sauntering itself across the road to its home.  It kind of looks like an overgrown guinnea pig.  The only photo we got of it was of its rump.  We arrived at the Cradle Chalet and well this began our interesting aspect of the trip.  For some reason Tasmania is on their own time when it comes to hospitality.  You can only check in when they want and check out when they want and if you need them you have to wait around until they decide to get up and begin the day.  The place wasn't too bad, but we missed Cherryview.  

Day 4: We headed over to Cradle Mountain National Park - this was also Australia Day (like 4th of July only the 26th of Jan).  Anyway, park was full of fudgies and we met all of them on the hiking trail.  We got a fair hike in - up on ridges and around lakes in the beautiful alpine environment which was the closest thing to Colorado we have seen in Australia thus far (so, of course, it was awesome!)...and managed to see too much sun and we ended up a bit burnt.  This same day we headed north to Devonport, the northern most city and the 3rd largest with about 25,000 ppl.  Not a single eating establishment was open...nor were the penguins home (as the tour book boasted)... but we took every effort to sneak up on a bird we thought was a penguin, photographed the crap out of it, only later discovering it was not a penguin a'tall!  And so off into the sunset we headed back home on our curvy little road...driving slow and eating cheese:)

Day 5:  Back to Hobart, we relaxed, drank coffee and loitered around the cafes, wondered around a bit and yeah thats about it.  An hour or two not sitting in a hyundai getz is a good one!

Day 6:  We went to Tasman Island on a Sealife experience Eco-tour.  This was a boat tour (we have to admit there was some fudge-type people onboard...but despite this unfortunate fact it was a great ride) which followed about 55 km of coastline with shear dolerite (don't ask, the geologist in Joe, he will talk about it for hours, basically if you have seen devils tour it is similar looking to the rock on there) cliff faces, caves, fur seals, dolphins, albatross, penguins, sea birds... it was pretty nice.  I would have to say that was the highlight of my trip.  I have always wanted to see an albatross (a large sea bird with a wing span of about 9 feet).  We returned to Hobart, Joe stuffed himself full of oysters and rum and we cashed it in.  

Day 7:  Up at 2 am (Perth time) to catch our flights back.  We made it in by 11 this morning and have been doing laundry and preparing to head back to work.  Boohaa

To sum it up, Tasmania has been our favorite part of Australia thus far.  Like mentioned before their hospitality over there keeps strange hours, either you are on their time or no time at all. Also...Don't ever rent, nor buy a hyundai getz and be on the look out for wombats.