Watch Out for the Tazzie Devils!!

Breathtaking views, scrumptious food, exhilarating hikes, majestic animals... What more can you ask for? Tasmania is honestly the prettiest place that I have ever visited. I cannot put the experience into words because it honestly left me speechless.






The trip began with a small and relaxing flight to Launceston, which is the second largest city in Tasmania. It was such a quaint city and I felt as if I had stepped back in time.Our first stop was at Cataract Gorge, which is a gorge reserve located just 2 minutes outside of central Launceston. We took a chairlift from the bottom of the basin and rode 457 meters up! It was absolutely beautiful and truly enabled Cataract visitors to appreciate fully and also photograph the spectacular views of this ancient rock gorge. At the top, we hiked and reached multiple lookout points. We even captured some wildlife on camera!!

After Cataract Gorge, we all ventured into the town of Launceston and had lunch. After lunch we drove (in our charter bus) for about 3 hours to reach Coles Bay. Coles Bay is an absolutely gorgeous bay and houses lots of wildlife such as cockatoos, wallabies, seals, little penguins and pods of dolphins. Upon arrival, we checked into our amazing log cabins and then got ready for a run and polar bear swim! Sadly guys, there were no polar bears...Just an expression for a quick jump into a really cold body of water (and yes it was excruciatingly cold). The run ultimately was worth it because of the amazing beach! After the swim in the absence of polar bears, we ran back to our cabins and got ready for our first group dinner at the Lluka Tavern. Dinner was absolutely lovely and we all parted ways with our tummies full of delicious entrees topped off with chocolate mud cake. Glad we went on a run!

Day 2... Early start at 7 am!
With a hike in our near future, we all knew to eat a big and healthy breakfast.

After our breakfast and prayers for survival, we headed off to Wineglass Bay. Wineglass Bay (our hiking destination) is only accessible by foot or boat, which ensures its pristine, natural condition. After our stretching or lack there of and Best of Rocky motivation hits, we started up the mountain. The 1/2 day hike consisted of hiking up for 1 hour and then down for an hour, which brings you to the Bay and then hiking back again. Boy, were the blood, sweat and tears worth it! The hike up was absolutely stunning and to my surprise, the destination was even prettier!

The bay was phenomenal with it's white sandy beach, crystal clear water, and half-moon coast. Pictures cannot do it justice.

After lunch at the world renowned bay, we hiked back and headed to Kate's Berry Farm. Truly an oasis, Kate's farm offered as much a view as lip smackin' jam and scones. The cafe, with its mouth watering menu, overlooks rows of berries and breathtaking views across Great Oyster Bay. Kate sure knows what she is doing because I was introduced to a new definition of strawberry jam. Yum yum.

After our delicious pit stop, we headed to Parson's Bay for dinner and a ghost tour. Dinner was great and at about 8 p.m. we departed for Port Arthur. Some history about Port Arthur... In 1833, it became a prison settlement for male convicts and quickly established a reputation as being a 'heck on earth.' During the 1840's, due to its captive resource of convict labor, Port Arthur became a self sufficient secondary punishment (had to break the law multiple times to land in this place. YIKES) prison settlement producing lots of goods. Port Arthur encompasses over 100 acres and features a large number of stabilized ruins and restored buildings from the convict era.
Now to the interesting part... It is pitch black dark. You see a creepy long haired man with a lantern ahead of you. There are wild animals all around you skulking in the bushes. You see a vague glimpse of light in a window of an insane asylum just ahead. As the shadows grow longer on the eerie night-time walk, you never know who will come to the light of the lantern. Darkness falls and another side of Port Arthur emerges. It's a different place after sunset, full of mystery and intrigue.

Church at Port Arthur

As we embarked on this journey, all arm in arm mind you, no one knew what the next step held. Vivid stories challenged our grasps of what happens when the past collides with the present. Truth or myth? Many people decided truth and were scared out of their wits. I sided with myth but still thoroughly enjoyed the walk accompanied with stories of ghosts inhabiting the island. Our guide detailed reported ghost sightings and unexplained occurrences, which many believed. I however, found it hard to believe in a guy that "mediates" every day, doesn't believe in hair scissors, and claims to ride with a ghost home from work.

