Monday

Firstly I have to get out of bed, you see I am staying at a Youth Hostel, because I was last into my dorm I am on a top bunk, which I only just managed to get into last night and now because my legs are stiff I can’t actually get them into the right spot to get down the 3 little vertical steps. Thank goodness all my dorm buddies are out, on the third go I rather unattractively, make it safely to the ground.

Feeling very uplifted and like I have all the time in the world this morning. I head to the laundromat for breakfast and to wash some clothes. In Salamanca there is a very groovy cafe that is also a laundromat so if you’re ever in need of breakfast and or clean clothes I highly recommend it.

Next I head to MONA, I have been before, I loved it so much I’m going again this time via the MONA Ferry. MONA is essentially an art gallery it is housed in the most amazing building purpose built for the owner. The art is challenging and not for everyone but I love it, on the way there on the ferry painted in camouflage with graffiti on the walks, I actually feel like dancing I’m so excited (I didn’t, I thought it might shock my fellow passengers) Going to MONA is like going to an excellent show at the Opera House in Sydney you are not just watching a performance you are watching it in a piece of art itself. I stay till it closes and then get the ferry back to Hobart. Thank you MONA you are awesome!

Distance Traveled 24KM

Distance Walked 10KM

Tuesday

Today I get out of bed very easily, managed to get a bottom bunk (Happy Dance)

I am taking a tour down to Bruny Island today. Originally called Lunawanna-allonah by the Nuenonne people.

Bruny Island is 84KM South of Hobart.

We take the car ferry at Kettering (The Kettering Incident- A Great TV series) Our first stop is The Neck, this is an Isthmus that divides the North and South Island, here we climb 236 steps to see the view, it was worth it! At the top is a monument to Truganini.

Next stop is the Adventure Bay. Here we board our purpose built boats and head out onto the ocean. Lots of safety instructions and additional water proof gear provided as well as ginger tablets for sea sickness (they work) it does get bumpy we are warned and so I head for the back of the boat, where apparently it’s not too bad. First we look at the amazing rock formations 165 million years old they are Dolerite the same as Mt Wellington. They are spectacular!

It starts to get colder the more south we go, we see rocky islands covered in birds and then suddenly we are in the Southern Ocean and before us are massive male seals a few smaller young, all males this is like a Batchelor Party for seals before they head off to mate. They are just lying around a few are barking at each other. Some are rolling around in the water one flipper up for balance. It is a majestic sight seeing them in the wild like this. I forget how cold it is and take heaps of photos here we can stand up in the boat and we spend ages just bobbing around checking them out.

Time to head back, we are told to look for groups of birds on the water so eyes peeled at the sea, we see a few and then sure enough there are a couple of groups and then suddenly out of the water jumps dolphins, totally mesmerising your eyes are fixed on the water waiting for the next one to rise up, jump and spin, what an experience just fantastic.

We return to the complex for excellent fish and chips and then join our bus back to Hobart. The trip took all day from about 8AM – 5PM and we were on the water for 3 hours.

Feeling all David Attenborough I am on cloud nine!

Back at the hostel I see a sign to join a group going to trivia at a local pub. I put my name down and have a Nana Nap, meeting up in the foyer with, our leader from Belgium, we have two from the Netherlands, 1 Frenchman, an Italian, an Haitian, 1 Australian and me! What a night it was great fun some of the team had only just arrived in Hobart that day some on a working holiday, we did well on a couple of questions but unfortunately didn’t win, we did however win a jug of beer!

Distance Traveled 168KM

Distance Walked 8KM

Trivia Score 40

Wednesday

My last day in Hobart, I walk to the Botanical Gardens via the Cenotaph and the walk of remembrance which has a tree planted for every Tasmanian lost at war and a plaque. It’s hot and the walk is not shaded-as many of the trees are very young. The gardens are fantastic started in. 1818. The collection and layout is wonderful. I really loved the Lily Pond and the Japanese Garden. They have recreated the atmosphere on Macquarie Island in an enclosure it was freezing (good place to cool down) here they grow the plant life of the Antarctic. I also loved the Algerian Oak tree, stepping in under the was magical.

A bus ride back to Hobart and the last place I visit is the Mawson’s Antarctic Hut Replica. This is a fascinating recreation of the actual hut every detail has been included, there are guides to tell you about the exhibits and the expedition itself also some of Frank Hurleys photographs in full size, well worth a visit.

Then onto the bus for Devonport, I catch the 7:30PM Spirit of Tasmania to Melbourne.

Distance Traveled 720KM

Distance Walked 14KM

Showers at 30knots 2