Mabel's Cottage

What a charming little place Mabel's Cottage was.  Very small rooms but that's just as they were.  It felt very homely.  Sitting on the couch one night, I saw a flash reflection in the mirror.  Brian didn't see it.  I was convinced it was a ghost!  I even checked the camera to see if there was an extra photo on it.  There wasn't.

While in Geeveston, Brian went to the airwalk at Tahune.  He enjoyed it.  I enjoyed my day.  I sat and cross stitched and then had a nap.  It was a very lazy day for me and I really enjoyed it.

Next stop Hamilton

In Hamilton, we stayed in the old schoolhouse building.  It was beautiful and had a fire going when we got there.  The weather had changed and was now very wet.

We headed to the local pub for dinner.  The pub owner came and spoke to us as it wasn't very busy.  He told us all about the history of the pub.  It was built in 1834.  Under the pub was a cellar that had been built by convicts.  He invited us to come back in the morning and he would give us a guided tour of the cellar.  We turned up just after 10.00am and knocked on all the doors we could find as well as lots of windows.  No answer.  After about ten minutes we gave up.  We were both very disappointed as we had been looking forward to seeing the cellar.  The owner had told us that he had a busload of people coming in at 11.30 so he can't have been too far away.  We could see into the kitchen and there was no-one there.  Out of kindness, we decided they must all be at church so left a message to say we had been.

The Wilderness Railway

The day after our Gordon River cruise, we climbed aboard the Wilderness Railway train.  It is supposed to be a bus trip from Strahan to Queenstown, but a storm had hit the area recently and damaged several hundred metres of track and downed thousands of trees.  So, we just travelled on the train but it wasn't the full trip.  It was still a lot of fun, though.  The train travels through some absolutely beautiful rain forest.  It stops for morning tea, which you have to buy, and then later on stops for lunch, which is provided. 

When we stopped for morning tea, a woman came and spoke to me.  We talked like we had known each other for ever.  Cathy is from Perth and was travelling on her own.  I find that a very brave thing to do.  At lunchtime we ate together and talked a lot more.  Brian asked the train staff lots of questions, including the fire lady.  Yep, a job for the girls!

Cathy and I decided to go for a quick walk through the bush.  Another woman came up to us and asked if we would take her photo as she was also travelling on her own and wanted a photo of herself rather than just taking photos of things she was seeing.  Cathy then asked her if she would take a photo of her with her lovely friend.  Awwww  ........ what a lovely woman.  She also thought I was about thirty-five so she had already won me over anyway. 

During our leisurely stroll through the bush, we heard the train whistle blow.  Oh no!!!  We were only about halfway through and had to make it back to the station before the train left.  Luckily one of the train staff knew where we were.  As she saw the three of us appear, she asked us if there was anyone behind us.  There wasn't.  It was a very quick walk back to the train and as I was wearing thongs, told you it was warm, it made the walk very difficult.  We joked that if we missed the train we would be in enormous trouble as our mobile's had no reception. We made it.  As on the boat the day before, the trip back to Strahan was very quiet.    

Three days in Strahan

We are finally somewhere where we can use our computer again!  I have no idea how people who live in Tassie cope with intermittent mobile phone and internet access.  LOL.  We do get very used to some things, don't we?  Now I can update you with what we have been up to and where we have been.

After leaving Smithton, we headed to Strahan for three days.  The place we stayed at was called Kitty's Place.  Don't know about you but to me it sounds like a "place of ill repute". 

In the village of Strahan is a shop where you buy the tickets for a Gordon River cruise.  There I bought this hat.  And I've since worn it and worn it.  Brian thinks it's daggy but I've had so many compliments about it that I'll just ignore fashion advice from a man who wears checks with other checks or stripes.

The cruise down the Gordon River was very interesting.  The captain takes the boat through Hell's Gates and out into the incoming swell from the southern ocean. He then has to turn around and in the process the boat is broaching sideways into the swell before the nose comes around.  The water was quite calm the day we were there but as the captain turned the boat, a lot of the crockery in the gallery went flying and broke.  And not one person called out "Taxi!".  The name Hell's Gate is very appropriate. 

