2002 Day 11-15 - Tasmania so far

I'm now in Hobart, having come through a lot of places.

I had to rush into Melb to get a backpack and on impulse I also got for myself an aromatherapy calming candle and back of paper notepads from a place called "The Reject Shop" (what a cool name for a discount store!) both turned out to be useful later.

Flight to Launceston was uneventful - but I was surprised to note it has a bigger airport than Adelaide. Not bad for a city of 70,000... Got a ride into the city on one of the freeways which was quite scenic and the next surprise was my room at North Lodge Motel. It was HUGE! For $60.50 I'd managed to score a double ensuite room with a central room bigger than my games room, a fully operational kitchen, an ensuite bedroom which was equally large and a considerably nice balcony.

Launceston for a city of its size was the next surprise. It is a real city, not like Bunbury or somewhere. City centre was quite happening if a bit slow and it took ages to walk around it all. I even got a nice iced chocolate at a Viennese coffee shop. Just 2 minutes after leaving the west end of the CBD, I reached Cataract Gorge - a 150ft high cliff face with forests all over it, majestic rocks and a river flowing down the bottom. Stopping and listening you'd never believe it was 500m from the heart of a city. Dinner was local salmon and vegies, cooked by yours truly :P

Link to my photos for the Tasmania trip

I've spent the last 4 days in the west and north west of Tasmania and have been amazed by both how green it is and how large - from seeing it on a map you wouldn't think hours in a bus just going a little way along the coast would be possible. However I will add I am so over a number of things:

* Van Morrison
* Bob Marley
* Smokers spoiling my airspace
* Roads with tight windy bends every 100m for over 40km at a time
* My joints playing up

Oh and seeing signs all over the island in front of opium poppy farms saying "WARNING! Trespassers prosecuted. Illegal use of crops may cause death." is quite amusing.

This is being written from a dodgy Net terminal in Hobart, and I'm out of cash. Bye. :)