Life Trove: Tasmania 2015

Here is the amazing car we rented with its enormous space at the back for our baggage. The car we originally ordered would not have had anywhere near enough space. But, by a miracle of providence, our car was not back yet when we came to collect it. So they offered us this instead. It would have cost twice the price. So fortunate!

Stopping off for delicious berries along the way. The berries in Tasmania are probably the best I've tasted anywhere. And so wonderfully cheap.

Animal signs along the way. I love the killer kangaroo kicking over the car! And Lauren pretending to be an echidna! We had to be continually on the watch for animals. So many get killed unfortunately. We even found a book entitled "Roadkill Recipes" featuring recipes like Wombat Souffle and Echidna Kebabs (using the quills as skewers!) The amazing thing is it wasn't a "joke book." Took itself very seriously.

We visited this amazing sculpture exhibition on the way out of Lake St Clair. It's called The Wall and is a vast series of wood sculptures of Tasmania's wildlife and the exploits of its industrious settlers. It's 10 years so far in the making and nowhere near finished yet. Definitely worth a visit but don't take photos or you'll get into hot water.

Having a fun game of Scrabble at Mount Field.

At Mount Field, we stayed in some rooms attached to a pub which was nice when we wanted a drink or a game of pool. The place was decorated in a real retro cool style. The pub is "famous" as a location where they filmed the bar scene in the recent movie "The Hunter" featuring Willem Dafoe. Good movie! I watched it when I got back.

Stopping off on the way to Freycinet for blue cheese and the most delicious crackers at an old farmstall. Srini and I used the car bonnet as a table.

The closest we got to a Tassie Devil! Apart from one we saw dead on the road. Lauren kept spotting them from the car in the dark and yelling for us to stop, but then each time they started to hop; turning out to be Wallabies.

On our final night, we all had a slap up meal. A great way to celebrate the end of an amazing trip.

Here we all are at the restaurant. I can't recall the name. "Something on the Bay!!"

Srini being Srini. What a classic he is!! He helped to make the holiday so much fun.

Places in Tasmania we visited

Photos by others in the group

It was wonderful to end our adventures in Tasmania with some rest and relaxation at the coast. Freycinet is a world renowned coastal mecca and with good reason. The scenery is absolutely spectacular.

Here are the highlights of our time in Freycinet ...

Delicious blue cheese, quince and crackers from a roadside cafe on the way to Freycinet followed by orgasmically good cherry ice-cream and succulent black cherries from another cafe further down the road.
Seeing the ocean after all our time in the mountains and an invigorating swim.
Our awesome accommodation in Coles Bay with its water view. Well found, Liz!
Doing the Wine Glass Bay - Hazards Beach circuit (a 5 hour hike) including the iconic view of Wine Glass Bay from the mountain side and some nice group shots.
A nice swim and a lovely sleep on the rocks of Wineglass Bay, listening to the waves. So relaxing.
A bracing and fun group swim on Hazards Beach where we had fun with Srini's GoPro and delayed getting out of the ocean to give Elizabeth time to chat up a sexy Polish diplomat.
Delicious Pagan Cider (a big thanks to JC for the recommendation) and fish and chips from the most disorganised takeaway joint in Tasmania. Still, we were so hungry by the time we got it, it tasted great.
Running the 60+ minute climb to the Wineglass Bay Lookout in under 25 minutes to get my fleece which I'd left up there. Unfortunately it was gone.
Taking lots of close up photos at Sleepy Bay and photos of its mesmerising sculptured orange rocks after being inspired by the photos of Wolfgang Glowacki at the visitor centre.
A scrumptious final meal at a good restaurant "The Edge of the Bay." My meal consisted of seafood chowder, Scollop Linguine and Chocolate Mousse.

Wineglass Bay / Hazard's Beach Circuit

This lovely 5 hour walk took us up to the spectacular Wineglass Bay lookout. Then we continued down to the sandy beach of the Wineglass Bay itself. From there, we hiked to Hazard's Beach and then further along the coast around the base of Mt Mayson back to our car.

A view on the way up to The Wineglass Lookout

The famous view of The Wineglass Bay from a boulder above the Look Out Point.

A great opportunity for a group photo.

Doing the famous Howard ponder!

From the Wineglass Look Out, we hiked down to the sandy beach of The Wineglass Bay itself.

This beach is bordered by gorgeous orange rocks that we made a bee line for.

I loved the bright orange against the green of the sea and blue of the sky.

The sun came out and it was time for a swim.

Of course, Srini had the same idea. Not sure who loves the water more.

Then we sat on the rocks and chilled...

... which led to a group sleep. So relaxing, with the sound of the waves sighing up the beach.

Srini out for the count!

Revived by our sleep, it was time for a leap!

Liz wasn't to be outdone.

From Wineglass Bay, we hiked onto Hazard's Beach....

... where we had a gorgeous group swim while Liz chatted up a sexy Polish diplomat.

Srini took his GoPro into the water and captured these stunning shots of Zante ....

... and Lauren

Here's the awesome video footage of the underwater swimming.

From Hazard's Beach, we hiked on along the coast ....

.... around the base of Mount Mayson

We saw some lovely wildlife on the way ...

... and some gorgeous flowers too.

I absolutely loved the "Grass Tree" (left)

Cape Tourville

After our hike, we drove onto Cape Tourville to enjoy its fantastic views up and down the coast. I don't ever remember seeing ocean so blue.

Cape Tourville is home to a lighthouse. The coastline around here is very treacherous.

Sleepy Bay

On our last full day, it was overcast and threatened to rain so we decided to chill out at Sleepy Bay instead of going for a long drive somewhere. I'm so delighted we did. I had no expectations, but it blew me away with it's amazing sculptured, colourful rocks. Oh how I do love sculptured rocks!!

How beautiful is that!

Absolutely no-one can show off rocks like Srini. He really is my photographic muse.

This huge orange rock especially caught our imagination.

Before we went to Sleepy Bay, we spent some time in the visitor centre where we were entranced by the macro photography of Wolfgang Glowacki. So when we arrived at the bay, we were inspired to try out lots of close ups. Here is a selection of those photos. It blows me away how much beauty there is in the little things.

Here are some people shots taken at Sleepy Bay...

Me in action ...

... then having a rest. Photography is hard work!

Srini taking in the wonder of it all ....

... then having a bit of a contemplation.

Home life

We stayed at an amazing house in Freycinet with a patio and a lovely view. All our accommodation was organised by Liz. She's a genius at finding amazing places that don't cost a lot.

Here I am making a local friend at the supermarket.

Places in Tasmania we visited

Photos by others in the group

Life Trove

31 January 2015

Tasmania - daily life on our trip

29 January 2015

Freycinet