Woke up this morning with about an inch of snow on the ground and decided to build a snowman before leaving the cabin. Hannah wanted to scrape the ice from the car windows and we went to check out. I spoke to a man we meet last night about a young couple in a green car. He said that the car had just done a 360 spin into the reception car park. I told Hannah and she said that the car had sped off, out of the car park. As we drove down the drive we saw the young couple walking back up the drive. As we got around the corner we saw their car in the ditch at the side of the road and the skid marks showing how it had skidded of sideways. Proper idiots. Hannah wouldn't let me take a photo, so we drove on to Lake Dove and did a few short walks around the area. We spotted 2 wallabies eating in the field as we walked around and I think I saw a wombat running for cover.
After the walks in the snow we drove on to Straham passing through a place called Rosebury. As we pulled up for supplies we saw on the general stores windows with posters saying"Do be ill in our town we can not look after you" so we thought its not to inviting here and the locals in the pie didn't say too much either. So we drove on to Straham. We found a nice place, cheap and warm in a static caravan for the night.
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Birthday Boy 30th June 2007
Woke up with sore heads but that's OK its my birthday. Cos its the end of June I never had a bad weather on this day. Always sunny and BBQ weather. So we woke up to a frosty and misty morning. Got in the car and drove west towards Cradle Mountain. We drove down a road that changed into a track until we got to Liffey falls. We walked through the rain forest to where we saw a large cliff face with a nice waterfall. As its my birthday I climbed over a fence and on to the rocks near the falls for a photo. On our way down to the falls we saw a wallaby just standing on the path. Hannah was surprised to see it and jumped which scared the wallaby sending it jumping as fast as it could into the forest.
We then drove on to Mole creek, home of the Solomons caves and Marakoopa caves. Large stalagmite and stalactite caves. Which we also home to the glow worms. Before we ventured in to the caves we stopped at a honey farm to taste the honey but it was closed because its Saturday. So we took funny pictures of Hannah and I with those boards you stick your face through a hole. So we were the queen bee, but with our faces. A bit of a laugh for us.
Inside the caves we saw loads of stuff, but the best thing was when we stopped in a chamber and the guide turned the lights off and the next thing we could see was thousands of green flashing lights about 5 meters above us, which were the glow worms. Really cool to see them.
The weather changed from the morning mist to glorious sun shine as we drove from Mole Creek to Cradle mountain. We had the window open until we reach the border of the mountains when it started to rain and then sleet.
We visited the tourist information for a place for the night and they gave us 3 places. The first was full and the second was really nice but cost about 80-120 pounds a night. Way out of our price range, but then we found a really nice place with cabins. They let was have a family cabin for the price of a normal one, as this was all they had left. We got inside to a freezing place, because all the windows were open and its started to snow. I've never had snow for my birthday before and loved it. We stuck on all the heaters and the cooking rings to warm up the cabin and then headed out to the local tavern for some food. Had a really nice meal with a massive log fire burning in the middle of the tavern to keep everyone warm.
After the meal we decided to drive back to the cabin as the snow was getting thicker and we had a reasonably steep driveway to get up without snow tyres on the car. We videoed the view from the car as we drove along the white road and as we tried to get up the drive. We got about half way up and we saw skid marks from other cars and decided to keep going but go get more grip we jumped up and down in our seats to make the car bounce. We got up no problem and stopped off at the reception's bar to get a few beers and a bottle of vine to take back to our cabin in the snow.
We then drove on to Mole creek, home of the Solomons caves and Marakoopa caves. Large stalagmite and stalactite caves. Which we also home to the glow worms. Before we ventured in to the caves we stopped at a honey farm to taste the honey but it was closed because its Saturday. So we took funny pictures of Hannah and I with those boards you stick your face through a hole. So we were the queen bee, but with our faces. A bit of a laugh for us.
Inside the caves we saw loads of stuff, but the best thing was when we stopped in a chamber and the guide turned the lights off and the next thing we could see was thousands of green flashing lights about 5 meters above us, which were the glow worms. Really cool to see them.
The weather changed from the morning mist to glorious sun shine as we drove from Mole Creek to Cradle mountain. We had the window open until we reach the border of the mountains when it started to rain and then sleet.
We visited the tourist information for a place for the night and they gave us 3 places. The first was full and the second was really nice but cost about 80-120 pounds a night. Way out of our price range, but then we found a really nice place with cabins. They let was have a family cabin for the price of a normal one, as this was all they had left. We got inside to a freezing place, because all the windows were open and its started to snow. I've never had snow for my birthday before and loved it. We stuck on all the heaters and the cooking rings to warm up the cabin and then headed out to the local tavern for some food. Had a really nice meal with a massive log fire burning in the middle of the tavern to keep everyone warm.