All that is left of the cells that prisoners were put into if the offended while on Sarah Island

All that is left of the penitentiary

About a third of the way into the trip, you land at Sarah Island.  A guide shows you over the island and tells you what life was like for the convicts who lived there.  Some of them murdered some of the others prisoners so they could be caught and executed.  They preferred that to having to live on Sarah Island.  Heartbreaking.

Further down the Gordon River, just downstream of the Franklin / Gordon River junction, is another stop.  This time there is a forest.  It doesn't take very long but shows some beautiful trees.  Apparently there was also about three tiger snakes that had been spotted recently but fortunately weren't there when we were!  The weather was unseasonably warm and the snakes we just enjoying the warm weather.

Too soon it's back onto The Eagle for the Strahan-bound trip.  The inward trip was much quieter than the outward trip.  Lots of people napped most of the trip home.  A wonderful way to spend a day in this beautiful little fishing village.

Greetings from the Apple Isle



Janet trying to sleep on the Spirit of Tasmania





Rose and Ava watching as the ship leaves Melbourne

 



Brian at Ye Olde Post Office, Smithton

 


Janet playing peek-a-boo through a rose bush at Ye Olde Post Office

 

Our long awaited holiday has finally arrived. We are now in beautiful Tasmania. And one of the most fantastic things is that we finally have computer access. At home, not only does my mobile not work and the landline work only when it feels like it, our internet access is so restricted we may as well not have it. I thought changing to broadband would solve our access problems but it certainly didn't. We sometimes feel very isolated from the world. Calls don't come through or they constantly drop out. So much for being in contact with the outside world! So if you've been wondering where I've been, I've mainly been just at home, out of contact with everyone.

It's six years since we visited Tasmania. Last time we were here I ended up with the flu. Couldn't just get an ordinary cold. Oh, no, had to get the flu. So I missed a lot of the holiday last time. Fingers crossed it doesn't happen again. And it may be a good idea to keep everything crossed as two days after we arrive home I have to go to hospital for the fifth operation on my right foot. This time it's to take the plate out. Just hope the anaesthetist remembers he tried to really make me go to sleep last year and doesn't do it again. I really would like to wake up afterwards!

Tasmania has put on the most fantastic weather for us. Today was so sunny yet not hot. Also very little wind and no rain. Heaven on earth. Wonder how long it will last. Today we drove through some very pretty little country towns. You get a sleepy little seaside village nestled at the bottom of some very rugged hills. They look like something out of Doc Martin. Didn't see him, though.

We wandered through a beautiful old mansion today. It has been extensively renovated but some parts have been left in the old, worn state. Very interesting. When we went into the main bedroom I got an enormous fright. I knew only Brian and I were in the room yet I could hear a woman sobbing. Turned out to be a tape playing from an old dresser. It couldn't be seen so the sound was very effective.

Tonight we are are staying in a very beautiful old home. Apparently it was the local house for the postmaster. Very high ceilings, lots of beautiful pictures and absolutely divine rooms. We are the only guests staying here so we have the place to ourselves. I could pack up all my things and just move in here. As the owners are away, the key was left for us at the butcher shop next door. Yep, that's the country for you.

Tomorrow we head for Strahan where we will spend three days. Providing the weather stays good, we are planning to go on a cruise down the Gordon River. And on one of the days we will be heading to Queenstown (the place that looks like the end of civilization) by bus and coming back on the Wilderness Train. It takes 45 minutes to get to Queenstown and the train trip back takes 4 hours!! Will find out why the long time in the next couple of days.

So keep checking back on this blog and see what we have been up to. Unfortunately our mobiles have no reception: It's just like being at home. As long as we have internet access I will be able to keep everyone updated. So if you don't hear from me for a while, you'll know we're out of range ...... again.

Please feel free to leave comments on this blog, they will let me know you've been following what we are doing. Also, let your family, friends and anyone esle who you think may be interested in the blog know about it so they can follow it as well. OK, yes, I do want to feel important. Stay safe and hopefully I can update you from Strahan.

Damn computer!

As soon as this computer stops having a hissy fit, I will post more biscornu pictures.

A bounty of biscornu's

Here are some of the biscornu's I have made. Some have been given as presents, some have been given to brides to carry the rings on their wedding day and some I just keep .... just in case I need a present. And some just live in a bowl on my coffee table and others in a bowl in my bedroom. I love making them and I love holding them. There's just something about the shape of them.