Back online again. On Wednesday we drove from Maydena to our new accommodation at Lake St Clair, about 2 hours drive north west, where we stayed for two nights. On getting to Lake St Clair we were greeted with snow on the hills but even on our walk from Echo Point (we got there by ferry) and back to the lake we had some snow. The following day, no snow but wind and showers, so we weren't able to go higher than Shallow Lake which was more like the Atlantic Ocean than a lake. We did see some wildlife close and personal: leeches. Also saw some people that thought they were walking in a local park: wearing shorts and white sneakers. On getting back to the lakehead, I came across a Frenchman outside the National Park Visitor Centre who was complaining that the parks people were not able to tell him on which day the rain had started as it is not normal to have rain at this time of the year. I am not sure where he got his information from, but I told him it is not unusual to have rain in Summer in Tasmania. Later I saw him inflicting a photo shoot on an echidna, while snorting at it. Not sure whether he speaks echidna or what.
We had a slight problem in our group when two of them were unable to find their lodge in the dark. They had to go find the guides to show them the way. The accommodation at Lake St. Clair was excellent, I only had issue with the noisey fridge which started to make weird noises at 2am. Others in the group said they had the same problem!
Hello again. On day 2 of the tour we went to the Mount Dromedary Forest Reserve, near New Norfolk. Unfortunately due to road closures associated with the fires we couldn't do the planned walk in Mount Field National Park. Instead we went to this forest reserve. Unfortunately it was raining at the start of the walk and later we found that the track up to the tops was impassable. At least the rain stopped in the afternoon. One thing of mid concern were the two graves, marked with large crosses, located on a property near the start of the walk. Off to Lake St.Clair tomorrow.
Hello! Today (Monday) was the first day of our walking tour, our group of 12 walkers
and 2 guides left by bus for our first walking destination: Mount Field
National Park, about an hour west of Hobart. We did a few of the waterfall
tracks in the morning near the visitor centre - very pretty waterfalls and some very large trees in this rainforest section.
It was cloudy but no rain until after our walks, Unfortunately, due to
the fires near the National Park we couldn’t do some other walks in the
park. Instead we drove to Lake Peder, further south-west (on the way we saw some of the bushfire devastation). We then did a short
rainforest walk to Junee Cave, near our accommodation at Maydena.
Hello from Tasmania! Arrived in Hobart yesterday (Saturday) for my walking tour that starts tomorrow (Monday). Today I went up to Mount Wellington (the mountain that overlooks Hobart) and to the Wooden Boat Festival. The weather wasn't the best up the mountain but at least it didn't rain, although it was like being in Antarctica on top with fog and a strong freezing wind (it's 1271 metres high and therefore quiet exposed). I got off there very quickly.
The Trip to Hobart
As usual my plane was late taking off from Hobart due to a passenger turning up 10 minutes late. Although I suspect he was on a connecting flight from up north all of which were late coming into Melbourne. I was however concerned when the pilot announced after we got on the plane that we would land in Hobart at 2.20pm. The flight was scheduled to take off at 2.50pm. I think he was a bit confused but he did seem to know where he was going and how to fly the plane.
Hobart
It's certainly not a warm place. 17 yesterday and a balmy 23 today. Although atop Mount Wellington it was more like 1. Hobart is a lot hilly than I remember or it could be this time I am staying at a hotel on top of a hill.
Mount Wellington Walk
It didn't start off well. I had to take a local bus to the base of Mount Wellington before starting my walk at Fern Tree. Unfortunately, I got off the wrong stop (the last stop) which turned out to be a few kilometres past the start of the tracks. A couple also got off the same (wrong) stop as they thought I knew what I was doing. Gee did they make a big mistake. The bus driver very kindly let us ride on the bus back to the right stop for free. After that it was a grind at times, as I got higher the track became increasingly rocky but despite the weather the views on the way up were great. As I said on top of Mount Wellington it was like Antarctica but I was surprised by how many tourists were running around up there, some taking pictures of themselves in the fog. On the way down I went to a lookout from some cliffs and incredibly they had installed a child proof gate (like they have for swimming pools) to restrict access to it. People must sure be stupid around here.
Some pictures...
Hello from Bright. It has been really warm here and dry for some weeks, most days have been over 30. Not great for walks! My next trip is a walking trip up to the local mountains again (weather permitting) next week. That's in preparation for my Tasmania trip, next month, on a 10 day guided walking trip.
Some observations....
Religious Season
Over the Christmas period I was assailed a couple times by religious types. First, I was approached by a woman, just prior to Christmas, giving small gift boxes to random people (she said she had 100 to give away). It turned out they contained chocolates plus an invitation to come to a local church service. Then just after Christmas the Jehovah's Witnesses paid me their annual visit. They are just very polite sales people.
Fish & Chip Shop Photo Shoot
I am a weekly visitor to our (very good) local fish and chip shop. At this time of the year there are a lot of tourists that come to Bright. One day when I walked in a photo shoot was taking place involving a group that was waiting for their fish and chips. Their pictures must have carried the by line "Here we are waiting for our fish and chips". I have always resisted the tempation to take pictures in the fish and chip shop.