After the meal we decided to drive back to the cabin as the snow was getting thicker and we had a reasonably steep driveway to get up without snow tyres on the car. We videoed the view from the car as we drove along the white road and as we tried to get up the drive. We got about half way up and we saw skid marks from other cars and decided to keep going but go get more grip we jumped up and down in our seats to make the car bounce. We got up no problem and stopped off at the reception's bar to get a few beers and a bottle of vine to take back to our cabin in the snow.
Beer tour and walking in Cataract Gorge 29th June 2007
We were in the James Boag's brewery this morning at 10am. You my think it's a little early to start drinking, but our guide said its the best time to sample beer. We shown the production areas and what they use to produce there flavours. Then taken to the production line and shown the canning. We saw a bar in the centre of the brewery where the workers take their breaks. The guide said about 20 years ago the workers had morning, lunch, afternoon tea and late afternoon breaks, were they could drink as many beers as they liked. This was until work health and safety regulations came in and stopped all that.
We enjoyed all these parts of the tour, but the best bit was at the tour bar. The guide poured 4 different types of Boag's beers 1. Premium 2. St George 3. Boag Draught and 4. an English Ale(which was like a really fizzy bitter, but nice). Our favour ate is Premium, which is in London now. So we'll have to wait and see if its in pub at home when we're back.
We left the brewery a bit tipsy and went to a walk around the city park. This is where we saw Japanese monkey in the centre of the park. They were playing and some were cleaning one another. Some of them were really funny play chase me, chase me.
We left the park and went to Cataract Gorge just outside the city. This is a walk along cliff top walks following the river. We had a picnic next to a lake with the Alexandra suspension bridge just in front of us. After lunch we walked over the bridge and followed the zigzag walk back to the car. This is a walk for a hiker rather than us. It was really work and we started to sweat a little so for the first time since leaving Dubai we walked around in our T shirts.
At night we went for a curry and some beers to celebrate my birthday early as we were going to Cradle Mountain tomorrow and we thought there might not be anything other than cabins and walking available. So we had an OK curry and lots to drink then headed to a Irish bar for some more beer and watch a live band. Fell in to bed later. Great fun.
We were in the James Boag's brewery this morning at 10am. You my think it's a little early to start drinking, but our guide said its the best time to sample beer. We shown the production areas and what they use to produce there flavours. Then taken to the production line and shown the canning. We saw a bar in the centre of the brewery where the workers take their breaks. The guide said about 20 years ago the workers had morning, lunch, afternoon tea and late afternoon breaks, were they could drink as many beers as they liked. This was until work health and safety regulations came in and stopped all that.
We enjoyed all these parts of the tour, but the best bit was at the tour bar. The guide poured 4 different types of Boag's beers 1. Premium 2. St George 3. Boag Draught and 4. an English Ale(which was like a really fizzy bitter, but nice). Our favour ate is Premium, which is in London now. So we'll have to wait and see if its in pub at home when we're back.
We left the brewery a bit tipsy and went to a walk around the city park. This is where we saw Japanese monkey in the centre of the park. They were playing and some were cleaning one another. Some of them were really funny play chase me, chase me.
We left the park and went to Cataract Gorge just outside the city. This is a walk along cliff top walks following the river. We had a picnic next to a lake with the Alexandra suspension bridge just in front of us. After lunch we walked over the bridge and followed the zigzag walk back to the car. This is a walk for a hiker rather than us. It was really work and we started to sweat a little so for the first time since leaving Dubai we walked around in our T shirts.
At night we went for a curry and some beers to celebrate my birthday early as we were going to Cradle Mountain tomorrow and we thought there might not be anything other than cabins and walking available. So we had an OK curry and lots to drink then headed to a Irish bar for some more beer and watch a live band. Fell in to bed later. Great fun.
Monday, 9 July 2007
Heritage Highway to Launceston, 28 June 2007
The heritage highway is follows the old coach road from Hobart ( the capital to the second largest city) Launceston. We followed the road through Oatlands, Ross, Campbell Town, Evandale and finally go to Launceston. Along the way we saw Georgian building built around the 1840's They were really small villages and Hannah said they looked like the model villages you see in theme parks. We also saw convict built things like the Ross Red brick bridge, built in 1836 and one convict was giving his freedom for his work.
