Blogs from Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, Oceania - page 10

I've decided to fly to Tasmania (Launceston) instead of catching the ferry as had been originally planned. I checked on the ferry website and they wanted to charge me $180 ($40 because I had a roo bar on the car) for an overnight sailing that would take 13 hours. On checking flights this morning I was able to get a flight on Qauntas which took 45 minutes and only cost me $130. Mar and Ana are currently walking the Overland track in western tassie so spent the evening catching up and getting to know Pete, Mar's boyfriend who is a really nice sound bloke with a stunning woodsided cabin set high on the hills overlooking launceston - how lucky they are. There is even an outside hot-tub/spa although the temperature around here at the moment is ... read more

As promised - a Gourmet blog outlining some of the delishamundo snacks we've been endulging in while here in Tasmania, or as Alan's started calling it 'Shazmania'. Sure there's a compliment in there somewhere (?!). There's been chocolate factories, cheese factories, country pubs with ace lunches, mega breakfasts, classic coffees, special cakes, raspberry farms, wineries, smashing restaurants, fish n' chips by the water, lavendar farms, delicatessens with excellent meats, pies and sausages, and wonderful breweries. We've even found some Edinburgh Rock, and to our absolute delight....some Irn Bru!!!! Unfortunately the new jeans we bought in Sydney are now straining to the point of almost bursting. In earnest, Tasmania is teaming with wonderful produce, so if you are a foodie, and in the Aussie area - we advise you to take a trip - you won't regret ... read more

From Hobart, I was headed back to Melbourne with a flight from Launceston. My plan to see Cradle Mountain fell apart when I realised it was the last weekend of school holidays, and all accomodation there was fully booked. When I had initially arrived on Tasmania it was beautiful weather - and looking out onto the rain swept streets of Hobart I could only visualise sunny Launceston. Even though all the weather reports showed it to be poor weather across the entire island, I had faith that the sun was shining in Launceston - and so bought a ticket back there. For once my instincts were right - I arrived and instantly the slightly depressed feelings that had been welling up in Hobart disappeared. It was great.  Due to the previous weeks bad weather, the gently ... read more

2002/02 Entry 3 These three Tasmanian entries will not include an actual travel journal as I don't have the time to go through my notes. What I think are the best pictures have been posted and a few comments here and there kind of tell the story:) ....feel free to ask questions about any part of the trip. Basically DV and myself rode from Launceston to Hobart through the centre of Tassy, then back up to Launceston via the east coast.... read more

I remember sitting in a family restaurant, where my mom and dad broke the news to me and my younger sister that our Australian grandad was in critical condition with his health, and that if it got any worse we were going to fly to Tasmania to see him one last time. It did get worse, and we did go. I was perhaps too young to understand the sadness. I had never known him that well but he did visit us several times in Hong Kong and pulled off several magic tricks for us. I remember I couldn't sit still at his funeral. I was in the hospital playroom when they pulled the plug on him.... read more