Tasmania – Day 5

Absolutely amazing day!  I feel like I can literally say that today was the best day of my life.
Nothing substancial happened, but I did get to explore a part of my own country that I did not know existed until now.  It feels like another
WORLD here!  I’m writing this is notepad because there is no reception where I am at the moment.

Despite going to sleep at 5:30am, I, in typical Matt fashion, woke up an hour before the the time I set my alarm.  So I was up at 8am!  Crazy body clock.

I checked out, paid for my other two nights and the four mini-bar items I consumed the previous night during the hours I couldn’t sleep.  I was just too
excited or something – it always happens when I have plans or need to be somewhere. 

I didn’t book the "Airporter" bus because I knew the hotel I was at was a mandatory stop, so I risked it.  I sat in the area marked ‘bus zone’.  When
the time arrived, I saw the bus pull up in the opposite street, so picked up my bags and ran over (hard to do with 3 bags!).  I asked the driver if he was going
to or from the airport.  "To", he replied.  He then said he almost didn’t see me sitting over in the side street, and I said I just sat where the ‘bus zone’
sign was (I mean, go figure right?).  I was also sure it was the same spot I got dropped off at, but I could be wrong.  Thankfully it was all good.  He put my big
bag underneath and I walked on the bus with my laptop and leftover food bag.

Got to the airport, thanked the driver and picked up my rental car!  That was the next exciting/scary thing!  It was all organised in no time cos I’d
prebooked it all online.  She just took a credit card print and my licence and handed me my keys and hold me what bay the car was in.

I pretty much just drove straight out!  So easy!  Well I didn’t – I actually sat in the car for ages reading over everything haha and making sure that I
remembered how to drive a car!  It’s been a long time!  I was so excited driving again – not just a car, but a proper working car!  It’s a tiny little
Hyundai I20 silver 20 auto (perfect gay little car! haha!), and she drives so smoothly. 

I soon realised the driving a car is like riding a bike – you don’t forget how 🙂

I was zooming along!  I went to Port Arthur, and I’m so glad I did.

I was so excited and giddy – that shivery excited feeling running through me.  I’d made a brilliant decision by staying those extra two rainy nights in
Hobart city, because today the God’s shined!  It was such a perfect day!!!

So before I even GOT to Port Arthur, I was in sheer fascination by the drive THERE.  Driving across not just one, but two massive bays with water and lush-green
mountains ALL around me literally took my breath away.  I was struggling to focus on the road!!  If ONLY there was space to pull over on that narrow road
crossing the bays, but there wasn’t 🙁  I can only have the memories of how perfect that looked.  Anyone who has driven from Hobart or the Hobart Airport HAS
to know what I’m talking about.  I mean, I know I’m easily amused and I like to focus on the good and natural things in life.  This, for me, was astonishing.
The scenery was stunning.  I actually pulled the car over quite a few times and went on walking tracks to lookouts along the way.  i just couldn’t help myself.
I have some astonishing photos – so so many and I don’t know how I’m going to cut them down to the ones I like most.

So that whole area on the way to Port Arthur is called the ‘Tasmanian Peninsula’ and is said to boast some of Australia’s most spectacular scenery. 
See, I didn’t even know that until I got to Port Arthur and read it on one of the flyers.  There is a lookout to get photos, but there are a few lame trees in the way,
so I decided to pay the entry fee, figuring I’m only really there the once.  It really is touristy and they’ve done it up well to make a quick buck.

To tell the truth, the Tasman Peninsula has already blown me out of the water – Port Arthur, the original destination was just going to be a bonus.
Walking around Port Arthur I will admit was pretty cool.  I got photos of everything there I swear to God! Haha.  It only crossed my mind a few times about the
other reason Port Arthur is infamous for 🙁  They’ve really continued to focus it on the convicts and settlement times and have done it well.  I mean, who wants to
remember that horrible day.  I was still a kid when it happened.  I still remember being terrified when it happened, and it is what made our former Prime Minister,
John Howard, bring in Australia’s current gun laws.  If that fateful day didn’t happen, then I don’t know where our gun law constitution would be.  I don’t think
that burden can ever leave the residents of Port Arthur.  It was nice seeing how touristy the area still is though.  It’s story and history really is pretty fascinating.
Since the lady behind the counter talked me into a ticket, she told me I might as well go on the Harbour cruise, since it was part of the ticket.
I did – it’ll be in one of the photo entries as I took a video whilst on it.

