Thursday 20 February 2014

Day trek up Cradle Mountain

4 February

The good thing about living in a small town and working in a pub is that it's easy to make new friends.  A couple of days ago, I met a British lad at Irish called Ceri.  He's training with the local Cricket team who have an affiliation with his team back home in Oxford.  We hit it off straight away over coffee and immediately noticed the same silly things about living out here bother us both; for example: crisps are chips- chicken are blue, cheese and onion are green, BBQ are orange and salt and vinegar are pink!  Half their words derive from the UK and the other half from the US (for example; red pepper is capsicum) and don't even get be started on "thongs".  People say we speak to same language but at times, I beg to differ...

Thankfully, between us, we managed to organise a trip outside of Launnie.  As with most of Tasmania, the only way to see it is by car or organised bus tour.  We quickly worked out that the former would undoubtedly be cheaper and we picked up the rental car from Budget the next morning.  

Cradle Mountain is situated 2.5 hours west of Launceston in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.  The National Park contains Tasmania's highest peak (Mt Ossa) and Australia's deepest freshwater lake (Lake St Clair).  We took the scenic route via Deloraine which took about 45min longer than the freeway but worth it just for the views alone.  As a driving enthusiast, I loved the tight corners and windy roads.  The route is well signposted so it was easy to find.  Upon arrival, we stopped at the Visitors Centre to collect our day pass to which we were advised to leave the car in the lower car park and take the shuttle bus.  Immediately I thought "brilliant" as it saved on fuel and having to return to the same spot.

The shuttle buses ran every 10 mins or so up until 4.20pm.  We hopped off slightly before the others (Ronny Creek) to do the longer trek.  This allowed us to walk through the forest via Crater Lake, stopping just above Dove Lake before carrying on up to Marrion's Lookout.  Parts of this were extremely steep meaning that at one point, I had to pull my whole body weight up in order to climb any further.  The weather was pretty warm and humid for walking but the views totally made up for it!  Lunch with THAT view will take some beating!  Unfortunately, time got the better of us as we began to make our decent back down to the car park so that we didn't miss the last bus.  We had to do an hour long walk in under 45mins, not an easy task I can tell you.  Still we made it just in time...along with 300 other people!  I couldn't believe the amount of walkers who were waiting for the last shuttle.  We must've waited at least an hour and moved 200 yards.  By this point I was starting to feel a little anxious about driving back to Launnie as we were fast approaching twilight.  Thankfully a fellow walker managed to flag down a passing car and get us a lift with another walker who was driving down the hill.  Phew!

The drive home was long but easy and thankfully we made it back before sunset. That's one thing about Australia, driving at night is just too dangerous to risk it in urban areas because of the animals.  Not only are you likely to hurt them but they can also do a serious amount of damage to your rental car...so just don't risk it!!!


Crater Lake


As above 


View from Marilyn's lookout


As above


Cradle Mountain

 

Wednesday 19 February 2014

Hobart and shopping at Salamanca Markets

1 February

As I had the weekend off from working at Irish, I decided to make the most of it and head down to Hobart. Very few Launcestions seem to like Hobart but I've concluded that it's because Hobart is the only place mentioned when Tassie appears on Australian broadcasting.  

The cheapest way to get down there other than via car is by coach.  Tassieline provide a great service between the two cities.  I paid 38$ each way which for a 2hr45min journey seemed pretty reasonable.  Upon arrival into Hobart, I attempted to find my hostel.  Not so easy without a decent map and even google maps decided to have an 'off' day.  Eventually I arrived 45 mins later at YHA.  This was the first time I'd stayed in one of these as they were normally pretty expensive.  The place was pretty smart as hostels go and very centrally located with the Marina a short walk away and trusty woolworths only a block up the road.  My only gripe was the size of the kitchen.  Far too small for a hostel of that size.


2 and 3 February

The girls in my room were all off on a tour that day so I had an early wake up call.  This didn't bother me in the slightest as the sun was shining and Hobart was looking beautiful.  I first wandered down to the Marina (Victoria docks) to look at the yachts as this is the finishing point for the famous Sydney to Hobart race held on Boxing Day every year.  Apparently the bay itself is the deepest in the Southern Hemisphere. Unfortunately there were no large yachts but there was another cruiseliner similar to the one I saw in Sydney docked in the harbour.  

