Touring Round Hobart

---

Camping and Servas Travelling

We've made it to Hobart, capital of Tasmania in one piece with most of what came with us.

It's a lovely country with a much smaller sense of scale to it than the mainland. It reminds us much more of Europe or England than the rest of the Australia we have seen. We have stayed with a few Servas hosts who have welcomed us with open arms even though they have been busy with other things. Michael was taken out on Monday evening to join an outing with the Hash Harriers involving a special boat trip across the river Derwent, a bus trip to a nearby settlement (hardly a town or a village with just one shop) and then a six kilometre run or walk; we walked. It was great fun with about fifty participants mostly older but all ages and a lot of insults. On the boat back to Hobart they spent all the time telling jokes about the members and finding stories to tell about them so they were in bad light at the end of each the participant had to down a glass of beer. About thirty glasses went during the return. Meanwhile Lesley was meeting a sharman woman who is putting back her lost soul. And we had the worst downpour of the holiday so far. Luckily, it did not rain on the run/walk.

And tonight, Tuesday, we are with a couple who are only able to take us for the one night but it's the night of the bookgroup which Lesley is joining in with even though she has not read the book.

We've done the cycle ride up the east coast of the Derwent and tomorrow we may make it up the west side. We've been to Port Arthur, the main convict settlement on Tasmania to see what remains of the 19th century buildings. It was very brutal here as in England, I expect, and the stories are awful. The ones of the aborigines are worse of course as they were all wiped out.

The van is doing well with the two bikes on the back but we are now outside people's houses rather than on a campsite.

Our current host only has dial-up and the connection does not fit this laptop. So news is delayed.

Until now when we have a Servas host with wifi. Cheers. This means we have seen Ben for a couple of breakfasts now and caught up with the emails.

And the weather here is sparkling clear and sunny. We found a wonderful beach and walk on Bruny Island where we stayed for one night free camping. And today we went for a bike ride along the old railway line north out of Hobart up to a classy winery where we had lunch...and a glass of wine.

Tomorrow we go north towards Launceston in the Midlands.

---