Tasmainia 12-12-2008

12-12-2008

Sitting in a coffee shop in Hobart having my drink of choice a cappuccino Spent the last couple of days in Tasmania, did a lot of driving probably 250 miles. This place is not what you would expect. It is generally dry - and there are many huge sand beaches, the sun is warm and the water is cold. We spent one day at the beach walking. We stayed at a hostel in the beach town. The building was very attractive and new. Kathy enjoyed talking to the German guests. The next morning we dove back to Hobart via Port Arthur the most notable of the Australian prison system. The British were actually doing state of the art experiments here - including the first sensory deprivation cell. The complex stretched out across a small bay and included a couple of small adjacent islands used for a boy’s prison and a cemetery. The sentence from England was pretty much the same 7 years of "transportation" then if you ever got out you had to earn money for the trip home - not any made it back.

Well only 3 more days. My experience after this trip is that you go through periods where you wish you were back home -they come and go. When you stop to appreciate the fact that you are living in what sometimes feels like someone else’s life. This can't be me I should be home working. Another tip is doing this while you can manage for yourself especially driving if that is necessary. This kind of travel is tiring - changing modes - lifting luggage - constantly changing accommodations - customs at the airport - numerous car rentals. I am really glad that we made this opportunity happen. You can sit on the sidelines and wonder or you can get busy and head in a direction not knowing all of the details - but isn't that life.

Kathy has done well on the trip participating in many hikes, acting as navigator, and making arrangements for accommodation. She has to work to carry the extra weight. I have tried to be a good influence on her in terms of nutrition. She did better on this trip - although she still believes that you have to eat three meals per day, she doesn't fully understand the concept of daily calorie totals and she buys candy secretly eats it. Oh well baby steps as my son Chris says I think she improved.

I would have had less fun if I didn't go to the vineyards - another reason to watch my consumption. I read an article in Men’s Journal written by a guy who liked to drink but didn't want to become an alcoholic because he didn't want to have to give it all up - I fall into that category.

I just got a suggestion from the owner of the shop that I should head south about an hour to a river area and then work my way back on some back roads.

Later