The other day I felt all inspired to write about my adventures in Tasmania. I don’t know I feel so inspired right now…it could be this laptop keyboard is annoying to write on…or perhaps I really just want to go and listen to some music. Either way, I think I would like a record of it somewhere so I feel I should write the stories down. This means, I am not offering any excitement or entertainment, but purely a record of what happened in Tasmania…if I cam remember

To begin…because I am obsessive ordering freak I will create sub categories.

Day 1-2: Hobart

After much stress and fret in organising myself for this Tasmania trip I found myself on a plane to Tasmania…finally. Planes with out all the extras just aren’t as exciting. If it had had extras I would spend much more time reflecting on it, seeing as it didn’t…well we arrived in Hobart. At first I smirked because it was Hobart International terminal and we walked on to the tarmac and it was quite a shock compared to Sydney airport. Over the week though I managed to enjoy and appreciate the small town nature of Tasmania.

We caught a taxi to Margaret and Harvey’s house. We were counting the numbers and I saw one house and immediately thought, well that won’t be it, thats way too posh. To my surprise, it turned out to be where we were staying. The most gorgeous old big house I think I’ve seen in a long time. After settling our stuff down, we caught a bus to the city. I had been getting excited by the idea of muffins and coffee. So we did.

We popped and pottered about a little and explored every camping shop Hobart has to offer. We equipped oursleves with all the gadgets you can imagine and kept being reminded by local Tasmanians not to be needing finding because it wastes tax payers money. I kepy fearing my woollen jumper wouldn’t do me proud.

The next day, Margaret was around and she drove us round to all the cool places Hobart has to offer. A semaphore flag mountain, Sandy Bay, Battery Point, The Retro cafe in Salamanca Place, the water supply park, all sorts of things. We had lunch at a cool bakery in Battery Point and found a nectarine tree growing wild on the street. Of course we picked some and ate them and enjoyed it as we walked to fill our bellies further.

It was an exhausting day, but fun and pleasant. We went back to Margaret and Harvey’s for dinner and enjoyed that. I muchly enjoyed the cooshy bed with fluffy bed covers that I sank into. I kept trying to tell myself to remember what it was like because when I was in the bush I would be craving that bed.

Day 3: Hobart - Tasmazia- Devonport

Dad didn’t book a car. Despite the fact he had rung around several places to ask for them, he forgot the booking part. Funny because he said, “Oh, it’ll be right, it’s Tasmania”. They went to 8 hire car places before they found one.

We were told about a nice French patisserie place down the road. We were just going to buy some bread. We pull up, and we all look at it and simultaneously say, “We could stop”. Makes our start late. But totally worthwhile. It did mean we were running late for Tasmazia. This was scary news. Ryan and I tried to stuff brie and bread down our faces round the extra bendy bends. We arrived and Ryan and I jumped out and ran into the maze and laughed and ran until we couldn’t run anymore, or had any idea of where we were.

Tazmazia was such fun. So many mazes. SO much getting lost.

We stayed at Stella’s friends house in Devonport. They were really cool and nice and comfortable to be around. They have lived in community before and were really laid back. That was really nice.

Day 4: The first day of the walk

Glen drove us down to the start of the walk. I was silently and also not so silently freaked out about how cold it was. I couldn’t even get out of the car with out freaking out and jumping up and down. I was already wearing my thermals and I just kept thinking about how little more I had.

We set of, starting at Ronny Creek. Plushly boardwalked for our comfort I wondered if I would love or hate the next few days. It’s scary walking further and further into something without knowing the outcome. I warmed up a little. We stopped for lunch looking out over a “typical glacial lake” as Dad told us which turned out to be nothing of the sort. It was cold and we hid in a boat shed. We continued up towards Cradle Mountain and it was really cold and exposed and it was raining. I thought it could be a pretty miserable walk. Cold and wet and nothing to see.

I fell on my bottom. My trusty new backpack saved me from hurting my head. We arrived at Kitchen Hut where there was a massive group of army guys who didn’t seem that hardcore. That was nice to hear. They showed us a quoll that was totally the cutest ever and very tame. We had tea and muesli bars and chocolate. I found my snow gloves and became happier. It started to clear. I was happy. Eventually we bounced down to Waterfall valley hut. We found cool composting toilets. We found a flat dry area to camp. I was feeling good. That was so exciting. We started cooking some rice with dehydrated veges and vege stock…boy oh boy was that tasty. I was really wanting salty foods, but wew’d forgotten to bring salt. After filling our bellies we made custard and arrived to our camp spot Glenn and his friend he’s just made Ben. Ben was leaving the next day because he had no equipment.

Day 2: Waterfall Valley Hut - Old Pelion Hut

Probably our biggest day of walking. I sure was tired by the end. We started out late, as like most days because it was so cold I never wanted to get up. Apparently the tents had a frost of ice over them that night. We walked, dodging mud and looking at the valleys ahead of us that we were needing to climb. Mt Ossa stood prominently in the distant for much of the day reminding us of what was ahead. We stopped at Windamere Lake for snacks. We seemed to pass Glenn and vice versa at our various stops all day long it became amusing. After a long gruelling hill that I tried chasing Ryan up I was just hoping hoping hoping the hut would eventually appear.

