Bushwalking, Bicheno & Booper

---

We had only been bush walking for approximately 2 hours- but a mere dawdle I realise for some of you more hardened walkers out there… However, it was at this point that I finally had to admit the stark truth which I had been denying since setting out from the relative safety of Lee’s Hut in near 0 temperatures and driving rain. I was absolutely freezing. This obviously meant that Carissa had probably been freezing a whole lot longer but to her credit managed to keep this startling revelation to herself.

What is it they say about the best laid plans? Weeks of studious research, scrounging camping gear (thank you Murray), collating maps and equipment… Only to encounter some of the most shocking weather one could imagine, you know the kind - where the rain travels sideways.

For the Overland Track aficionados out there, the plan had been to enter Cradle Mountain park from the Walls of Jerusalem side halfway down the track, and do a 3 night walk including Mt Oakleigh and Mt Ossa. Unfortunately, due to some rather unforgiving weather, Carissa and I managed a 2 night walk, sheltering in first Lee’s hut and secondly New Pelion Hut. It was around this time that we came to our senses and admitted defeat, retracing our steps all the way back to the car, arriving at dusk on the third day having climbed no mountains and having kept the geographical embarrassment to a minimum. At this point I should stop to endorse Black and Gold chicken and noodle soup sachets, a surprisingly tasty and filling meal that deceives by way of its weight and size.

We hope to return to Cradle Mountain National Park to undertake the unfinished walk in the future, however not before receiving some sort of assurance that the weather forecast is nothing but sun for the entire week. I also realise that as far as Tassie weather is concerned no such assurance exists.

We have since journeyed across the entire breadth of the state to the east coast to visit a good friend from our Thursday Island days- Mr. Homer Caris and his two bitches, Booper Dooper and Gidgy Goo. Homer has since migrated south to the lovely town of Bicheno (the game fish don’t stand a chance).That night Homer treated us to some of the best seafood I’ve ever tasted (determined to uphold his Donna Hay reputation), and trading stories from our time on T.I was the perfect antidote to having been ‘washed off the mountain’.

The following day Homer, Carissa and I ventured south to Freycinet National Park and walked to stunning Wine Glass Bay. The famous white sands of this pristine beach are known the world over, as was clear by the eclectic mix of tourists walking the trail. Having walked off but a fraction of the seafood, we didn’t feel remotely guilty sneaking in some oysters for lunch at Coles bay before bidding Homer farewell. We then made our way south to the Tasman Peninsula where we are working for the next four weeks.

Carissa is working professionally and I have since found work at the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park in Taranna, helping refurbish and landscape the new pens for the little devils.
Until next time.Hoo Roo

---

Comments

[renee]

re: wineglass bay lookout
that's a sexy leg Homer

[jessica]

that is a shame about the walk!!! good on you for giving it a crack though!!