Freycinet National Park

If you only have one place to visit in Tasmania, this is the place. That's what the guidebook says and I agree. One hike here took us up (and down and up and down)to Wineglass Beach, named one of the world's top 10 beaches by Outside magazine. I agree again! The hike took us around 1 hour to get to the beach. We spent a bit of time here but knew we couldn't stay long since we had a long trip back via Hazards Bay route.




We walked for hours...really it was hours...hiking through grassy areas, beaches and rock outcroppings. After 5 hours and 7 miles, we finally returned to the carpark. That was it for the day. I spent the rest of the day relaxing at our lake front cabin!

Another One (or Two) for Kendra

This is not a kangaroo. It's not a wallaby. It's another marsupial called a pademelon. Click here to find out more about this cute fellow!

Wombat!!

We saw a wombat! It was huge! Let me clarify. I was sure a wombat was a bit bigger than a guinea pig. Instead it was as large as a potbelly pig. Click here to find more about the wombat.

Freycinet

Leaving the north today and heading to Freycinet. We'll have no internet for the next few days!

Look Closely

That's a Tasmanian Devil hiding out under a deck. We visited a research station where they are looking at the cancer that is killing the devils. This facial tumor disease is transmitted from one devil to another and kills the animal in as little as 6 months.

Fish and Chips

This floating take away spot was a great stop for fish and chips!

Seahorse World

Great Tours but the photography is a bit off. Enjoy anyhow!

Cradle Mountain & Lake St Claire National Park

This national park and World Heritage area is one of the most visited areas in Tasmania and I understand why! The mountain is 5,068 feet high and the lake lies to the south of the mountain. As we hiked around this area, we saw lots of small lakes, alpine forests, grass plains, and plenty of mountain views. It rained the entire time...well, almost and by the time we got back to the car we were soaked. Pathways were covered with snow or seemed more like a stream than a path. But it was all good and we enjoyed the 3 hour hike.

Hobart

Our first stop after many hours in the plane and waiting in airports! We missed our flight to Hobart however we were able to pick up the 2nd flight of the day and we arrived just in time for dinner. It's scallop season by the way!

Hobart is the capital of Tasmania with a population of around 120,000 and the 2nd oldest city in Australia. It's a beautiful harbor town right on the Derwent River. And we're staying in the harbor area at the Grand Hotel International.

Now just so you know...we lost a day because we crossed the International Date line. That hits me hard. I really don't want to miss any time here. I think we make it up on our return trip.

Well, we had great plans for this town. Instead we are heading for the mall to shop for some clothes for me. Kip's bag arrived just fine but mine is missing. As soon as we finish the shopping, we are picking up the rental car and heading out to the Western part of the island. It's a five hour trip to Strahan on a long and winding road.

No pictures yet!

Arrived, At Last

We arrived in Sydney and the next leg of our journey is to Melbourne. There we catch another flight to Tasmania. The longest portion of our trip this year was from Pittsburgh to San Francisco. That took us about 30 hours with delays, cancellations and reroutes. It was a very frustrating day with the worst part having to sit on the tarmac for over 2 hours waiting for the okay to leave. That was after sitting on the plane for another two hours as they did some work on the plane! Well, that is all behind us now and the only problem we have is the missing luggage. For the first time, we checked our bags thinking we would have an unexpected day to play in San Francisco. When that flight was cancelled, they moved our bags over to the new flight...or so they say. Right now they can't seem to find the bags. Keep your fingers crossed that they arrive in Melbourne.