Knuckleheads
I postulated in my book (Random Thoughts & Tales, see below) that knuckleheads need to be gainfully employed to limit their opportunities to engage in knucklhead behaviour. Over this holiday period this theory has gained some further support. Bright was full of "tourist zombies" (and still is) not looking where they are walking, riding bikes on crowded footpaths, and speeding through the centre of town; at camping spots a number of fires have started due to people not putting out campfires properly; and a local CFA was robbed of its equipment.
The most baffling piece of knucklehead behaviour I saw recently was the people queing up 12 hours before the start of the Sydney New Year fireworks to get the "best position" and then running to get that best position. First, it's just a fireworks display, and second unless you are severely height challenged, one position is good as the next to see fireworks considering a lot of the action occurs in the air.
Camping
As I mentioned, there are a lot of tourists here over the hollidays and there is a lot of people camping. In the local caravan park I have noticed some people bring a long more stuff on their camping trips than I have possessions. They are clearly not interested in slumming it.
Melbourne Trips
I occasionaly visit to Melbourne for family events or the soccer. Given the increasing price of the train fare, it will soon be cheaper to fly to Tasmania. Anyway I digress. As you have seen from my previous posts, a lot always happens on these trips.
On the bus to Wangaratta, to catch the train to Melbourne, a Spanish girl, who I called "garlic girl" (but not to her face) because that's how the bus smelled when she came on, decided to sit behind me, although the whole bus was empty. She then proceeded to start talking on her phone to various people - at 6am in the morning! Vline have now introduced a new purple uniform for its staff. It's a bit confusing as their staff now look more like beauticians than railway staff. It hasn't made their trains runs any better either.
I notice that Krispy Kreme still retains a presence in Melbourne. I think it's a bit of false advertising to claim they are a dougnut shop when really what they are doing is selling is sugar attached to bit of doughnut.
The new rubbish bins in the city are intriguing. They seem to be magic electronic ones which you can throw any rubbish in, but it's a bit unclear as there are no signs indicating what you can put in them or that they are even rubbish bins. Must be realy confusing for tourists.
On the train to Hoppers Crossing, a person (without the need for earphones) decided to play with his phone: we had shouting and screaming videos, and loud music. It stopped after a while; he must have felt my eyes boring into the side of his head.
I have to commend people with walking sticks who appear to be trying to lessen their depdence on them. I saw one with his walking stick tucked under his arm while he was texting. Another negotiiated the ailse on the bus quite adeptly while holding the stick in front of her.
The Australian Open seem to be taking over Melbourne. The ticket entrance is at Birrarung Marr park now. Soon the entance will be at Flinders Street Station. I passed by when they were setting up. Apparently, their employees are allowed to drive with their vehicles on footpaths and bike paths; and park anywhere they like.
Tattoos
Seems like men in their 30s or 40s who are losing their struggle to retain their hair appear get tatoos to compensate. Also, intriguingly, they get extensive and/or ugly tatoos, maybe that's to divert attention from the bald head.
Bushwalking with Headphones
I have seen a few people engaging in this activity recently and it has me mystified. What's wrong with the sound of the bush (birds, running water, a snake about to attack you, a branch about to fall on your head) that requires blocking out?
How to Identify a Rental Property
I know this is a generalisation but based on my observations of the Western Suburbs, you can identify a rental property by one or more of the following:
- there are at least three cars parked outside, most of which are parked on the front lawn.
- the front lawn is a mixture of grass, weeds, and random items.
- you see someone cutting their lawn with a whipper snipper.
- use of an Australian flag as a curtain.
- use of wood instead of glass in windows.
- a pile of furniture outside the front door or on the nature strip.
Barbers
I
do not have a need for barbers much these days but I am still in search
of a new one after the premature retirement (due to ill health) of my
long standing one. I tried the local one in Bright but it didn't start
well when after explaining what I wanted ("a trim"), she asked me if all
I wanted was a haircut. I thought that's what barbers did but perhaps
it's a lot more complicated these days. Apparently you have to have a "hairstyle" which makes you look like a rooster or a mushroom. The relationship only deteriorated
when she asked me whether I wanted my eye brows trimmed, and then
whether I wanted "product" on my hair. And it's not as if she was either
quick or cheap. Although I must commend her on identifying a gap in the market by setting up a barber shop.
Premature Ageing
I think my hands are prematurely ageing. They are at least 20 years older than the rest of me.
Americans
If you solely based your assessment of Americans on the basis of their country's politics and reality TV, you could only come to one conclusion: these people are insane.
My Neigbours
They seem to have been affected by the heat here in Bright. One morning, when it was drizzling one had their sprinkler on and another one decided it was a good time to mow the front lawn.
One of the same neighbours appears to suffer with some sort of medical issue that requires him to play music at full volume for about 30 minutes from time to time, at random times. On the other side is a holiday rental. The most recent occupant decided to engage in chanting outside on the deck. However, it sounded more like an angry fly buzzing in your ear than rythmic chanting. The occupants before were Macedonians, and for New Years Eve they really kranked up their music (including singing along for a while but by 10pm it was all over, they had run out of steam. I didn't hear much from them after that. They clearly peaked too early.
Random Thought & Tales (2nd Edition)...Special 15% Discount
My recently published book is now available with a 15% discount. Just type the discount code ONEFIVE at checkout to get the discount. Order by clicking on this link. Offer expires 24 January.
Some pictures from around Bright. The local wildlife seems to be very active in the mornings because of the hot weather later in the day...