Watch out for the Tazzie Devils!! Day 3 brought lots in store from watching Tasmanian devils eat to petting baby kangaroos! The morning consisted of a day time tour of Port Arthur (much less spooky and a good deal more informative than the ghost tour). The grounds were absolutely beautiful and abundant with lively gardens and ornate architecture. After the tour, we headed back to the bus for the Tazzie Devil Park and Raptor display. It was a great time and I had the opportunity to meet the famous little devils, cuddle with the kangas, and also discover owls, eagles, falcons, hawks, and potoroo among other interesting Aussie creatures! The guy conducting the raptor show taught one of his birds to retrieve money from our hands and to deliver it back to his front shirt pocket. Not only did the bird retrieve upward of 10 coins, but he returned each one to its rightful owner! Now who doesn't want a bird that can bring you money. What a valuable trick (literally)!

After the show, we headed to Meadow Bank Winery, which is located about 20 minutes outside of Hobart and is one of Tasmania's most awarded wineries. Here we were able to sample a range of acclaimed wines ranging from rich pinot noirs to crisp chardonnays. Even better than the wine, we were treated with a tray of cheeses and crackers. A surplus of cheese can count as lunch right?

After the munchfest, we traveled to Hobart, Tasmania's capital city. What a beautiful and interesting city! Turning to the right, you have Mount Wellington in your view. Glimpsing to the left, you are within reach of a white sandy beach. Looking ahead is the harbour filled with boats. It is every vacation destination condensed into one! After some exploration, we stopped and had dinner and commenced the evening with a great tour of the city :)


If only I had the talent of this guy------------->
He is not only playing the guitar but is also playing the didgeridoo, tapping a tambourine with his left foot, and tapping a drum with his right! That is four things at one time and I can't even hold a tune. Things, such as this amazing show, filled the streets of Hobart at the Salamanca Market on Day 4. We experienced the sights, sounds, flavors, action, and color of Australia's best outdoor market. There were hundreds of stalls and we met friendly people all along the way. The market highlighted Tasmania's fine art and craft with hand-worked glass, innovative design with wood and carving, stylish clothing and jewelry, and bold ceramics. This was truly an experience of a lifetime and I purchased two handcrafted bracelets!

After the Salamanca market, we departed for our MOUNTAIN BIKING ADVENTURE!! 1270 meters in the air, we rose to the peak of Mount Wellington. And by rose, I mean r-o-d-e in a bus ha. The extreme adventure was all down hill from there!!! The 3 hour bike ride was awesome, to say the least! It was harder than you would think riding downhill because you constantly had to brake if you didn't want to go 200 miles an hour the whole time. Because of the mega slope, all of your weight was placed on your hands on the bars which caused a little hand pain. John, I am not being a baby. It really hurt and it wasn't just me. We followed a guide from the top of the mountain and stopped at various points along the descent of the mountain to regroup.

View from the TOP I felt such a sense of accomplishment when finished and felt as if I was on top of the world! It was a great time and I am now ready for the next challenge. Bungee Jumping anyone?




We, extreme adventurers, headed back to Hobart and got ready for dinner. We had unlimited sushi! So so great and the fish was fresh from the harbor! After dinner, we all headed to bed tired and accomplished.

Last Day :( After our gourmet breakfast at our apartment hotel, we departed for.... wait for it.... A Laser Skirmish! We geared up in our army garb and began to strategize. With our massive guns, we split up across the field into two teams and IT WAS ON. We were equipped with laser guns and two sensors on our hats. The war zone was a dense wood, which left great places to hide and also ambush. Those that know me, could probably sense my excitement and intensity. I played this game like real life warfare and fully carried out the mission. Our last challenge was Last Man Standing. Who do you think was the last man? You would be right. Your very own.

I carried my victory with me all the way to the Hobart Airport and headed home to Bundoora. The flight was uneventful and we landed in Melbourne safe and sound. I said my goodbyes and all the LaTrobites hopped into a cab. Now that I am back in Melbourne, I realize how much I miss Tazzie even though it was a short trip. Thanks Mom and Dad for allowing me to go! I really wish that you could have experienced it with me (and I would love to see you in camo Mom ha).

Until Next Time!

A New Friend that I Made :)

Other Blog Address

Hey Tambo I just saw that you commented! Yay!! Just to let you know and also to anyone else that reads this one for my Aussie things, I also have another blog that is just me. Slightly easier to read if you don't want to filter through other things. It is outbackmae.blogspot.com. Thanks for reading!