We found a nice modern backpackers place in Launceston and decided to stay here for 2 nights as we wanted to do the Cataract Gorge, a brewery tour and see the city. So we spent the night planning our next couple of days before getting our diner and a few beers.
The heritage highway is follows the old coach road from Hobart ( the capital to the second largest city) Launceston. We followed the road through Oatlands, Ross, Campbell Town, Evandale and finally go to Launceston. Along the way we saw Georgian building built around the 1840's They were really small villages and Hannah said they looked like the model villages you see in theme parks. We also saw convict built things like the Ross Red brick bridge, built in 1836 and one convict was giving his freedom for his work.
We found a nice modern backpackers place in Launceston and decided to stay here for 2 nights as we wanted to do the Cataract Gorge, a brewery tour and see the city. So we spent the night planning our next couple of days before getting our diner and a few beers.
Port Arthur and the Convict trail 27th June 2007
Today we drove to the south - east of Tasmania to a place called Port Arthur. This is were the first of the convicts on second time offence's were sent to serve there time. It was a prison for second time males. They were treated like slaves for a industry of timber and later ship building. It started off with a total of just 300, of which were prisoners, the army and their families. The settlement was started by Lieutenant Collins in 1830 and was the British empires major penal settlement.
We took a guided walk around the ground that was really interesting and some of the places were eirey. After that we got a tour of the port area which showed us the island of the dead, the island for the graves of the convicts. As well as the island for the first British boys prison. It was the first time the British were to ever separate the boys from the men. They thought that the men were teaching the young boys their bad ways.
We then got of the boat and walked the old mill that was converted into a prison building for the best and worst behaved. The best behaved got the top floor with hamac type beds while the worst got a cell on the ground floor that was only big enough for a 1 bed and 1 shelf. We visited the army's area and the commodore's house. Then went on to the hospital and separate prison that was built later. The separate prison was built to house all the bad offenders that kept on re offending inside the prison. They stopped whipping these people and put then in solitary confinement from 3months to anything like 20 years. They decided that whipping didn't work so they started working on their minds. Which sent some crazy and they had to build an asylum from all this inmates then.
We found out that the Rev. house was the most haunted of all the building still standing. Hannah didn't want to go inside, but I thought come on. So I followed a woman in and it was a bit eirey as I could hear what sounded like monks singing. I walked around the house loosing the woman. I found a room that was playing the music and also telling a story of the Rev. and how he treated all the inmates badly and beating them. After leaving the room feeling as though someone was watching me I headed for the back door. As I got to the doorway that woman I followed in stepped into the door frame and scared the crap out of me. I told Hannah and she laugh at me and we then visited the church that has not been consecrated, because the commodore wanted a place for all inmate no matter what religion to pray.
After a really great day we went back the motel with pizza and relaxed eating watch TV. Planning on going up to Launceston tomorrow in the north of Taz. Going up the Heritage highway.
Today we drove to the south - east of Tasmania to a place called Port Arthur. This is were the first of the convicts on second time offence's were sent to serve there time. It was a prison for second time males. They were treated like slaves for a industry of timber and later ship building. It started off with a total of just 300, of which were prisoners, the army and their families. The settlement was started by Lieutenant Collins in 1830 and was the British empires major penal settlement.
We took a guided walk around the ground that was really interesting and some of the places were eirey. After that we got a tour of the port area which showed us the island of the dead, the island for the graves of the convicts. As well as the island for the first British boys prison. It was the first time the British were to ever separate the boys from the men. They thought that the men were teaching the young boys their bad ways.
We then got of the boat and walked the old mill that was converted into a prison building for the best and worst behaved. The best behaved got the top floor with hamac type beds while the worst got a cell on the ground floor that was only big enough for a 1 bed and 1 shelf. We visited the army's area and the commodore's house. Then went on to the hospital and separate prison that was built later. The separate prison was built to house all the bad offenders that kept on re offending inside the prison. They stopped whipping these people and put then in solitary confinement from 3months to anything like 20 years. They decided that whipping didn't work so they started working on their minds. Which sent some crazy and they had to build an asylum from all this inmates then.
We found out that the Rev. house was the most haunted of all the building still standing. Hannah didn't want to go inside, but I thought come on. So I followed a woman in and it was a bit eirey as I could hear what sounded like monks singing. I walked around the house loosing the woman. I found a room that was playing the music and also telling a story of the Rev. and how he treated all the inmates badly and beating them. After leaving the room feeling as though someone was watching me I headed for the back door. As I got to the doorway that woman I followed in stepped into the door frame and scared the crap out of me. I told Hannah and she laugh at me and we then visited the church that has not been consecrated, because the commodore wanted a place for all inmate no matter what religion to pray.
