In Tassieland!

Trip Start Jan 19, 2006
1
3
20
Trip End Feb 23, 2006


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
Map Options
Show trip route
Hide lines
shadow

Flag of Australia  ,
Saturday, January 21, 2006

Yay! We finally landed in Tasmania after 4 different flights, and surprisingly we are feeling pretty good despite only sleeping on the plane. The bright sun and temperatures above 30 degrees also helped shake us awake! We find our rental car and discover it to be a Hyundai Getz, which may be the smallest car in the world. Unfortunately it wasn't automatic, and Nadine wasn't feeling up to driving both standard and on the wrong side of the road, so Theo got the driving seat. He quickly got the hang of it, and off we went on the A1 north towards Cradle Mountain National Park, where we would be starting the Overland Track. Lots of road kill, possums and wallabies (small kangaroos)on the sides of the highway. Just as Theo was relaxing a bit (Theo relaxing?) a hoard of possibly 50 motorbikes came from an off ramp, and a scene from the movie Mad Max unfolded before us, with Theo yelling "they are going to steal our gas!!" :). We survived the highway drive reasonably well (although we had to have the air conditioner cranked to high to deal with the heat!) and arrived in the Cradle Mountain area unscathed 01) Our tiny Getz (anal gland dragger)!
01) Our tiny Getz (anal gland dragger)!
 . We found our hotel (we deserved it considering we would be tenting for 6-7 nights!) and then drove our car to the Visitor Centre in the park to pick up our passes for the Overland Track (you have to book the hike starting this year) and to buy some Shellite (white gas) for our stove. We then continued on into the park to look at the alternative starting point for the hike at Dove Lake, as we felt we wouldn't being leaving via that route and wanted to see the sights. As we drove on the tarred road we noticed that the tar was liquid in many spots, it was that HOT! Dove Lake was scenic and we saw many day hikers and Overland hikers, they all looked rather red and sweaty and we soon felt that way too so we got back into the air conditioned Getz (who we affectionately named the anal gland dragger as it seemed to catch all the tar and rocks up in its back end!). Back to the hotel for a shower FINALLY, an early dinner, some final packing and then crashing to sleep in our real beds at 8pm!
Slideshow Print this entry Launceston hotels