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Published: November 3rd 2008
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Check out the Countryside
Launceston Airport. Yes, I was deliberately flighing into the middle of nowhere. And no, people are not wierd here at all (not that I believed in the tales of those oh so knowing mainland chaps that have never been here before). First example: Greame. Very friendly pricipal of a countryside school near Deloraine.
Deloraine, exactly. About 50ks west of Launceston and not very big. Very quiet instead. Even more so in the middle of the forest, where Graeme and his wife Grendaline are living. An they are living in a paradise like surrounding! They built their house out of rocks and bottles and do not rely on electricity, as they use solar power. The house is simply amazing. I dropped a video for you to have look.
I really loved being in this peaceful, quiet environment with so hospitable people. I took one of the bikes to ride the 5 ks into town. The way is enjoyable and follows the river. It's easy to feel that people have a different relationship to their environment here. and to other people as well. The world seems to have more value for people here, but that's just my subjective
impression and I don't want to be discriminating. Deloraine itself is really small and sleepy. Nothing special really.
Graeme drives me into the Cradle Vallay National Park and I illegally sleep in one of the dayhuts because camping is not permitted either. The following morning I started quite early and walked for the whole day through this amazingly scenic natural area of lakes and mountains. I can't loose too many words about this experience... only that it was a good and refreshing feeling to be all with myself in the present with every step I take, but still floating around in memories and putting things together. Seems like nobody has tidied up the space in the back of my mind for some time. It was a most enjoyable day in nature and the views were fascinating. I made a video but I never finished uploading it; maybe there're still software problems (it's a beta). Stay tuned, maybe I'll manage soon.
In the evening my way leads me back to the forest outside Deloraine and I spend another day here. At this point the trip already had the effect I hoped it might have after the whole time I have... but
in the end eight days turned out to be too short nontheless of course.
Check out the Capital
Tasmania has over 90.000 sq km but less than 500.000 inhabitants. So I didn't want to miss to go to the city where more than every third inhabitant lives: Hobart. (Just as a footnote: you might think that that the island is very sparcely populated, given the figures just presented. That might be true in your terms but it's density of population is neary three times the average of the whole of Australia.) Friendly teacher collegues of Graeme and Grendaline gave me a lift. I arrived in Hobart on a Saturday - and that is the perfect day to be here, because you can have a look at Salamanca Market. This market is the best place for people who want to buy Tasmanian art (or for people like me, who want to buy fresh veggies and talk about different kinds of honey or similar stuff). I made a short video giving you a glimps of the market and it's flair. (If I manage to upload it...) It was the first thing I saw in this town and immediately I liked
it.
After my time at the market I met Russell, who was willing to host me for the weekend. A great, well travelled guy who told me stories from Berlin only an insider could know but still he is from here. He is of a really funny kind and we got along really well. I was happy to be there. And as the clock struck midnight I wanted to revive m codenamed mission, checking out if there's a decent party on a Saturday night in a city with less than 200.000 inhabitants (but a potential of 500.000, as there wont be much subculture in the other towns and they would meet in Hobart, I guess). The first try was at a club called Mobius; It's known for sometimes playing breakbeats and drum'n'bass. Not so today. It was seedy as. I thought it was Wednesday and I was back in Wollongong. 'Guys, this is disgusting. Let's get out of here'! And so we did. But what was more was that the only other party that night was a gay techno party. Who would have thought that I would end up on a gay techno party on the other side of
the globe and even pay entrance? Most wierd things can happen down under, I tell you.
I just followed the normal plan that usually applies when I happen to find myself on a techno party and there's nothing better to do than stay: I try to get a little drunk and in the progress I experience the music is getting better and better according to my tricked perception. Only did I started drinking twelve hours ago when I met Russell and nothing happened so far. After being asked for the 100th time 'Where're you from? From Denmark?' I couldn't help it anymore and just said yes. But when I wasn't really able to answer the following questions I thought maybe I should learn more about our neighbours. 'You're not from Denmark, I can tell!' 'Ah, so you're a specialist on that field, huh? Tell you what, than: You're not gay, I can tell.'
I gave it two more hours of serious trying and now alcohol did have an effect. By that time about only 20 people were left (including me and Russell; who is not gay either by the way). The laserlight created an atmosphere comparable to a club scene
in a movie from the early 90's, drunk lesbian girls were dancing around me and the only straight girl tried to seduce the Dj, who was unable to do two things at once and totally messed up all his mixing (and I mean totally, including records running out; and it all got worse when he wanted to impress her and show her how it works). I felt misplaced... well, fair enough, taken into account that I totally was misplaced.
Most of the next day we wasted with sleeping and didn't do much interesting stuff except for driving up Mt. Wellington and the wind up there was so strong and freezing that it could easily blow the milk out of your tea. At least a cooked some decent dinner for the guys to thank them for their hospitality and I think they really appreciated that. We sat lat that night and talked about music and travels.
Check out the Checkout
All in all a great trip to Hobart, most of all becuase of the people I had the pleasure to meet. But time's racing and I'm back in a bus that brings me back the 200 ks to
the north of the island to a town I've been before, only that I didn't bother to stop here last time: Launceston. With 100.000 inhabitants Tasmania's second largest city (that means that if you subtract these 100.000 and the 200.000 that live in greater Hobart from the overall 500.000... there'ren't too many people spread over the island). I was picked up by Pete, who lives with his Mallorcan girlfriend Mar in the north-east of the town near the Gorge, a part of the river with steep cliffs at either side - very popular in free climbers. That place was probably where I spent most of my time when roaming about in the city. Beside that, I enjoyed Pete's cooking skills and we sat by the fireside till late each evening.
The Island of Tranquility
I had a great time in Tasmania and even though it only were too short eight days it felt like a good long time. I had a lot of time for myself, enjoying marvellous nature, thinking, thinking and remembering. It was a trip I won't forget soon although the stories don't sound too special. Maybe that is exactly because I highly valued
metal bands
normally don't have a sax or piano, do they? things that are not commonly understood as being special; things like delicios local cheese or a beautyfully shaped tree on the shore of a lake.
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silvi
non-member comment
awesome
hey mathi.... can't imagine...I'm so impressed...feeling like beeing back in sweet ecuador when I was visiting the national park of Cajas....especially the composition of the landscape....I mean the trees, mountains and lakes seem to be the same....it's amazing....I guess I can imagine how you felt why discovering that.... hugging you like crazy silvi