I saw a black snake this day that freaked me out.

Ryan was trying to get ahead to check out Old Pelion Hut. We had a option of new Pelion Hut with 60 beds. We thought perhaps it may be nicer to have more quiet. I waited at the turnoff for Ryan with Glenn. Glenn ran to check New Pelion. We decided we’d all head for Old Pelion once Dad and Stella arrived. A muddy trail to the hut but so nice and we heard there was a waterhole. This was true and cold. My first swim. Very cold and very short. I seemed to keep getting tempted to go a second time. So I did.

We had pasta for dinner. Yum Yum. Glenn made yummy bread. We all gazed at the stars. I saw a Tasmanian Pademelon. I made grose custard that some poor animal ate. We learnt never to do custard as a community event again. We all chucked in whatever and it didn’t pay off.

Day 3: Old Pelion Hut - Mt Ossa- Du Cane Hut

We arose lateish…Checked out New Pelion. very happy with our decision. Old Pelion was really nice. We got tired walking to the Mt Ossa turn off. We knew we had no choice. It had to be done for Dad’s wine bet. My feet had been feeling great and same with my backpack. Amazing considering how agonising my last 2 day walk was. I was in such pain. No where near the pain after two days, not even after 5.

When we arrived at Mt Ossa, we stopped for snacks and to contemplate the climb ahead of us. Ryan had bad blisters. I was starting to get some, but not really very noticeable. We begun to climb Mt Ossa. They said 3 hrs return. In Sydney when they give you time, you can take time off, in Tasmania they are always right. Mt Ossa freaked me out. It was a rocky climb and of course I walked up the wrong way. I was trying to get up as fast as I could because heights freak me out and I didn’t want to look down. When we eventually arrived at the top it felt like such an achievement. Dad climbed the tallest looking rock he could see, I wanted to but I was way too scared. It may not have even been the tallest. The view was so great. We ate nuts and sultanas and I wasted my last photo on a stupid blurry rock.

The climb down was worse. My knees begun to hurt a little and it scared me. Every step I thought I would crack my head open. We came down with a nice guy who took a photo of us up the top. We were the last people down. Mt Ossa took our energy out of us and we mumbled our way to Kia Ora. Stella didn’t do Mt Ossa because her knees had been hurting. Her watch kept stopping all trip so we never knew the time, luckily it stopped her from worrying about us. Dad had said, “It’s strange, we’ll probably never see Glenn again” because we didn’t see him on Ossa and he walked a lot faster so we assumed he must have walked on.

Anyway, we finally arrived at Kia Ora Central where there was so many people. So strange in the wilderness. We found Stella and I think we all giggled when we saw Glenn sitting there talking to her. It seemed we would see him again.
We talked about going on to the next hut…which was meant to be in not such good condition. We liked the idea of getting away from all the people. Glenn said he hadn’t decided, and we walked on. We arrived in the most magical and beautiful little European like little forest. The nicest camping spot ever. We were so happy we came. As we were cooking dinner, of course, Glenn appeared, which we were glad he hadn’t missed out on such a nice spot. WE met the fattest and smartest possum who at our vege sausage. Until now it had been the nicest weather. It rained that night and stopped just in time for us to get up.

Day 4: Du Cane Hut- Pine Valley

We started off the day and wandered down to some pretty waterfalls. I got tempted to swim. And I did. It was so beautiful. I swam at the waterhole at the bottom of Fergusson falls. It was actually a nice temperature…which is important to note for later that day.

We stopped at Windy Ridge for lunch and although it seemed like long distances, it was quicker walking. We couldn’t have walked on to Narcissus that night but we wanted to do some walking up in the Labryinth. Glenn had been thinking of it but I think he was sick, but he told us about a good camping spot. We bumped into him on the track and he said he was walking out. We thought now this really will be the last time we see Glenn, how strange. And about five minutes later he stopped to show us and Echidna. Cute!

Our brains became dumb at this moment. As we were merrily walking along we saw a nice river. For some reason we thought, we could swim there. An innocent looking river but very not. I stupidly went in twice because I had to wash my hair. The water was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cold. Never ever have I felt such cold water. When I got out of the water, my whoel body was numb with pain. My life flashed before my eyes and I wondered what it was I’d done to myself. I couldn’t feel anything but cold and pain. Stupid stupid stupid. We found it hard to walk after because all our wounds had gone cold and numb and painful.

Shortly after though we passed the Bowling Green. And a Pademelon looked me straight in the eye. Cute.

We camped at the turn off to Pine Valley. A secluded place near a river over a suspension bridge. Really nice. Just as we stopped it started raining. Perfect timing. We set up tent. Ryan and I played clapping games and did yoga. Dad and Stella suggested they make some dinner and give us the snack bag. Ryan and I laughed. We had no problems with that plan. It was a win win situation, both to us though. The rain stopped while we ate, and started again when we slept.

