Long Day

Lots on our agenda for today - Port Arthur and Richmond. Before setting off, we had breakfast and while Gary went and fetched our stuff and the car, I took a walk along our street to take some photos of the boats in the harbour:

Got in the car and drove around Hobart a bit since we thought we would get back after dark, thus our last time to see the city.

Beautiful parks:

Beautiful buildings:

Beautiful churches:

Then off!

On our way to Port Arthur, we detoured for Tasman Arch:

A look at the coast:

Devils Kitchen (can't see down below - but nothing much to look at - I liked the silhouette of the trees and the rocks better):

And The Blowhole:

Can't see the hole where the water comes in? Here it is:

Then on to Port Arthur - a penal colony and very much a part of Tasmania's history:

The church on the grounds was beautiful:

A strange bird just walking about:

Another shot of the church:

A view of the colony from the water:

A shot of a funky plant on the way back to the car:

And on to Richmond and a miniature town of Hobart in the 1800's:

Not much to look at. I was hoping for the equivalent to the Madurodam in The Hague, in The Netherlands - I LOVED that place ... this was NO Madurodam ...

Was surprised to see flowers during their winter:

And a shot of a historical bridge (built in 1824) - the oldest in Tasmania:

A couple of churches in Richmond:

Then on back to the hotel.

All accomplished before 5:00!

Now ... off to dinner ....



... if I can wake Gary up, that is!

Freycinet National Park

"If you only have time to visit one place in Tasmania, make sure it's Freycient National Park." This is a direct quote from my Frommers Australia 2009 book. So on our way to Port Aurthur this morning ... where EVERYBODY goes who stays in Hobart, we decided to make the 3 and 1/2 hour trek to the park. It boasted all sorts of wildlife - including dolphins and whales - whats not to like?

We were up early since we had gone to bed early so that was not a problem. The 'getting there' was beautiful (maybe more beautiful than the park itself).

Our view from our hotel window at sunrise:

There was frost on the ground and a bit of low lying fog to make the landscape beautiful:

Found a pond COVERED in black swans. I remember reading that they are riddled with them here - but beautiful, no?

Sunrise made for some beautiful light in which to take photos:

Part of the time we were along the coast, part of the time we drove inland over a mountain range:

Got to Freycinet and spotted one solitary dolphin (yeah - just a grey blob - he refused to do anything spectacular for me):

Beautiful scenery

And off to Wineglass bay - the gem of Freycinet Park. This little critter was just sitting dejectedly by the sidewalk for all to take photos. Unfortunately the tourist feed them and they become 'pests' - I don't know what his problem was - he needed some Prozac or something. Sadly I can say that we saw about 20 wallaby's - but this was the only live one - the rest were dead on the side of the road. It was not a pretty site.

So ... the hike up to take the spectacular photos of Wineglass Bay was, well - a hike. I was not feeling well and my back was still hurting on steps. I started out with Gary but knew that I was not going to make it. Damn! Damn! Damn! I asked him for the keys, started crying and turned around and walked back to the car. What a site I must have been. Curse my body ...

These beautiful shots are Gary's:

Then on to the low lands to take photos towards Freycinet National Park and its pink granite mountains:

Got lucky when Gary's phone started ringing, causing him to turn a corner and get off the main road to answer it. A few houses down there were about 20 birds pecking at someones lawn - so I went to investigate. Pretty ... don't know what it is, but pretty ...

Continuing on back to Hobart we discovered that the Tasmanians know how to end a day with a bang - a big, beautiful bang ...

Well, off to Port Arthur and hopefully Richmond tomorrow. Hopefully I won't have any more meltdowns and will smile more the the one time that I did today ...

Hobart, Tasmania

As we sat in the plane in Melbourne, I looked at the sky and it didn't bode well for a non-bumpy ascent:

But what a beautiful view we had once we were through the clouds:

I was confused when the captain came on and said we were starting our descent into Hobart - we were still over water. Hobart is on the southern tip of Tasmania - as far away from Melbourne as you can get ... where was the land? I saw it come into view as we were descending ... apparently we descended the entire length of the island - must not be as big as I thought it was:

Landing in Hobart and the skies did not bode well for viewing the large Mt. Wellington the city is nestled at the base. We have yet to see it ...

And I believe this is the FIRST time that I have landed at an airport where the planes were bigger than the airport terminal:

Took a walk along the historical district ... and it being Saturday - ran into their weekly Saturday market. We bought a few things and then headed to Battery Point - deep in the historical district.

What we found was quaintness on all sides! Quaint houses, quaint streets - and Hobart isn't supposed to be quaint - it is our jumping off point for quaint ... so we will have to see.

I couldn't stop taking photos of old houses - mostly converted to some form of business or other - but without garish signs to ruin the quaintness:

My back started hurting on the way back - like I had pulled it. By the time we were back - I was in pretty bad shape. Almost like I had thrown my back out - but still hobbling rather than resorting to crawling on the floor like last time I threw out my back. Luckily - they sell medication with codeine in it over the counter here and I had some. Took 4 and went to bed. Woke up a couple hours later and things were much better - the spasms seemed to have stopped - so vacation not in jeopardy ...


... I hope ...

And Were Off

Sitting here in the Quantas Lounge at the Brisbane Domestic Airport I am being spoiled. Soft drinks, pastries and whatnot...

Bummed - have to get our bags in Melbourne and re-check in to a company called Jet Star - OWNED by Qantas. WHY they cannot get their act together and load our luggage is beyond me.

I am hoping this is not foreshadowing of things to come ...

Places to go, Things to see, Much to do ...

Spent yesterday being a total slug. Read my book. Ignored my decisions for Hobart, Tasmania, ignored the laundry. It was MARVELOUS!

Gary came home early to meet a guy who was putting a new windscreen on his car (windshield) - we had a rock hit it last time I was here and there was a serious crack. After that - we decided to go to dinner and a movie.

Stepped outside on a beautiful, Brisbane day:

Walked to Queen Street - got dinner - then off to the mind bending 'Inception'. It's ... odd, weird, unusual - we LOVED it! Then home and since I had done nothing all day ... of course ... I was spent! So off to bed with me.

Now it is Friday and we are heading to Hobart, Tasmania, Australia tomorrow morning at what Gary calls 'O'Dark Hundred' (very, very early). Ryan asked what we expected to see in Hobart. Told him I didn't know - that's why we were going.

Won't see the Tasmanian Devil - unfortunately their population has declined very rapidly by a cancer that seems to spread like a virus that leave tumors all over their faces and eventually kills them by suffocation or starvation since it blocks airways, etc. Not a fun way to go. There is a sanctuary that is collecting the healthy ones and trying with DNA to make them resistant to the virus or they will soon be extinct ... sad ... and no Tasmanian Devil for us to see I am sure.

By tomorrow this time I will be in the air - but by afternoon - my itinerary has us taking a historical walk through downtown. We are staying in a historical building, right on a historical harbour and surrounded by old, historical buildings - so fun photo ops - and the hotel has Internet in the room - so I will be able to harass y'all and fill by blog with photos!

So off to do what I should have done yesterday, the laundry, clean up, packing - and then - on to adventure!