Tassie Land

We were not sure what to expect when we arrived in Tasmania, but we were impressed with what the island had to offer.  Tasmania is known for its beautiful landscapes, wildlife, and beaches, but not their hostels!

We arrived in Hobart in the early afternoon and expected to greet a bustling city full of locals. Instead we found a ghost town like a scene from one of those high school scary movies.  No cars, no people and only Miguel and I roaming the streets. To top things off we were staying in a hostel (my first time ever) and I was sure we were going to be killed in the SHARED bathroom or Jessica (the hostel receptionist) was going to murder us in our sleep. Are you scared? I sure as hell was☺ Tasmania was not starting out at all how I expected.

Liverpool Street. It is empty and Jessica is in the background

That evening we found one restaurant open on the waterfront (we later found out the majority of establishments and retail shops close at 4pm) called Mures. This restaurant is one of the oldest restaurants in Hobart. You dine in, pick your fresh fish, pick how you want it prepared and it’s delivered in minutes. Delicious! We ate outside and fed the seagulls. I didn’t want to feed the seagulls, since they literally dove out of the sky and picked up my fries! Hilarious! Miguel screamed!

Tasmanian Salmon! muy bueno!

Luckily, we survived the evening and I was so excited for the day ahead. We ate our brekkie at a local coffee shop and were on the road by 8:30am. The best way to explore Tassie is by car. The roads are perfect and very easy to navigate.  Hobart is located in the southern part of the island and we headed north to the notorious Wineglass Bay.  Our 3-hour drive was beautiful; the scenery is a combination of the Rockies, Napa Valley, and full of ocean views. Note: Tasmania has many wineries. The climate is perfect for harvesting grapes. Wineglass Bay is located in Freycenet National Park. The park costs $24 dollars to enter and you can spend the day exploring.  The hike to the bay is a “difficult” 3-hour hike.  The hiking trail is beautifully maintained with many picturesque views.  The final decent to the beach is a view that will stay in my mind for years to come. Honestly, it was breathtaking. The sand is WHITE and the ocean in aqua blue. Wallabies roam freely along with a variety of birds. The beach is wide and takes an hour to walk from one end to the other. Miguel and I enjoyed our packed lunch amongst the wildlife and barely talked we just enjoyed the views.

Tassman Highway scenery

Old farm house

Tassman vineyard

Courtney's new friend

PLEASE DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS...:)

View of Cole's Bay

Lookout into Wine Glass Bay

White sand beach!

That evening we stayed in a small fishing town called, Bicheno.  Bicheno is known for it’s penguins and again NOT it’s hostels. We checked in to our room for the evening along with another shared bathroom and hoped for the best. At least we had a private room with a TV and I wasn’t scared for my life. We ate at a local grocery store and waited for the penguins. They hit the rocky beaches around 9pm and meander their way back to their nests. Photos are prohibited because the flash of the cameras blinds them. We waited, and waited, and waited some more until FINALLY at 9:30 pm Miguel noticed the first little guy. SO CUTE! They look like a traditional penguin, but only stand 8 inches tall.  It is amazing how these little guys maneuver the large rock walls that line the beach. They waddle across the rock and hop to the next one until they reach their nests. A highlight to watch!  We headed home (to our hostel) full of excitement and chatting about our evening and what we had just watched. We got back to the hostel got ready for bed and realized our neighbor was full loaded with bear like snores. Miguel cannot handle ANY sound while he is sleeping, but snoring makes him extra crazy.  I was now scared for the evening ahead. We started with the TV at a normal level and it wasn’t enough. The bear next door could still be heard, Miguel decided to keep the TV on and listen to his Ipod, but Still not enough! He decides to put in his earplugs, along with the Ipod ear buds, and the TV on. Still, my sweet Miguel was unable to sleep and to top it off the temperatures were almost freezing! I thought he was going to burst through the walls to kill the “bear”. Needless to say we were on the road by 6:30am and off to our next destination.

We were tired but ready to hit the road. One thing we have found, weather you are in the biggest of cities or smallest of towns in Australia, you can find the best fuel, some delicious cappuccino.  Miguel had his treat and was ready to go! He was delirious and completely hilarious that morning! We were headed to Bruny Island. Bruny is a 4-hour drive from Bicheno. You catch a ferry and begin the adventure. We drove another 3 hours across the island. We traveled from north to south. The island is known for it’s white wallabies, the second oldest lighthouse in Australia, cheese, fudge and wine. Bruny is great, but has to be done by car. Many of the roads are dirt and take a long time to go a minimal distance. We did spot a white wallaby, tasted the fudge, and visited the lighthouse. The views from the lighthouse were amazing and really dramatic. The lighthouse was built on a cliff and overlooks the crashing waves below; undoubtedly, the best part of the island. After our long drive and our lack of sleep we headed back to Hobart and found a hotel!

Twisty Tassman Highway

Second oldest lighthouse in Australia

Our last day in Hobart was wonderful! We were able to walk the city and enjoy a ton of people watching. We spent our morning at a beautiful café, boarding the ocean, drinking cappuccinos. We spent our afternoon at a European style bar drinking champagne and beer. PERFECT! A great way to end our stay and the best part, I saw a Shane Tucker look-a-like and it made me miss home! Love to all our friends and family!

I want to dedicate this blog to our beautiful family friend, Bill Smith. He lost his battle with cancer this week and is now flying with the angles. I believe Dad is showing Bill the ropes in Heaven. Glenna, I love you and appreciate your strength and love! We send all our love to you and Brent! You mean the world to our family!