Day 5: Pine Valley - Lake St Clair- Hobart

We arose and decided it was too wet, cold and miserable to keep walking so we’d walk out. Shortly after we arrived at Narcissus Hut. Ryan and I booked a ferry and the army guys tried to make us feel guilty for not walking the whole way. Silly really because us going on the ferry meant we had food to give them when they asked. We had tea by the river. And licorice snacks.

The ferry was fun and wild. I dind’t feel like I’d been walking for 5 days, none of us did. Such a non event. No hunger, cravings or pain. When we arrived at the other side of the lake we had coffee and wedges and didn’t feel like we deserved them. Ryan’s salad sandwich was so good. Fresh veges. Yum. We were planning to hitch back to Hobart which meant walking 5 kms out of Lake St Clair because no one picked us up in their shiny hire cars. Ryan and I talked about walking back to Hobart because it was only 80kms. Or so we thought. When we reached the Hobart turn off, we realised it was 176kms which was less possible. After a minute a guy picked us up. HIs name was Pete and he was the skipper of a Greenpeace boat. He was going to New Zealand for the anniversary of the blowing up of the Rainbow Warrior. I felt car sick but enjoyed it all none the less. Such a beautiful state.

Ryan and I turned up at Margaret and Harvey’s and surprised them with how early we were back. We told Margaret our adventures and then Ryan and I explored North Hobart. We were going to have Dosai’s and then watch a movie,but after having noodles I freaked out about getting back into their house witout a key and thought we should do that tomorrow. We decided to go to the Republic for a beer. I was looking my ultra daggiest because I have my thermals and tracksuit pants on that stunk because I hadn’t showered and I’d been walking in them for days. And I had an emerald green polar fleece and hiking boots (muddy) on. It turned out to be an ultra trendy pub too. But it was way fun. We talked and watched a cool musician finger picker who was like Eric Clapton. Ryan bought his CD and I think he was chuffed.

Day 6: Hobart - Kettering (and other villages)

Ryan and I pottered about and looked for a wedding present for Kaia and Mark. I was really excited that we were getting it in Tasmania because its where they met. Ryan wasn’t so. We found the coolest junk shop and we ate food. Yum Yum. Oue wedding present, muffin and mountain pepper berry and scones with jam and cream search took us down to Salamanca Place. We pottered and thought after we get presents, we should eat muffins in the park. We went and looked in the supermarket for mountain pepper berry. Ryan was looking somewhere, he grinned and then said to me, “Hey Jem, Look.” I laughed. From the cold foods section Glenn looks up and sees us, we all laugh. He was buying food for a picnic in the park. He asked what we were doing and if we want to join him. We said yes, we were just going to have muffins in the park. And so we did. How jolly.

He asked if we wanted to go to Bruny Island. After thinking about it we decided that it would be a good adventure and so we thought we could all try hiring a car. For 2 hours or so we wandered around thinking of ways to get there. We were just all going to borrow clothes out of Glenn’s big backpack and catch the bus. We rung to tell Margaret and Harvey, but they told us to take their car. Oddly, we missed the last ferry and had to camp near the ferry. We decided to go to Cygnet for apples. We thought to stop at the pub for a drink and Glenn saw his friends from Melbourne. So funny. After many hours of driving around we found a rather slopy but pretty camping spot and tiredly we went to sleep.

Day 7: Kettering - Bruny Island- Hobart- Melbourne - Sydney

When we got to the ferry jetty, everyone looked like the ferry was about to go, even though it wasn’t. We wanted Hot Chocolate, so we went to the general store and bought some soy milk and chocolate and make it on Glenn’s stove next to the car. People were very responsive and friendly about it. In Sydney people would think you were a freak. We managed to spill hot chocolate on the seat as we ran after Ryan in the car and the stove. We did make the ferry and stood outside drinking hot chocolate.

We arrived at Bruny Island and drove along way to get anywhere. A very pretty place but very depressing to live there. There was no core community. We looked for penguins, ran up huge flights of stairs, swum in the sea quickly whilst we boiled pasta for lunch. We drove down to the very south and looked at the lighthouse. Very pretty but so lonely. All day I’d been wanting scones with Jam and Cream and we wondered if there was enough time to stop at a cafe. It turned out there was after a second soy milk incident in the car. Although, we went to the wrong cafe and ended up with stale muffins. But there was parrikeets and peacocks that wondered around inside. Somewhere in the day we saw the cutest echidna waddling along the road. So cute. Ferried back. Dropped Glenn off, and I wonder now if it really will be the last time we see him. He was so friendly and nice.

We made the plane and everything, stopped over in Melbourne and suddenly arrived back in Sydney. Jo picked us up and it was lovely to see her familiar face. I kind of didn’t know what hit me when I arrived back though. Such a sudden contrast of holiday, adventure and no responsibility to arriving back in the land of stress and responsibility.

Such a ripper holiday, so nice to get my head into a different space. This was so long and I didn’t even go into detail, so many things I didn’t mention, and thoughts or feelings, completely skimmed over. Hopefully I’ll remember them and they can come out in conversations as opposed to internet websites.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 22nd, 2005 at 1:10 pm.