ashnalbert

I sit here in the complete warmth in our tiny cabin, locked away in the complete wilderness of Tasmania. It’s wet, cold and dark outside, but for a couple that don’t really like being away from civilisation, we find the Lemonthyme Wilderness Retreat to be very nice. Waking up this morning to a bright and sunny Hobart was a bit disappointing. Our only full day yesterday had been wet and miserable, so of course the day we were due to leave there was hardly a cloud in the sky. It was a slow start, as we weren’t entirely sure what we were going to do today. We knew the drive to Cradle Mountain was the longest of the trip, yet at the same time, there was still some more of Hobart to see. Debating over breakfast ... read more

According to the weather report this morning, parts of Australia were expecting uncharacteristic heatwaves for April. Well, I can assure you that is definitely not being felt down here in Hobart, where the people are layered up to keep out the bitter chill in the air. Today is definitely the coolest day we've had, and the first day I've needed my coat outside. So far, our experience of Hobart is that it's a lovely city, bustling with locals and tourists, though not to the degree of Sydney or Melbourne. It's fairly easy to navigate, even for total newbies. And there is a beautiful harbour just over the road where boats come and go (or sit). It's really a wonderful place to be. We started our morning around 7 this morning, being in no rush to get ... read more

This morning was difficult to get out of bed. Not because we were tired, but because the bed was extremely comfortable and we were very warm. We were woken around 5:45 by a loud crash outside, and after a moment, realised it was one of the deck chairs crashing over as it was very windy outside – not a comforting thought when your whole accommodation is in the middle of a national park with an abundance of very tall trees. By then, we were wide awake, but stayed in bed until our alarm went off an hour later. After showering, we went down to breakfast, which was covered in the cost of our accommodation, so we didn’t need to pay any extra. It was your typical selection of hot and cold food most hotels provide for ... read more

Our day started with an early 5:15 wake-up call by the captain of the ship. We were due to arrive in Devonport at 5:30 and passengers were to disembark by 5:50. It wasn’t the best night’s sleep we’ve ever had, though it wasn’t awful. We went to bed just as we exited Port Melbourne and almost immediately after that, the trip became a little rockier. I’m lucky and don’t get sea sick, but Albert felt a little queasy and was determined to fall asleep quickly in order to avoid being sick. It was a little more difficult for me to fall asleep, but eventually we did, and after that it wasn’t an awful night. By about 5:20, we were up and busy packing. Our cabin’s shower left little to be desired with only a few moments ... read more

Today was something Ashleigh had been wanting to do for her last few visits to Melbourne, but never got the chance in the past - visit the Neighbours street and set. Well, today was the day. When we booked, the tour specifically said that it was a tour to the street only, with a bonus of getting photos with a past or present cast member. They only do set tours on the weekend, and we couldn't go, but we were aware of that when we booked. There is a specific building on Flinders St, dedicated to the Neighbours tour (as well as a few others the company does, but the sign advertises neighbours). We'd seen it a previous day by accident, so we knew where to go. It was still a near 30 minute walk from ... read more