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 71

April 8, Madagascar Day 71

EASTER!!!! Whoa, almost forgot to talk about it! It was perfect! Sunday I went to church with my host mom, and then we relaxed the rest of the day. I loved the opportunity I had to celebrate a risen Jesus with the Malagasy. And Monday. Let me tell you about Monday. Everyone and their mothers were at the beach soaking up rays, eating ice cream (and I've already told you about Majunga's ice cream), and jamming it up with my host father's TV/Radio station providing the stage for artists to make their respective splashes and waves. And of course, out of the thousands on the beach, pasty, white Tyler is the only vazaha (caucasian, I've referenced this already. Keep up!) trying to fit in. Sunset on the Indian Ocean is where it's at.

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 70

April 7, Madagascar Day 70

The past week-and-a-half has been a whirlwind of events. To sum it up:

Hot beach -> Cold mountains -> Lost passport (not really, just thought so) -> Tour of new American Embassy (met the Ambassador!) -> 11 hour bus ride -> Hot beach.

To elaborate? Nosy Be (pronounced: Noosy Bay) was gorgeous. I snorkeled with sea turtles, giant clams, coral, eels, and barracuda...you know, just a regular day in Madagascar. I returned to Tana, and in preparation for the Embassy tour, I saw that my passport was not on my person. Freaked out, I go home and find it on my desk. Whew! On the 3rd (iPad debut!), $12.50 bought me an 11hr bus ride back to Majunga (Mahajanga...same place) where I'm currently working on my independent study project. Currently, I've already made plans to meet with the head of the Diocese in the city, and I've been given an exclusive press pass to film the events of a special event happening in front of the Cathedral on Sunday.

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 65

April 2, Madagascar Day 65

America, I'm sorry. I have not been living up to my duty of adequately updating my blog. Concise, insightful, entertaining, and frequent is my goal. As of late they've been longer, perhaps boring (hope not, though), and infrequent. That is about to change.

Well, hopefully.

Tassie Here I Come!

So I leave for Tasmania tomorrow and can't wait!!! Tasmania... The Apple Isle! Wilderness, wines, ancient rivers and mountains, primordial trees, convict built heritage, clean green gourmet foods and produce, wide open spaces with small scale towns and country life on the land, wooden boats and deep harbours are just some of the features that sum up this island across the Tasman Sea from the Australian mainland.

Tasmania is an island roughly the size of West Virginia, located 240 km off the south-east corner of mainland Australia. Next stop south is Antarctica, 2000 km away. Encircled by the Southern Ocean, Tasman Sea and Bass Strait, Tasmanians breathe the world’s cleanest air and rejoice in pure water and fertile soils – their wine and food are acclaimed around the world.

Tasmania is a natural island, a land of dramatic coastlines, rugged mountains, tall forests and sparkling highland lakes. Over a third of the state is reserved in a network of National Parks and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, a refuge and habitat for rare plants and animals, including survivors of the ancient southern super continent, Gondwana. Tasmania’s European heritage dates back to the early 1800s, while Tasmanian Aboriginals first reached here 40,000 years ago.

Climate

Spring is cool, fresh and green, with average highs of 17 C (63 F) and lows around 6 C (42 F). Tasmania is the place to be as nature bursts into life.

Itinerary

Day 1: Wednesday 7th April

Early Start!

6:15am Bus pick up.

8:15am
Flight Melbourne-Launceston

9:15am Arrive Launceston
Jetstar JQ735

10:15am Visit Cataract Gorge

12:00pm Depart for Lunch @ food court
Grocery shopping also available Lunch not provided by IES
Corner Brisbane and Wellington st

2pm Depart for Coles Bay

5pm Arrive Coles Bay, Iluka Holiday Centre – dormitories Esplanade, Coles Bay.
Ph: 03 6257 0115

5pm + Optional run and Polar Bear swim

6:45pm Dinner @ Iluka Tavern

Day 2: Thursday 8th April

Wine Glass Bay hike, Strawberry Farm and Ghost tour

7:00am to 8am Breakfast
Breakfast / lunch provided by IES It’s EARLY !!!
Cut Lunch – make your own sandwich – food provided by IES.

8am Breakfast clean up

8:30am Check out of accommodation.
Depart for ½ day hike to Wineglass Bay. Bring lunch. Please pack all your belongings and place suitcases / bags on bus

Please wear enclosed shoes for the walk. Bring lunch, water bottle, and sunscreen, and snacks.

