We are back from Tasmania now or as they say in Australia: Tassie. Wifi was uncommon, worked poorly when it was available, and even cellular was spotty. So I am having to play catch up with my postcards. Tasmania is a beautiful part of Australia; I am having a hard time choosing a couple pictures to share. It is crisp and cool with the constant threat of rain. Totally different from the humid, hot conditions we were feeling on the mainland.
The biggest city in Tasmania…is a small town. Tasmania is rural, even for Australia. Most of the towns have between 5 and 20 buildings. We took a tour of the state with Intrepid tours. Pushed my boundaries, this tour. We were staying with a group of 17, in hostels or what they call here, a backpacker. We got the hostel experience alright. Including having to trek outside for the toilet; mildew on shower curtains; no screens on windows; not the cleanest kitchens or dishes; people coming and going later than we were up (we got them back in the morning when we rose at 5). In Air B&B’s, I habitually wash all the dishes before using them, even if they look clean; I run water through coffee machines before I make coffee. After this trip, I may not need to do that anymore. I survived much, much, much closer to salmonella conditions. Most nights we had our own little cabin (2 single bunk beds), but also some dormitory situations.
One early morning I was the first person awake in the hostel. I trekked to the bathroom (this one inside the same building). Started washing my face when I realized my towel was outside on the line drying. My towel that I had to rent for a dollar, BTW. So I went outside with my wet face to retrieve my damp towel. There is a code to unlock the door. I have never bothered to learn this number. There was a slip of paper with the number on it I could have taken, but I can’t see the numbers anyway. We took a picture of it, but I don’t have my phone. I tried to leave the door cracked so I could get back in, but it shut completely. So I got locked outside, in my shorts, in the cold, rain threatening. But at least I had my damp towel to mop up my face.
About half the people were older couples and half young singles. It was a great way for young people to travel, and was fun for us to experience with them. But I don’t think I need to do this again. But wait, yikes, we are signed up for 2 more trips, for a total of 31 days of this. One trip of 9 days will be even more rustic. A few nights in dormitory settings (one underground- you will find out what that means soon after I do) and some camping. And one will be 22 days of active travel: biking, kayaking and trekking in New Zealand.
We hiked and hiked in Tasmania. Saw most of the native marsupials: paddymelon, wallabies and kangaroo (all versions of kangaroo in ascending order of size). They have lice and they get close enough for us to see (and catch) these parasites. Wombat (my favorite sighting – a family of 3); kookaburra (sitting in an old gum tree); echidna (“eh-kid-na”) looked like a little porcupine; and one of our group saw a platypus (platty as they say in Australian), all duck bill and beaver tail. We never saw a tasmanian devil in the wild – just dead ones on the side of the road (Australia has an enormous amount of roadkill).
Speaking of roadkill: our guide was a rustic bloke. When he is not leading tours, he “swags it.” Camping, that is. When does it stop being camping and become homeless? We can’t talk because we do not have a home either, so I will change the subject. He had an old Australian hat; like a suede cowboy hat, but floppier. It was completely cracked open along the crown and stained with rain, sweat and whatever else. It even looked like it had something biological growing on it. The hat sat poised on the dashboard most of the trip. It would slide left and right, but for some reason would not fall off the dash, even though it seemed half over the edge. It was like a traffic accident; I did not want to look at it, but I could not stop. We couldn’t figure out if it was a joke or what. It was actually a topic of conversation among some of the women in the van. Then for one of our hikes, Brad, our fearless leader, wore the hat. I have a picture, I must share.
So we are back in the civilization of Sydney for about a week. I am thankful for our quiet apartment, 25th floor balcony view; lap pool, Jacuzzi and sauna; wifi; private washing machine, dishwasher; comfy bed, nice pillows and linens, no chance of bedbugs; unlimited, clean, nearly new towels; television (English language even) and clean couch. We are preparing for our trek into the outback and sorting out luggage to be freight forwarded ahead of us to Melbourne. Again we will be without communication devices and electronics. We will check back in approximately 2 weeks from now. Also, good news, there has been quite a bit of rain in most parts of Australia, so the fires have been set back for the moment. Many contained or extinguished. Not all the areas that have fires got the rain, but a lot did.
over and out,
Nomads.