Tasmania - Devils...and Daredevil driving!

It is Thursday and we are in Hobart Airport, just waiting for our flight back to Melbourne. I have found a new favourite spot in the world, and it is Tasmania. It has everything - beaches, mountains to climb, cities, quaint villages, and even ghosts.

We began in Hobart last Friday. We loved the Old Woolstore hotel (and the Ba-a-a Bar!). Everything was very comfortable. Saturday we toured the Salamanca Market - if you couldn't find it there, it wasn't in Tassy! Cruised the harbour in the afternoon. Passed a lighthouse on a little island. They used to put the convicts there to man the lighthouse. There wasn't much else to do! By the way, the Easter bunny was on board. Did you know he lives in O' Possum Bay? We dropped him off there. He was met by all the kids from the bay, so it must be a regular occurrence. Sunday morning he must have come back into town, because he left Easter eggs at our hotel door!

We got the car on Sunday, and headed off across the island. Ross drove magnificently, managing all the hairpin turns. That first day, I think we only had about 100 m. straight driving. It was all up and down mountains. We could have been driving in the Whiteshell, except for the giant ferns and the different roadkill (platypus, kangaroo,). We actually saw more dead animals than live ones in Tassy. They are all nocturnal, so the morning drives always showed evidence of night activities.

Cradle Mountain is a highlight. We walked around Dove Lake (6 km - up and down, worth at least three visits to the Y). The next day we drove to Freycinet National Park and hiked straight up to the lookout over Wineglass Bay. Very beautiful, and worth another few trips to the Y. My calves were tired! I recovered over two glasses of Wolf Blass - the house wine!

On our way to Freycinet, we went to Ross (because of the name, of course). On the map it said there was a "Female Factory" there. Ross wondered if he could order up some females to take home, but it turns out that a Female Factory was where they housed the female convicts. Very interesting place. We learned lots about wool too!

Stayed that night in Swansea, in a guest house overlooking Oyster Bay. It was very beautiful. Our last stop was in Port Arthur, the site of a convict colony. Convicts who had reoffended after being sent to Tasmania were housed there. The records showed that a James Mortimer, from the ship Lord Dalhousie, arrived in 1852 (August 8), and a George Abel (no other details) was also housed there. We had the day tour, then last night went for the ghost tour. Todd, who was as tall as Ross, had long dark curly hair, and wore a long black trench coat, gave the tour. He told us about all the ghostly sightings in the old ruins. It was very spooky, as all the stars were out but there was no moon. Well worth the stay!

So.. we are off to Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road tour, then Adelaide for a day, and then on the Ghan train to the Red Centre. By the way Jeffrey, the toilets seem to flush straight down (no swirling).You do always have the choice of a half flush or a full flush!

Next blog - after Uluru ( Ayer's Rock).