Could I Update a Little Less Frequently, Do You Think?

Sorry about how long this took....

Devil of a Time

So this is my Tasmania blog! I spent six days and five nights in Australia’s most-often-forgotten state, renowned for having the cleanest air and water in the world, and for Tasmanian Tigers and Devils.

We flew into Hobart on a Saturday, in the rain, in time for the famous Salamanca Market, a whole street worth of stalls and food vendors. I bought some presents and a very tasty hamburger. Apparently Australia doesn’t believe in buns; yet again it was served between two pieces of bread. I saw bagpipers! They wore the Stuart plaid and played Enter Scotland and it made me miss Wooster. Then we hauled out three hours to Coles Bay, where we were staying in cabins right up the hill from this really lovely bay.

Needless to say, we threw our stuff in our cabins and bolted right down to the beach. We spent about two hours wandering around, staring into tide pools and looking for shells and playing with crabs and starfish. I got some really nice pictures, a bird skull (it made it back to IH in one piece!), and a bunch of pretty shells. I also started to get a feel of peace and calm, from the ocean that stretched out before me and the feel of wind coming off the water. Then we trooped up to the tavern for dinner – by the time we got done, the stars were out.

They were absolutely breathtaking. I could see everything. I could see the Milky Way. The moon was new, and the sky was filled with stars. I wrote a little in my journal and sat outside, looking at the constellations and the bay down the hill, then went to sleep.

The next day, we had breakfast at a little café, packed up, and got on the bus to Wineglass Bay. The day was sunny and windy for the hike down. Well. Not so much down as “a little bit down, then a LONG way up, then sharply down for a while”, but whatever. It was exhausting, but felt really good. First we hiked about a kilometer and a half uphill to Wineglass Bay lookout – I ended up behind everyone but Luke, Jess, and Jenica, and did most of the walk alone, but I took it at my own pace and when I got to the top, I really felt good about myself, like I had accomplished something. Then we went down two and a half kilometers to the Bay itself, where we met…

A wallaby. She came over to say hello and begged for scraps, and let us pet and cuddle her. We named her Maude, and she ended up jumping on Kim’s stomach, which was pretty hilarious. The beach was huge and curved, the water very blue and very cold. There was nothing between us and Antarctica but miles and miles of water. We had lunch and wandered around – the beach sand squeaked!

Then we headed back up the mountain, which was hard but not impossible, and again left me feeling very accomplished and pleased – I was right in the middle of the pack this time, so I did better coming back. Then we drove three hours to Port Arthur, where we had dinner and a very spooky ghost tour of the old prison / insane asylum. I carried the lantern – the night was really windy, and it blew out and scared the crap out of everyone.

The next day was lowkey. The highlight of the day was the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park, where we got to see three adorable devils tear apart a hunk of wallaby, a talking parrot, and a mob of kangaroos. We drove back to Hobart, checked into our hostel, and then went out for coffee. After some souvenir shopping, we headed over to Mures, a seafood place, where I had very delicious spring rolls and fries. I can’t handle fish. It is yuck. We also bought breakfast from a 24-hour bakery for the next morning. After chatting a bit, we conked out.

The next day was an adventure and a HALF. We went rafting and on the Tahune Airwalk. Weatherly put my feelings about this day best: “Damnit, Luke, what is with this trip and being forced to face all of my fears?” I was really nervous about the rafting, and about what I should be wearing and about falling in and about my glasses. I ended up loving it, though! The rapids weren’t bad at all, and they gave us wetsuits and fleeces and spray jackets so I was plenty warm. The water was brown from the tannin from teatrees and button grass, but clean enough to drink (which we did). It was also freezing – my feet were numb from it, because it kept splashing in the boat. We got to stand up and balance on the raft, and I got to sit on the bow while we went through some rapids. Hee.

Then there was the airwalk – a series of suspension bridges. It scared the crap out of me but the view was terrific. It unnerved me more than the rafting, actually, and more than the mountain biking (more on that later).

Then we went home and had sandwiches for dinner and went to bed.

The next day we went to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory (I have waaaaay too much chocolate now but it was SO CHEAP), on a cruise, and then we went up Mount Wellington. It’s very high. Because they drive on the wrong side here, we were right next to the edge nearly the whole way up. It was scary. There was snow on the top of the mountain though! It was really cool to see it for the first (and only) time in Australia. Then we got on mountain bikes and went whizzing down the mountain, twenty-one kilometers down from the summit, through Hobart, and right to the edge of the sea. THAT was cool. But going that fast on an unfamiliar bike was a bit unsettling, as was the offroad portion of the trip. But I got through it, and enjoyed it a lot. I have a cool picture from the top of the hill.

Then the whole group had Indian food for dinner, and Luke let us order wine. Most of the group went out afterwards to a bar; I was dead on my feet, so I went back to the hostel and played cards with Jenica.

Next morning we had breakfast at the bakery, got sandwiches to go for lunch later, and wandered around the shops. We sat on the pier, enjoying the sun, until it was time to go, then loaded up the bus and headed to the (tiny) airport where it took about five minutes to go through baggage check and security and they didn’t even make us take off our shoes or jackets. We actually got to walk out on the tarmac to the plane – Melissa said it made her feel like a movie star and it totally did.

A couple hours later and I was home.

The last two nights, I’ve hung out with Fitzy and DJ and Joyce. Friday I went to see WALL-E with Joyce and her friend, and we went shopping (I went to Dymocks and got “Fragile Things” and a Moleskine notebook – thanks, Aunt Cathy!). Thursday and Friday nights, DJ, Fitzy, and I watched House marathons and the season premier of Grey’s Anatomy; last night we did it while drinking alcoholic cider and eating home-cooked Indian food (thanks Deej! You rock). It was really nice.

Come Wednesday, I’m headed out of the city to stay with my friend Naomi in Glen Waverly, probably until the weekend. Until then, I have work to do, and I’m enjoying chilling out in the sun. I have meals with friends, but I rather like having some time to myself as well. Today I watched the AFL Grand Final – Hawthorne Hawks won, hurrah, they’re a Melbourne team! – and read. I had dinner with the other Grace and Chris. I watched a purely Australian DVD (it’s called Summer Heights High – it’s a mockumentary of public school in Oz) and then wrote this.

So yeah! I’m happy and healthy, enjoying the spring – it’s finally getting hot! Hope you’re all having a lovely fall.

Cheers!

Grace