I have a million photos that I will split into different entries, if you’d like to check out the photos.  I think that will make it easier since I have alsolutely
zero reception.

The last reception I had was when I stopped off in Sorell, which is the halfway point between Hobart and Port Arthur.

I drove the car so much today, or at least it feels like it.  I was told it was only two hours to Launceston by the locals.  Fuck they must drive fast!  i couldn’t
believe how windy and dangerous some of the roads are here – and I’m talking the highways!  They are all one-lane each way and at one point I was driving along with a
cliff-face on one side and a massive river/bay on the other with only a rope to protect me from doing over the edge!  What if I had a bad wheel-alignment!?  In I’d go!
And not only THAT – they have 90km/ph speed limits on those roads – there is no way in HELL I was gunna do 90k’s per hour on those windy roads!  I was too scared!
I was always thankful whenever a takeover lane appeared so that I could go into the ‘Slow Lane’ and let the bank of cars that had built up behind me pass.  Although
I lie because there was really only ever one or two, but still, they were FLYING around those turns.  "It’s fine for them", I kept telling myself, ‘because they know
the road and what turns are coming up, wheras I don’t!’ – i wasn’t risking flying around the turns and ending up with my rental car either in a bay, a river or worse,
plunging down a couple of hundred foot down the mountain cliffs LOL.

It’s really like another world here to me.  Have I already said that?  I really wish I could find words to describe the scenery.  One minute there’s lush green pastures,
next turn there’s brown dead fields, then there’s massive re-forrestation plantations with trees all lined up perfectly and then you get the other side of a mountain-
side and you look to the right to see the ocean!!  CRAZY!!!

I guess you might have to appreciate the simple things in life.  Other people might do this drive and think ‘Meh’.  Personally, I can’t see how.  Maybe it’s my country
upbringing where I’m so used to different versions of roads and highways like this back up in Queensland and Northern New South Wales.  Combining a cool (and I mean brrr-
cool) city with the countryside, and the ocean, and mountain scenery, and massive-MASSIVE blue water in bays that I am driving through the middle of, is just an explosion
of amazingness in nature for me.  If I lived here, I have to wonder if I would take it for granted.  For that reason alone, I am glad I don’t live here.  I did notice that
many many houses are for sale around here.  And I’m talking about the ones that overlook the stunning ocean and bay views.  I can only imagine what the prices are.
Maybe if I win the $70 million bucks in the lotto this Tuesday – haha as if – although I think 70 Million has to be the biggest Australia has ever had in a lotto draw.

Right now, as i type this, I am in Swansea.  I somehow made it all the way to Swansea.  I wish to God I could upload this entry, but alas, no such luck with Vodafail.
If I was with Droptus or Hellstra, I would have reception (according to the ‘Guest Information’ book in my motel I’m staying in tonight.

Tasmanian’s are so friendly.  The guy on the counter here gave me a standard room with a queen bed (when he coulda given me a bunk room with no microwave) for the same price
as the cheapest ones.  So I scored this room tonight for $65.  Saweet!  I love motels for that reason, being so much cheaper than hotels and they usually do the job.
I am curious about the mattress though.  I’m sitting on it typing this out now and am hoping to God I don’t wake up with a sore back haha.

I’m gunna try to get out again early tomorrow and be more of a Tourist.  It was getting pretty dark around 5:30pm and I was getting worried, because that’s when all the
Kangaroos and Tasmanian Devil’s come out.  It was sad seeing so many Tassie Devils as roadkill on the highway.  I guess it’s a part of life here, just like roo’s are in QLD.
I only saw one Kangaroo roadkill here, but at least eight Tasmanian Devils. 
I was glad i finally found Swansea.  I told myself I wanted to make it to here.  I’m thankful to get off the highway for now because these Tasmanian’s drive like crazy
people!  That and it was dark so the last thing I wanted to do was have a Kangaroo total my rental car!

I’m thinking I might have to give it a car wash before I take it back – she got a bit dirty today 🙂