My first stop of the weekend was the Salamanca Markets.  These world famous markets are held every Saturday and attract thousands of local and international visitors every year.  The first market started in 1972 with merely a dozen stalls and now this number has risen to over 300.  The smallholders sell anything from art and craft to fruit & veg and even handmade jewellery.  If you ever get the chance to visit this part of the world then a trip to these markets is a MUST.  I certainly wish I'd been able to buy some gifts there but I settled for a punnit of cherries and some Tassie fudge.

Although Hobart isn't a large city, there is still so much to see.  Therefore the best way to see everything is via the red double decker bus tours.  For 25$ you receive a bus pass valid for 3 days meaning you can hop on and hop off as much as you like.  The best stop to get on is at the tourist information centre.  From there the bus takes you around Battery Point, up to Sandy Bay via the oldest casino in Australia, up to Cascade Brewery with lovely views of Mount Wellington, through the CBD out to old Hobart Gaol finishing at The Royal Botanical Gardens.  I found it a lot to cover in one day so made the most of the 3 day pass and used it for a 2nd day to have lunch at the Botanical gardens; a perfect spot for a picnic!




Thursday 13 February 2014

The Gorge; an unexpected find in Launceston

23 January

Every city has it's number one attraction or must-see place to visit.  Launceston is no exception.  Sure it has plenty of parks and green space but what truly makes this town different is 'The Gorge.'  Located not even 10 mins from the town centre and a short walk over the bridge is a beautiful, quiet open space.  The best way to see it is via the two footpaths - zig zag track and the main route- but be warned, the zig zag track is not for your casual morning stroll!  Along the main route are plenty of vantage points allowing you to take pictures further up stream.  As you wander past the restaurant, you will find wallabies and peacocks wandering around the grounds.  Don't worry, they prefer their own company to yours or mine!

The first basin is a great meeting point as it has a large grass verge to sit and eat a picnic, a swimming pool for those who aren't brave enough to swim in the gorge and the walking bridge which swings in the wind...literally!  There are plenty more walks around the area but this one is tough to beat.  

Today is Sarah's 10 year anniversary and the first one which I've not been home for.  It's strange not being at home for it but in a way, heading to this place felt like home.  It reminds me of Geirionydd and it's a place I know she would've loved.

This post is dedicated to Sarah Jones - "always remembered, never forgotten, forever in our hearts" <3



Monday 3 February 2014

Another Beerfest adventure but this time in Launceston, Tasmania

16 January

The flight over from Sydney to Tassie was relatively easy and straight forward, although my bag is a lot heavier than I remember.  Matt C aka 'walkie talkie guy' came to collect me and 2 other girls from the airport which was really kind of him.  We had a strange conversation whilst waiting for the girls' bags as one of them had bought some celery, peppers and lettuce with her!  For those of you who don't know, it's allegal in Australia to cross state with any fruit, veg, nuts or seeds.

Anyways, we drove into town and rocked up at Irish (pub owned by James), hung out with a few of the guys, had a few beers then headed for bed.  

17 January

It's my first day in Launceston so I thought I'd take the opportunity to do some exploring before I started my shift.  The town itself is pretty small in comparison to other places I've visited on this trip but it's the closest I've found that reminds me of home.  If not for the size then certainly for the architecture.  

The Beerfest this time round was different.  Instead of being located on the Esplanade, it was on a street outside their local brewery 'James Boag'.  This being said, there was still a great atmosphere.  I worked at the Sail and Anchor stand which were promoting their own beers from Fremantle in WA and also Crabbies Ginger Beer which they have just bought the licensing for.  Ironic considering they put a British girl to promote a British brand!  This is where I made my first group of friends - Toni and Kelly.  For some reason, they found the way I said 'raspberry' funny which resulted in the saying "I'm thinking of having a raspberry".  To you it may not seem funny but say it with a fake british accent and you might begin to get why...either way I'm not sure any of us have had a Friday night quite like it!


