Lovely Launceston

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Trip Start Jul 27, 2008 Previous
Entry Trip End Jan 21, 2009 Next
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  Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Thursday, November 13, 2008

G'day again cobbers!
                   
After another rather dodgy JetStar flight (why do the pilots never seem to want to land the damn planes??) we arrived in the northern city of Launceston, Tasmania.
 
This place has the lot.  It has endless shopping streets with shoppers paradise down the Brisbane Street Mall, foodhalls (surprise, surprise we found ourselves there quite a bit) restaurants, bars and to top it all off, you are just a 10 minute walk from some of the most amazing countryside walks in Oz.
 
Our first adventure took us round a gorge called the cataract walk.  We crossed the King bridge and walked along the river until we reached a park where peacocks greeted us in all their glory!
 
We then proceeded to walk through the woodlands and we came to the Alexandra suspension bridge which holds you over the waterfalls, most inspiring!  We then found another park with a swimming pool and had a paddle in the afternoon sun.
 
We stayed at the impressive Launceston backpackers (very imaginative name!) with Fuji, being the main resident.  Fuji is probably the fattest cat in the world!!  There were notices to the effect posted in the hostel that read.....Please do not feed Fuji as he is on a diet!!
 
Speaking of being fatties, we had read about the famous Gourlay's sweet shop in Launceston and their factory in the Quadrant and so being our usual piggy selves, we visited the factory swiftly, where we witnessed sweets and chocolate being freshly made, oh the smell! (Some free samples were also tasted) and then popped along to the shop where we accidently bought some of the most amazing chocolate covered peanuts, which were scoffed roughly at the speed of light!
 
Unfortunately, the weather then turned on us and rain and winds ruined another walk down in the Royal Park but we still managed to walk to the City Park also aptly named Monkey Park, where we watched Marque Monkeys playing in their pen with some hilarious antics!
 
Many people have asked us if we have seen any Tasmanian Devils.  Unfortunately they are being threatened with extinction due to a form of cancer going round, the poor things, so we haven't been able to see any.
 
Next stop, the capital of Tasmania, Hobart
 
H & J xx
 
(P.S, still waiting for our first authentic ozzie BBQ!)

Post your own travel photos for friends and family Pictures

The Gourlay Factory Windmill	The river Esk	It was a breezy day - see hair!	The river Esk
The river Esk	The river Esk	The river Esk	The river Esk
A Peacock (Before)	And a peacock (After)	The Alexedra Suspension Bridge	The First Basin
Across we go!	A swimming pool in the middle of nowhere	A quick paddle!!	Watersports!!
The Suspension Bridge	Checking the water out	We could only find this parking space!	Launceston Town Centre
Gourlay's famous sweet shop	Seaport - very windy!	The monkeys at City Park	The monkeys at City Park
The monkeys at City Park	The monkeys at City Park	He's on a diet!	I thought he was a zebra!

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