A much cooler night and quality curtains allows for a bit of a sleep-in and both kids are reluctant risers. It might be the 18,000 steps we’re doing daily. Today will be no different.We share a quick backpackers breakfast (Woolworths croissants, fruit and nutri-grain) in the Kermandie Guest Room. An expansive room with two 8 seater square dining tables, a couple of smaller tables and chairs and a couch, in front of a fire-place; all overlooking Port Huon marina. Dozens of seagulls circle and cry above the rows of boats below. On the insistence of all at yesterdays dinner, we jump in the Kona and drive through Geeveston for the Hartz Mountain National Park. The last half of the drive is on unsealed roads but the Kona handles it well. Arve Road swerves through gum trees, ... read more

The downside of a panoramic view is the sunrise hits you early. Doesn’t seem to bother Deaks! A quick continental breakfast at Lufra (is it complimentary? Not sure) and we are off to Port Arthur. Every drive down down here is a short drive, by Queensland standards, we are there in 20 minutes. And every drive on Tasman Peninsula is scenic. Always surrounded by water, beach, farm or forest.I must confess I didn’t know off Port Arthur before the mass shooting in 1996. And while the tragedy of the shooting hangs over the place, the historic purpose of the place is equally tragic and harsh.The old buildings - particularly the penitentiary and church - are beautiful. The stories of the prisoners, guards and commandants remind you of the grim and inhumane purpose of the place.Anyone living ... read more

Another cold and clear morning. The amount of frost around suggests we might of had a zero overnight. A local suggests that frost means a sunny clear day ahead. We only notice the extent of the frost when we hit the playground after breakfast. A delightful brecky at Caffeine Laboratory - occupying the corner on a row of heritage listed shops still beingh supported by scaffolding - reminds Jules of the old Continental Cafe on Brunswick St. The kids struggle to finish the one of the sweetest breakfasts I've ever seen and we head to the nearby playground to burn off some of the excessive sugar they've just ingested. It's the kid's second visit to the Margaret Mahy Family playground and the biggest playground in the southern hemisphere tops the list of Christchurch attractions on TripAdvisor ... read more

The sun came up (eventually), England got knocked out of the World Cup and it's crystal clear blue skies with no wind - is this the perfect day? Close! And I was initially disappointed that we weren't going to experience such cracking weather on the slopes, until we booked our lake cruise. We awoke with no plans - except to check-out by 10 am. Some of us were up for kick-off at 6 but the majority didn't surface until just before 9. But being seasoned travellers we were packed and ready to check-out by about 9.30! What a team! With zero wind chill, today still felt the coldest of all our days here. We packed up, rugged up and knicked off. We parked just out of town (Brisbane St coincidentally) to avoid parking fees/fines and walked ... read more

Remarkable! It doesn't really do them justice. It undersells them. More magnificent and brilliant than notable. We rolled the dice with the weather and it came up doubles sixes. It was an awesome day on the slopes. Maximum temps of 4 degrees but blue skies and white fluffy clouds. 25 cm of powder over 48 hours and the roads were covered with grit and ice. This delayed the bus departures and caused a monster queue for the shuttle bus. Where we had walked on to the first 8 am bus to Coronet Peaks on Monday we joined the heaving masses waiting patiently in the sunshine for a shuttle bus up the mountains. The Remarkables queue snaked for over 100 metres up Man St and down Camp St to the corner of Stopover St and it wasn't ... read more