Blogs from Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia, Oceania - page 4

This morning we got up and went downstairs for breakfast with our complimentary vouchers. We are not quite sure how we managed to get these - when G phoned up to book on Friday, the reservation team were busy so he left our number for them to phone us back. After about 10 minutes we were ready to leave to go to Apollo Bay so he decided to phone back to see if they were available and managed to get through and made the booking (and booked a room only rate). Half way to Apollo Bay, reservations called our phone, obviously after being passed our number from our original call, and I explained that we had already called back and made a reservation but that I would like to change our rate to a breakfast inclusive ... read more

Well to the poor people who entertained me at 1, 2, 3 and even 4 am the other morning I apologise. Sarah and I went to bed at around 11 pm cause we had to get up at 4.30am to catch a flight to Tasmania. Unfortunately while Sarah snored her pretty little head off, I was wide awake - just couldn't sleep. So I got up, read every old newspaper in their apartment and had a shower at 4am. We headed for the airport at 5am to catch our flight to Hobart. Sarah slept again the whole way over on the flight, which was a little less than an hour. We arrived just before 8 & poor little Hobart airport makes Cork airport look like JFK! While I waited for the bags Sarah went and ... read more

We spent our last few days in Tasmania centred in Hobart. Saturday’s Salamanca Markets lured us for most of the day where we made a few good purchases, and served as a good day of relaxation. Sunday was spent exploring the ruins of Port Arthur - Australia’s most renowned penal colony. We learned all about Australia’s convict past and the Port Arthur site in particular. With the aim of humanization and rehabilitation, the prison began as a logging camp in 1830 and developed into an industrial manufacturing prison over the following decades. Prisoners were sent to work - those who worked well rose in the ranks and were able to work as tradesmen in the bakery, kitchen, woodshop, metalshop etc. Prisoners who weren’t well behaved worked on the chain gangs doing manual labour by clearing trees ... read more

We awoke to a lovely clear, cool morning. We were packed and on the road at 9am. At Port Arthur we again got the "married room" at the YHA. The hostel is in a great location and has better views than the motel which charges 10 times the price ($10 for two in a double room with a view - what a bargain). We walked our feet off exploring the ruins of the convict settlement and jail. Despite the fact that the area looks so idyllic and parklike these days, it must have been a much starker place that greeted those convicts. Labouring in chains, sleeping in cold, damp cells - no thanks! We had a rest back in our room and enjoyed the view back over the settlement to the water. We booked ourselves on ... read more