Tas-MANIA
Trip Start
Sep 02, 2009
1
27
42
Trip End
May 05, 2010
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Friday, December 11, 2009
Itinerary Overview
Day 1: Start your trip with a visit to the photogenic Tasman Peninsula for a short walk and views over the Southern Ocean. Explore one of Tassie's tourist hotspots, the Port Arthur Historic Site. Learn about the life of a convict in a place once considered "Hell On Earth". Take the opportunity to view the site from aboard a cruise boat on the harbour, then unwind on the return to Hobart via Richmond.
Overnight: Hobart
Day 2: Head for the beaches today via a short stop at the historic town of Ross. At Freycinet National Park, sink your feet into the pristine white sand and admire the world-famous beach at Wineglass Bay. Finish the day in the surf town of Bicheno, home to the Little Penguins who
return to their rookeries each night upon dark.
Overnight: Bicheno (breakfast/lunch)
Day 3: Soak up the coastal scenery along one of Australia's greatest journey's from Bicheno to St Helens. Stretch your legs and revitalise your senses with a peaceful beachwalk at the Bay of Fires. Visit the rainforests and waterfall at St Columba Falls, before heading into the pretty colourful city of Launceston.
Overnight: Launceston (breakfast/lunch)
Day 4: Go west and spend the day at Cradle Mountain exploring some of the numerous walks within the world heritage listed national park. Take a stroll around Dove Lake, or head off to test your lungs with a hike to Marion's Lookout or on one of the many other great walks. Overnight: Cradle Mountain (breakfast/lunch)
Day 5: Head from the mountains to the coast. Climb Henty Sand Dunes and stroll along the endless stretch of Ocean Beach with nothing but the wild "Roaring Forties" between you and South America. Overnight: Strahan (breakfast/lunch)
Day 6: Head south and inland today with a short walk to Nelson Falls, and take a drink from the famous Franklin River, where you'll learn about the beginning of the Greens Party. Drop in at Lake St Clair then finish the day at Mt Field NP and photogenic Russell Falls. Hug a tall tree goodbye then relax on your way back to Hobart through the picturesque Derwent Valley. (breakfast/lunch)
Right. So that's the deal. I also spent a couple days on either end in Hobart, just chillin out, eating some seafood and enjoying the atmosphere. I did some biking from the top of Mount Wellington, just west of Hobart, and that was super cool (both literally and figuratively, it was about 10.5 degrees cooler on the top of the mountain!), and, as usual, I've been reading a lot. I'm starting to think this Amazon Kindle (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015T963C) would be a traveller's best friend...the ability to hold 1500 books in something smaller than a paperback? That's money.
Of course, a big tour like that is always totally dependant on who you're on it with, and I have to say I struck gold with the group I had. Our tour guide, Steve, was such a weird guy but also so cool, and my Euro buddies took pretty good care of me as well. THere were some just sweetheart Japanese and Taiwanese people on it as well, so awesome.
Anyhow, as you can probably tell, I'm not really in a blog writing type of mood right now anyways, so I'll let y'all go. Next stop? Surfer's Paradise with my good friends Kane and Kiara!!