Last few days and final thoughts on Sydney

14 January

The last few days have been a bit if a whirlwind.  I have spent most of my time applying for jobs but to no avail.  I had one interview with a family as an au pair but sadly I wasn't able to commit to long term. On a  positive note, I managed to catch up with Jacob (friend via Alicia).  We haven't seen each other since he came to visit Lissi in St Etienne which is almost 5 years ago!  Not that you could've been able to tell...  It was good to see him, hopefully we won't leave it another 5 years!

Having had no luck with jobs, I made the decision to move on.  I had planned to head to Melbourne but spotted a link to the Beerfest in Tassie and thought I'd drop the gang a line to see if there was any as any work going.  James replied saying yes and within a few hours, I'd packed my bag and booked a flight to Launceston. Crazy!!

Sadly this meant that I had to say goodbye to Sydney.  So what are my final thoughts:

Favourite suburb: Surry Hills
Favourite attraction: Walking tour...as it's free!
Favourite place: Blue Mountains

Unforgettable moment: spending new year on observatory hill
Enjoyable moment: Taking the ferry to Manly
'It'll grow on me' moment: I'm not going to lie, the first time I saw the Opera House, I was pretty underwhelmed.  A building I'd want to see for so long just wasn't what I expected.  This being said, it was on a grey day and didn't look it's best.  I've visited it 4-5 times since and if has definitely grown on me.  You certainly can't fault the ingenious architecture involved. 

Regrets?  Sadly I have two.  The first was not seeing the famous Bondi.  Time ran away with me and I'm disappointed that I didn't get chance to go.  The second was doing the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.  I would've loved to have done it but right now, I can't justify that amount of money.

Finally, a big thank you to Conor for taking me in over new year and taking me to the train station :)

Next stop: Launceston, Tasmania


Blue Mountains

11 January

If there is one thing I will appreciate when I head back to Wales, it's having beautiful mountains on my doorstep.  I've yet to find any quite like Snowdonia, so when I spotted the Blue Mountains range in my guide, I immediately jumped at the chance to go and explore.  After a few days of pretty grey weather, the sun eventually came out on the Saturday.  

I boarded the 8.30am train bound for Katooba.  The journey took approx 2 hours.  This was my first time on an Australian train and these ones in particular reminded me of the TGV in France with their double-decker carriages and steel shell.  The only difference were the flipping seats - meaning you can manually move them if you wanted to face foreword or sit in a group of 4- genius! 

Upon arrival I walked 2km through the main town towards Scenic World, an attraction based park which allows you to explore the area around 'The Three Sisters' range.  I had originally planned to just do the skyway but once I'd seen them all in action, it was hard to say no, especially for $30.  

After taking the skyway across the canyon (which it worth the entrance fee alone as the floor suddenly becomes clear and allows you to look straight down- not recommended if you suffer from vertigo) we headed towards Echo Point which is the best spot for the Three Sisters.  Most people had taken the Trolley Buses which had driven them from point to point but I'm glad I opted for walking as I was able to stop at different vantage points along the way and take some great photos.  There was one spot which took my breath away and after sneaking over the barrier (tut tut) allowed my new German friend, Steve, to take a cracking shot!

We continued on past Echo Point to Cahills lookout, a lesser known lookout but one that isn't to be missed as it provides stunning views of here Jamison Valley.  Following which, we headed down the Giant Walkway Stairs, which were the steepest I've ever seen!  I have been known to be a little unsteady on my feet so I was extremely wary about each step I took.  Unlike one father who put his two month old little boy on his shoulders as he climbed the last 20 or so steps.  I'm not even a parent and my heart was in my mouth...

After returning to the other side of the canyon, we headed down the 'steepest railway in the world', at one point I felt like I was back in Alton Towers!  Still it was good fun all the same.  We continued our walking trek past the Katoombe Falls and along a 50 min trek through the rainforest before returning back to the top via cable car before walking the 2km back to the station and taking the train back to Sydney.  For a total of $45 round trip, I felt I got my money's worth and I couldn't have picked a better day for it!