Hobart, Port Arthur, Mt. Wellington, Cradle Mountain
World Trip Two
Thursday, May 14, 2009: Melbourne-Hobart, Australia
A little bit of England.
It was a travel day for most of the day. We drove from South Yarra to Melbourne Airport, then flew south to Hobart in Tasmania. The weather forecast predicted rain, but we did not see it when we arrived - just clouds and wind. We drove our rental car to Hobart and located our accommodation in a converted wool store.
Then we took a short walk through the historic part of town. Hobart's old town is very reminiscent of Mother England, with its Victorian and terrace homes. But what fantastic ambiance it created as we walked the tiny streets under the overcast sky and next to the quicksilver bay. It is fall in the southern hemisphere. The golden colors of the leaves on and around the trees added to the atmosphere. We particularly enjoyed visiting Battery Point, which overlooks a bay filled by the Pacific Ocean. The thought of the next stop being Antarctica made me remember my visit to the frozen continent.
Friday, May 15, 2009: Port Arthur, Australia
The fire-destroyed remains of the prison at Port Arthur.
On our drive to Port Arthur, we saw the most amazing rainbow. The weather was blowing through quite fast, and some of it was rain. The rain moving past us landed in patches all around. I think this caused the strong, very beautiful rainbows we saw about us.
We kept taking wrong turns as we tried to leave Hobart, missing our turn twice in a row. Eventually, we got it right and were on our way. The road was windy, but once we left the city area, we made good time as there was not much traffic.
Graves on the Island of the Dead.
The virus I had picked up in Melbourne had taken hold of me this morning. The only symptoms I had were tiredness and some throat soreness. It was not enough to stop me from visiting the infamous Port Arthur Penal Colony.
Once there, we took a walking tour of the grounds and a boat tour to the Island of the Dead, a small nearby island used as the colony's graveyard. On paper, this all seems quite gruesome, but in fact, the place is a natural wonderland with a very colorful history, to say the least. Just to add to its history, on April 28, 1996, a madman shot dead 35 tourists and others. Even though the place is full of natural beauty, it seems to be forever stained by human suffering.
Saturday, May 16, 2009: Mt. Wellington, Australia
Snowy Mt. Wellington.
We looked out of the window and saw Mount Wellington covered in snow. I think we are certifiably insane because, immediately upon sighting this frozen landscape, we decided to head to the mountain for a hike.
A giant grabby gum tree.
Clouds, rain, sunshine, and rainbows appeared and disappeared above us as we headed up towards the snow. When we arrived at the parking lot for our hike, it was covered in snow, and snow was falling thickly around us. At the last moment, we changed our minds about climbing further towards the summit in such unpredictable weather conditions. Instead, we headed down below the snow level and set out in the pouring rain along a trail lower down the mountain. Amazingly, we stayed dry, and it seemed the thick, dark forest sheltered us from the worst weather. The weather continued to vary second by second as we walked - gusts of wind followed by rain clouds, then blue sky, then pelting rain.
Mt. Wellington is covered in trails. I fantasized about staying there for weeks and hiking daily in the ancient forest filled with eucalypts and ferns. I had read there's a tree in Tasmania that's 3,000 years old. It seems unbelievable. Yet, standing in that ancient forest among enormous trees spilling over granite boulders, I could easily accept the age of such a tree.
Another enchanted forest.
It's great to be able to step into the wilderness and then leave in the comfort of a warm car. Ours seemed particularly wonderful and warm as we headed towards the bay and Wrest Point, the first casino opened in Australia. We arrived there to witness the Tasmanian Sci-fi convention filled with Darth Vaders, Supermen, and a multitude of otherworldly beings perusing booths in the casino.
On our way in, I got bitten on the leg by an unidentified Australian critter. I tried to dismiss from my mind that this country has the top 10 most poisonous critters in the world but could not help feeling slightly anxious as my leg continued to bleed from a single deep puncture. It's now several hours later, and I am still functioning well and hungry for delicious Tasmanian seafood for dinner, so I think I will survive.