After a really great day we went back the motel with pizza and relaxed eating watch TV. Planning on going up to Launceston tomorrow in the north of Taz. Going up the Heritage highway.
Landing in Hobart, Tasmania 26th June 2007
We got to the airport with no problems, I was asleep within 2 minutes on getting on the plane, Hannah said. She said she went to sleep too as we were up at 5am. That's the earliest we have been up since being home in the UK.
We landed in Hobart on time and the airport is tiny. With only 1 carousel for the baggage and a policeman and his sniffer dog check all the passengers as we waited for our bags.
Got our car from AVIS, some directions for the city centre and tourist info. Then drove off in our bright yellow compact Hyundai Gets car. We got the tourist info with no problems and went inside. The girl behind the desk was not too helpful but gave us a little information for our trip around Tasmania. She gave us a few hostel names and numbers so we thought we'd get our accommodation sorted for tonight before anything else.
The first place we saw was nice overall, but the bed looked old and its slumped in the middle. So we said we would get back to her and ran out of there. We drove around looking at the others from the outside and decided to leave it until later and go have some fun. So we drove to the Putter's mini golf course and spent a few hours playing. Hannah won the first, an indoor course with crazy holes that once you pottered the ball it went was sucked into a tube an sent to the next hole. Really good fun. I won the second game but only because I fluked 2 holes in 1.
We tried the YHA around the corner to the golf, for a room. When we got there the reception was closed but the woman running it saw us and came over. She looked pretty ill and seemed nice enough. We told her we were looking for a room for the night and could we see it(as we have done in the past). She then started saying "I'm not wasting my time showing you the room, inthis cold, bad weather. I've been ill for three weeks. Its a YHA, you either want it or you don't). So thinking have rude is she we said no thank you and walked straight out. We found a nice motel around the corner from that and stayed there for about 12 dollars more a night.We went out from some food that night and had a really nice curry, just down the street. Then went to bed, ready for the convict trail tomorrow.
We got to the airport with no problems, I was asleep within 2 minutes on getting on the plane, Hannah said. She said she went to sleep too as we were up at 5am. That's the earliest we have been up since being home in the UK.
We landed in Hobart on time and the airport is tiny. With only 1 carousel for the baggage and a policeman and his sniffer dog check all the passengers as we waited for our bags.
Got our car from AVIS, some directions for the city centre and tourist info. Then drove off in our bright yellow compact Hyundai Gets car. We got the tourist info with no problems and went inside. The girl behind the desk was not too helpful but gave us a little information for our trip around Tasmania. She gave us a few hostel names and numbers so we thought we'd get our accommodation sorted for tonight before anything else.
The first place we saw was nice overall, but the bed looked old and its slumped in the middle. So we said we would get back to her and ran out of there. We drove around looking at the others from the outside and decided to leave it until later and go have some fun. So we drove to the Putter's mini golf course and spent a few hours playing. Hannah won the first, an indoor course with crazy holes that once you pottered the ball it went was sucked into a tube an sent to the next hole. Really good fun. I won the second game but only because I fluked 2 holes in 1.
We tried the YHA around the corner to the golf, for a room. When we got there the reception was closed but the woman running it saw us and came over. She looked pretty ill and seemed nice enough. We told her we were looking for a room for the night and could we see it(as we have done in the past). She then started saying "I'm not wasting my time showing you the room, inthis cold, bad weather. I've been ill for three weeks. Its a YHA, you either want it or you don't). So thinking have rude is she we said no thank you and walked straight out. We found a nice motel around the corner from that and stayed there for about 12 dollars more a night.We went out from some food that night and had a really nice curry, just down the street. Then went to bed, ready for the convict trail tomorrow.
Getting ready for Tasmania 25th June 2007
Started packing for tomorrow and headed into the city to change my running trainers. I've already been for a run in them, but they are a little small. So going to see if they will change. They did and we went to get our airport bus ticket for the morning. We fly at 08:30, so going to get there for 7am.
At home finished packing and got an early night, as we are up at 5am.
Started packing for tomorrow and headed into the city to change my running trainers. I've already been for a run in them, but they are a little small. So going to see if they will change. They did and we went to get our airport bus ticket for the morning. We fly at 08:30, so going to get there for 7am.
At home finished packing and got an early night, as we are up at 5am.
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