Continuation²

Well my very lengthy blogging about my Tasmania trip must finally draw to a close! I have so many other things to write about that have happened/ will happen soon and this topic is just getting ridiculously drawn out… my fault! : ) I left off with the BBQ count up to 6 and we are off to our road trip. Our day started bright and early

with a sugar rush as the girls and Al cooked Todd a very yummy birthday breakfast/cake. Along the way to Launceston we picked up a hitchhiker (kidding, just another friend: Wade) and so now our numbers are up to 8 friendly faces. We stayed in Launceston for the night which was a really nice town of approximately 65,000 people. That night our BBQ count increased yet again

and we stayed at Jodie’s (one of Todd’s really close friends) bright orange house. I am getting ahead of myself though. In the arvo (afternoon) we drove into Launceston (known as the five

minute city for its compact nature) and tried to check out the monkeys at the monkey park but unfortunately they were already put away for the day. Being the resourceful, goofy group that we are, we decided to imitate monkeys ourselves and started to do some very poor yoga in the park. Of course the yoga progressed to who can

do the most and longest handstands and other competitive displays of strength and flexibility. After quite a bit of time we were all tuckered out and went back to Jodie’s place for a really nice birthday BBQ for Todd. Our next stop was wineglass bay, one of the most picturesque and beautiful beaches IN THE WORLD. We stayed there for one night before moving onto Hobart for the Taste of Tasmania and Falls Festival in Marion Bay. Wineglass Bay Below $

Taste of Tasmania or “The Taste” is actually the only thing I had ever heard about Tasmania (besides the devils) before coming to Australia and I was not disappointed. The taste is a food and drink festival set in the backdrop of the Hobart harbor. The night before falls we all relaxed and ate and ate and ate until we could not squeeze in another drop.

We went home quite content and ready for the 2 day music festival that would bring us into the New Year. Falls was absolutely incredible. There were two stages where bands would perform from 12pm- 4am each day. We set up our tents in the huge grassy paddocks around the stages and spent the next two days listening to incredible bands while dancing like the crazy idiots that we are. Whenever we got tired we would just go back to the tents and take a nap or play cards under our life saving gazebo. For New Years Eve the lineup was Midnight Juggernauts and then the Yeah Yeah Yeahs which were both an exhilarating experience.

I have never had such an exciting new years eve and it was so incredible to be celebrating the new decade with all of my new friends. We all laughed and danced and sang until we exhaustedly crawled into our tents.

We awoke the next morning bright and early at 6am and after my slightly frightening experience with a HUGE spider (bugs love me) crawling up my leg we piled into the car and headed for Port Arthur which is an old prison compound that was used by the British to incarcerate their unwanted convicts. Having rushed to finish “For the Term of His Natural Life” over the past few days I felt that this experience was more profound and meaningful to me and Todd than to the other members of the group. It would be like visiting Auschwitz and not knowing what the Holocaust was. In any case, I love love LOVE old buildings and the history that went with them and so I really enjoyed walking around the old prison grounds. That night we all returned for a ghost tour and although none of us saw any ghosts I definitely think that our senses were stirred up a bit. Oh yah, add another BBQ to the count ;)

Port Arthur was our last official stop and the next day we drove back across the state to Ulverstone. The drive across the state was absolutely beautiful. The countryside seemed to change every mile or so and there was so many different little towns that we would drive through for 30 seconds and then it would be gone! Todd said “They say if you don’t like the weather in Tassie, come back in 5 min…” but we had absolutely impeccable weather for the entire trip. Even though this trip was packed so tight we could barely breathe I think we all had an incredible time hanging out with each other and experiencing this new beautiful place. I know that Tassie is a place that I will never ever forget. That night we had another BBQ to finish it all off and then we were forced to say goodbye to the place and people that had occupied our time for the past 16 days. We have all seen each other since but of course our feelings of companionship and closeness has changed just a bit as we all return to our normal lives. I am so thankful to have such an incredible group of friends to experience Australia with; my time here would not be the same without them. Cheers to you all! P.s. Check out my facebook for LOADS more pictures from my trip- It is worth it! :)