Tasmania

My female owner made it back from Tasmania! Her friends and her started off on a rough note, coz they missed the check-in time by 10mins and the counter lady flatly refused to process their flight. She curtly told them to wait for the next flight which would be on Friday (?!) and to pay a processing fee of $100+ each. The trio ended up going from airline to airline (Amazing Race style) trying to find the next available flight. They soon found out that the price of 10mins was $350 each.

They reached Launceston at about 1630hr. Picked up their rented car, only to realise that for some reason, the company did not supply a street directory! The company simply gave them a flimsy map of different parts of Tasmania. Directionless, with an inexperienced driver at the wheel (i.e. my female owner) and nightfall approaching, the trio used various ways and means to get to their accommodation for the night (their original plan was to arrive in Launceston in the morning and spend the day exploring the region). Four hours later, they were rewarded for their persistence when they finally reached their destination.

My female owner says that the whole trip was a “hit-and-run” road-trip. They spent a large part of their day driving from region to region, taking in the sights and culture of each unique area.

Launceston to Strahan to Queenstown to Hobart. 800km within 4 days (one driver, accident free, hopefully not caught for speeding). From cities to countryside to self-contained villages to rural areas to World Heritage Areas, Tasmania offers such varied experiences that would cater to any individual. Weather was surprisingly good and un-cold. People were friendly, extremely courteous and hey, pumped petrol for you.

They went with a list of things to do, but couldn’t do some because of time constraints (e.g. missing out on Port Arthur and Cadbury Factory visit). Nonetheless, they created memories together through doing what was possible and spontaneous planning – trekking and scaling a mountain (Marion Lookout at Cradle Mountain), driving up Mount Wellington (Hobart) at night to see the city lights but ending up being spooked (seriously eerie), endless fresh and yummy seafood at Strahan and Hobart, visiting ancient structures at Richmond (Hobart) such as the 1823 Richmond Bridge, St John’s Catholic Church (oldest in Australia, built in the 1800s) and Richmond Gaol (such a sobering tour that they had to cheer themselves up with ice-creams after that), fresh oysters at Barilla Bay (Hobart), quick visit to Coal Valley Vineyard for wine-tasting, Salamanca Market (Hobart – seems like a replica of weekend markets in Brisbane but was still worth the trip), Lake St Claire (enroute from Queenstown to Hobart), landscape wowing (vast, fertile and filled with animals!), random WW2 memorial in the countryside towards Hobart etc. They captured these moments through 1000 over photos (will try to wrestle some out of my female owner)

According to my female owner, Queenstown and Strahan (both on the west coast of Tasmania) were small towns which seemed to be a world of their own. Short and flat houses with vibrant colours and perfectly angled structures (think squares and rectangles) made it seem like Disneyland (are those houses for real?). There was no internet reception and only Telstra mobile coverage which none of them had. This rendered them contactless for a couple of days. Sunset photos at Strahan sweetened the quaint experience.

Another worthwhile experience, logged in my female owner’s book of life escapades. As desired, they went as friends and came back as greater friends. Glad she had fun!