1pm Transfer to Fruit Farm

2pm Afternoon tea @ Kate’s Berry Farm 12 Addison Street, Swansea
Ph: (03) 6257 8428

6pm Arrive at Parsons Bay Retreat 1583 Nubeena Road, Nubeena
Ph: (03) 6250 2000

6:15pm Dinner @ Iluka Tavern Ph: 6257 0429‎

7:30pm Depart for Port Arthur Ghost Tour (approx 1.5 hours) Ghost tour starts at 8:15pm

10:30pm Return to accommodation

Day 3: Friday 9th April

Port Arthur Historic site and Devil Park

7:15am to 8am Breakfast @ hotel

8:30am Check out of Parsons Bay Retreat. Bus transfer to Port Arthur Historic Site. Please pack all your belongings and place suitcases / bags on bus

10:45am Transfer to Tassie Devil Park

11:15am Raptor display @ Tassie Devil Park

1:00pm Transfer to Lunch

1:30pm Lunch @ Murdunna Store Ph: 6253 5196‎

3:30pm Meadow Bank Winery –wine tasting 699 Richmond Rd, Cambridge
Ph: 6248 4484

4:30pm Arrive Hobart. Check in to Old Woolstore Hotel 1 Macquarie St, Hobart
Ph: (03) 6235 5355

Free afternoon and evening – see “Things to do” section of booklet Dinner not provided by IES
Suggestions - Ethiopian or Pizza:
*Axum Ethiopian Restaurant – 1/112 Liverpool St, 0400836074, ~$15
*Sublime Pizza – 145 Elizabeth St, 62312292, sml $12, fam $24

Day 4: Saturday 10th April

Salamanca Markets and Mountain biking

Time Activity Detail
8:30am Walk to Salamanca Market If your feeling tired have a sleep in. This is an optional activity!!

12:30pm Depart for Mountain Biking adventure Breakfast and lunch not provided by IES, please purchase food at Market.

3:30pm Conclude mountain biking

3:30pm + Free afternoon – see “Things to do” section of booklet

6:30pm Group Dinner – Sakura Sushi 77 Liverpool St, Hobart
Ph: (03) 6234 8886

Day 5: Sunday 11th April

Laser Skirmish in the bush

Time Activity Detail
8:00am Breakfast @ hotel

9:30am Depart for Laser skirmish Please pack all your belongings and place suitcases / bags on bus

1pm Depart Laser Skirmish

1:30pm Lunch @ Elizabeth St, Nth Hobart
Lunch not provided by IES, please purchase food in town.

3:15pm Depart for Flight Hobart-Melbourne Qantas QF1012; 4:50pm

6pm Arrive Melbourne Airport

7pm Arrive @ Melbourne University

Well, thats my itinerary! Should be lots of fun and I will make sure to take lots of pictures!

Bunnies and Magpies

My Lil Space Under the Stairs...or so it seems.

HOPPY EASTER!! I know it is not quite Easter there yet but it is here and I have had a wonderful day celebrating it! I went to an absolutely fascinating and beautiful cathedral in the city today for the Easter Service at 10 am. Got up an extra hour early because day light savings time. He may have gotten me this time but oh you just wait... Contemplated what to wear for about 30 minutes. You know, I really miss the days where one's easter dress was the highlight of the year. I remember shopping and searching for just the "perfect" one with an array of beautiful flowers and pastel colors. Today, I wore a brown dress. Yep, I said brown. I felt so guilty that I paired it with an orange coat thinking it would improve my Easter Image. In all, I ended up looking like a burnt carrot.

The service was great other than getting flicked with water from a bush. This actually was not that bad, but just rather unexpected. I looked up from my bulletin and WHAM, water flew into my eye. Since when did Catholicism extend to patronizing the non-Catholics? Jill began to laugh because she could sense my confusion. I learned that this was part of the Catholic service and symbolized getting sprinkled with the holy water and experiencing the cleansing powers of God, not the beginning of a water gun fight. The choir sounded like angels and cathedral was absolutely stunning. After church, Jill and I had a great Easter lunch in the city and ONLY because it was Easter, treated ourselves to a little desert. ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS EASTER we went to Krispy Kreme right after lunch and got 2 great big donuts with a refreshing glass of milk. Man, there is nothing like a fresh Krispy Kreme donut.

