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Published: October 13th 2007
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What a welcome to Tasmania...!
... a state full of surprises! and beautiful skies! Thursday 8th February to Wednesday 21st February 2007
Volunteering - the greatest hidden backpacker experience. It makes you feel good, people think you're great for doing it (how else can you see amazing places for free!!) and what's more you're providing a valuable service. In this case I had the very important job of pouring beer!!! Many people just could not have done without me!
Yes, I had agreed with my Aussie housemate Alyce to volunteer for Bicycle Victoria's 'Great Tasmanian Bike Ride': 743km down the east coast of Tasmania. We were to be transformed into bar chicks! I don't think they really knew what they'd let themselves in for but they soon got the idea!! We were to be working at the 'Cafe de Canvas', that served no coffee!
Arnehmland was my first volunteering experience - yes I was cleaning toliets, Tasmania was my second and by jove it didn't disappoint!
See how I've got with the lingo!! Translation for some may be required - hopefully you'll find it somewhere!!
The ROUTE: Melbourne
(Victoria) - Devonport
(Tasmania) - Launceston - Pipers Brook - Banxholm
(via Scottsdale) - St Helens - Bicheno
(via Scamander) - Swansea
Devonport to Launceston
amazing colours in the countryside - trying not to watch mr bean! - not what you need after 11 hrs on a boat! - Triabunna - Richmond - Hobart!!! Phew!! With detours north of St Helens to Binalong Bay
(Bay of Fires), Coles Bay, Freycinet Penisula
(Wineglass Bay and Hazard Bay) and Port Arthur! Quite a lot covered in 2 weeks!!
Melbourne to Devonport. The Task: Get from Carlton North, Melbourne to Devonport, Tasmania.
This may sound simple. Get on a tram to South Melbourne Beach, walk or taxi to the Port, get on the Spirit of Tasmania II, wake up in Tasmania! Mmmm... Get out the door. Alyce has forgotten her bag tag... Get on the tram. It's the wrong one. See where this is going...!! :-) We get on the ferry and head straight for the bar - well we have to do some research!
Task accomplished. Devonport - Launceston - Pipers Brook. Me: 'Shall we go for breakfast?'
Alcye: 'Awh yeeah'
Me: 'Oh no! The tent is caving in from the wind!'
Alyce: 'Awh yeeah'
Me: 'I've never eaten so much porridge before!'
Alyce: 'Awh yeeah'
Me: 'Wow! What amazing skies and sunsets they have in Tasmania'
Alyce: 'Awh yeeah'
Ride Day: ONE. Pipers Brook. Todays list of 'Lessons Learnt':
Lesson 1: When it rains in Tasmania it pours. Continuously. Today 2.30am untill 11am.
Lesson 2: When you put up your tent make sure the outter layer is not touching the inner layer. If it does this will result in puddles inside the tent when it should decide to chuck it down with rain.
Lesson 3: Even though you have been trained on how to pour a 'pot' using water; it is no substitute for beer. Especially when it all goes wrong and froths everywhere!!
Lesson 4: Breakfast is well and truely packed away by 8am.
Ride Day: TWO. Pipers Brook to Branxholm. Note to self: DO NOT put up tent next to the catering ladies when we arrive in Branxholm.
Ride Day: THREE. Branxholm to St Helens. Ok so the showers.
ummm oh yeah the funniest is our showers - they're in the back of those massive trucks and cos the average age is bout 60 you just have loads of naked old woman juggling their bits around the place and chit chatting random stuff!!! - a definate experience i can tell you!
Ride Day: FOUR. St Helens to Bicheno. Ride Day: FIVE. Bicheno to Swansea. Ride Day: SIX. Swansea. Day off - aka the day I got well and truely 'dumped'! Today I got dumped in the most beautiful bay in the world!! Yes, I got pounded by the waves and tossed around like I was in a washing machine. I ate sand and looked a right state when I got dragged out! That was midway in a 5hr, approximately 11km, walk aourn the Freycinet Peninsula.
Ride Day: SEVEN. Swansea to Triabunna. Only two more sleeps to go... :-(
Ride Day: EIGHT. Triabunna to Richmond. Alcye: I can't believe it's our last night!'
Me: 'Awh yeeah'
Alyce: ''
Me: 'Awh yeeah'
Alyce: ''
Me: 'Awh yeeah'
See how I've got with the lingo!! Translation for some may be required - hopefully you'll find it somewhere!!
Ride Day: NINE. Richmond to Hobart. Hobart. Port Arthur. Today I visited Port Arthur - the convict station - for the day on an old peoples tour!! Thought I could handle it after 10 days with old people
@ The Bar...
The beers helps the words flow... clad in lycra! The site was actually really beautifu and really reminded me of home - it even had oak trees with acorns! Very exciting.
Hobart to Melbourne. check these out for more info...
http://www.bv.com.au/
http://www.bv.com.au/great-rides/20006/
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