We took the tram back to the city and I had my traditional Sunday nap. After waking, I decided to be semi productive and am now acting on that notion. Overall, it was a marvelous Easter Sunday although I truly missed some fabulous Fowler cookin and the traditional Easter Egg toss. Mimi, no boiled eggs this year!! Tammy, if you get my letter in time, please go forth with the mission.

Well, back to earlier events in the week. I last left you at Saturday. On Sunday, I went to Northside Christian Church in Bundoora. It was a quick commute and only about 7 minutes via tram from campus! Jill and I looked our Sunday best and thoroughly enjoyed the service. The sermon was great but not as challenging as I am used to (Go Brad!) and the service in general was very modern. There were even fog machines and flashing lights. I thought I was at a concert when the music director started jumping up and down! Overall, it was exciting to say the least. After church, in an attempt to recreate the Austin Road after-church experience, I whipped up some great veggies and made a great Southern style lunch. YUMMY.

The rest of the school week (29/03/10-02/04/10) was rather uneventful. I was very busy with school assignments that were to be turned in before Mid Semester Break and had lots of reading to do! I finished Northanger Abbey (for all you Austen fans out there) and Heart of Darkness (for all you sub par literature buffs aka John) which was not that enjoyable. I did however explore and find a great spot to relax and read! I have turned into "that" dorky girl that walks around campus with her nose in a book running into people, doors, and any inanimate object in her path. Finished my essays and hoping that they fulfill "Aussie" requirements. We shall see.

Side note. John, Can you please help me with my essay about my relationship to law? hahahahahahahah

Wednesday finally arrived and my stress went out the window along with any semblance of motivation or activity! Spring Break '10 officially started after my class presentation in my 6 p.m. tutorial and boy did I take full advantage! I was a beach bum without the beach. Thursday morning began with a fresh start and a wonderful free breakfast in the Chisholm lounge :) After our Baker's Delight, we headed to the city to visit with Gabe before his Sydney trip. After our visit, we decided to walk around the city, engage in some light shopping, and ended up stopping to have a quick bite to eat. Dinner was great and we had many adventures at the restaurant talking to people that randomely came up to our table. Boy, Australians are mighty friendly. After our city adventure, we headed back to school and had a great night socializing with people in Tower 9. We had an 80's rage and had quite the time bringing out some old music and old moves. Props to Kai (our asian friend that LIVES in the kitchen). He taught us some really great dance moves that resembled a Richard Simmons video. Really wish I had gotten it on tape.

Friday was a beautiful day and I read most of the morning. I made a great lunch (grilled cheese...yes that is considered great in my life) and started the movie Changeling. What a GREAT movie!! I am now convinced that the government and world we live in is a huge conspiracy. After this movie, I joined some other Chisholmites in the theater room and watched Van Wilder. It was a rather weird and painful experience because no one cracked a smile the entire movie and Jill and I had to hold back tears and fits of laughter! I mean what about a college FAIL does not resonate with other college kids? Thought Australians had a sense of humor but guess not...

GO MELBOURNE DEMONS!!! Saturday commenced with an exciting game of footy at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds! Collingwood Magpies vs. Melbourne Demons. There were TONS of fans rooting for Collingwood at the match so I was destined to pull for Melbourne and make up for their lack of team support. I am sure all of you can see me screaming in a mass of Magpie fans. By the way, the Magpie is a common bird in Australia that is black and white. They inhabit the trees outside my window and make lovely noises starting at 6 am every morning, and by lovely I mean harrowing and revolting noises. So naturally, as soon as I discovered Collingwood's mascot I immediately became a crazed demon. The match was great and extremely interesting because there seems to be no rules in the sport. You can push, hit, tackle, kick, sling, pretty much any act of physical violence that you choose. Clearly not the sport for me. The game is a combination of throwing, dribbling, and kicking. Quite a foreign concept but very similar to rugby I believe. There were 4 quarters that each lasted around 30 minutes. Those guys had to be in shape! Sadly, the demons ended up losing by 1 point in the end. Totally ruined my day. Darn Magpies.

Well mates, that leads me to today which I already detailed for you. Hope everyone has a fabulous Easter and remembers the reason for the season. I will put in a good word with the Easter Bunny for you :)
Great picture of the Flinders Street Station