14 -23 February.
It’s been a long time since we’ve had an update, so I’m combining several events. It was lovely to have a visit from James and Sarah and grandkids Jasper 12, Anna 8 and Siena 6. We had hired a seven seater van to transport us all, which we drove up to Auckland to meet them from their San Francisco flight.
I thought they would be tired after their flight, but they were raring to go (so much energy). So, the afternoon saw us in the hot river at Wai-O-Tapu, followed by a barbecue in the evening.
During their 10 days with us, most of Rotorua’s attractions were sampled. The Luge, the Redwoods at night, The Agrodome, the Canopy Tour, walks to watch the rafts coming over the Tutea falls, the kids were upset they were too young to participate. Also walks in the Redwoods to place painted stones on the snake’s tail. Visits to the Lakefront playground and Lady Jane’s Ice Cream Parlour. Jasper’s favourite was mountain biking in the Redwoods with Dennis’s brother Ash, a very keen cyclist. 3 times and Jasper would have liked more.
Siena winning a prize lamb.
James and Sarah went off to Raglan for a couple of days and left us in charge. I was in a state of trepidation over such responsibility, but they were perfectly behaved. One afternoon we took them to see the lions at Paradise Valley Wildlife Park. We also had a lovely day and perfect weather for a visit to the beach at Mount Maunganui.
Time flew and in no time at all we were heading back to Auckland Airport.
Airbnb
Friends persuaded us, after all our family visits, to put our “Garden Cabin” on Airbnb. It has gone very well and been quite busy, but it’s making a lot of work.
Australia 10 -24 March
We first flew to the Gold Coast for a visit to Dennis’s son, Steve in Lismore. From there we flew to Hobart to do something a bit different for us. A self drive tour organised by a local travel agent with Tasvacations.
It was late afternoon when we flew into Hobart and looking down from the plane it looked very brown and parched. Hobart Airport is a somewhat confused airport. We arrived in the domestic departures area and had to make our way through crowds of departing passengers. Eventually after a long walk to the other side of the airport, we found the baggage reclaim area. Then a long walk to the car hire office and car park. By this time it was dark.
I never like arriving somewhere in the dark as you can’t really get an impression of what a place is like. Our sat-nav decided it didn’t want to work so we located the Movenpick hotel with the help of Google Maps on Dennis’s phone. Only one slight mishap when we missed a turning, twice. We arrived at the rear entrance to the hotel. There was no parking, but valet parking was part of our package, so the car was whisked off somewhere.
Hobart
The following morning we wandered around some of the central streets, then down to the harbour area. En route we came across the Tourist Office where we purchased a map of the island and received some information on what to see in Hobart. The harbour area had several fish restaurants so we decided one would be our venue for dinner.
After a stroll around the Salamanca Market area, the market only takes place on Saturday, but there are several craft shops and cafes, we made for the pier to catch a ferry up the Derwent River to MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art.
A redesigned Porche
MONA is the largest privately funded museum in the Southern Hemisphere, housing ancient and modern contemporary art from the David Walsh collection. Walsh grew up in Hobart, studied mathematics and computer science at the University of Tasmania and subsequently made a fortune by developing a gambling system used to bet on horse racing and other sports. I have to say it was not really our cup of tea. Noted for its themes of sex and death. Walsh describes it as a “subversive adult Disneyland”.
We returned to the Movenpick Hotel in time for chocolate hour, much more our scene 😀The hotel serves free chocolate cakes/chocolates to guests.
Strachan
Next morning we drove 300kms to Strachan on the west coast of Tasmania. Stopping for lunch at Derwent Bridge at the Hungry Wombat Cafe. Once back on the road the weather became inclement and we drove through forests on winding mountain roads in the rain. Our hotel in Strachan was very different. Franklin Manor. Originally built for the Harbour Master in 1898 it is now a boutique hotel, with a mainly French staff, and a very smart restaurant with a French chef. We enjoyed an exquisite dinner, but it wasn’t cheap!
We had to be up early the next morning for the Gordon River cruise. The weather had improved and this was a great day out including a buffet lunch. Sailing through the UNESCO Tasmanian World Heritage Area of untouched rain forest.
Two stops were made. One for a walk in the forest, the second at the penal colony at Sarah Island. Here we had a really animated guide, telling us of the hardships experienced by the prisoners in this “hell on earth”. It focused on severe punishing labour. Initially logging the local Huon pine and latterly developing into Australia’s largest shipbuilding yard.
Our guide was the main actor in Strachan’s long running play, The Ship That Never Was. We decided we should see it and went to the Information Office to buy tickets. They were sold out, but suggested we go along and see if there were any no shows. Our guide, now the main actor squeezed us in. There are just 2 actors. All other parts are played by members of the audience, so it is a very inclusive and hilarious evening. For dinner we visited the local pub for a burger. Rather different to last night’s experience.
Waratah and Cradle Mountain
Next day made a diversion on our way to Cradle Mountain to visit Waratah, the birth place of Dennis’s grandfather. Dennis had been before, many years ago. We visited the museum to see if there was any information relating to his family. Most was of a later era, but there was a book which contained a family picture including his grandmother as a child, that Dennis has. On our way out of Waratah we came across an echidna digging for grubs beside the road.
Our accommodation, Discovery Premium Mountain Cabins, was my favourite accommodation on this tour. Luxurious cabins with a full kitchen and a pack of goodies which included a bottle of bubbles, cheeses and biscuits and chocolates. Large glass windows overlooked the forest, all cabins being strategically placed for privacy.
After sampling our goodies for lunch we set off to explore. I had always wanted to see Tasmanian Devils. They are now, sadly, becoming endangered, but here there is a sanctuary here. We saw many families of Devils, but they didn’t look very ferocious.
The sanctuary also had quolls, which are also becoming endangered.
After this we took one of the short walks and then returned to Discovery Cabins shop to buy a pizza for dinner. This was combined with the rest of bubbles and chocolate. On our way back we came across a wombat happily munching away not far from the roadside.
Launceston
En route to Launceston next day we stopped for a distillery tour at Turners Stillhouse. I thought this would be a group tour but it was just us and it is only a small, but successful operation. Owned by a Californian, Turner, married to a Tasmanian, they are producing an award winning gin, Three Cuts Gin, Rosevears Whisky and also Bourbon. We had lunch here before heading for our next stay at the Sebel Hotel. This was my least favourite property. That evening we walked around the city and picked a Chinese restaurant for something different.
Today we were booked for lunch and a wine tasting at Josef Chromy Winery. It was a beautiful sunny day so we chose to sit in the garden for the tasting. I did very well as I “tasted” most of Dennis’s samples as well. Lunch was delicious. It is a highly rated restaurant.
After lunch we drove to the Tamar Gorge. After taking the chair lift across the gorge, we took a long walk along the river side and had to retrace our steps in order to get back to the car park.
Our next stop was Swansea on the east coast. Here we had a chalet overlooking the ocean. After lunch in a Swansea cafe we checked in. The manager advised us we should visit the Freycinet Peninsular and the famous Wineglass Bay lookout. We stopped at Coles Bay and visited the Ice Creamery for large cones. By the time we reached the car park for the walk to the lookout it was already quite late. As it was a 2 hour walk we thought it was too late to start. On our way back we came across a couple of wallabies.
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Shepherd’s warning sunrise.
Port Arthur
On our drive back to Hobart today, we stopped to visit the penal colony at Port Arthur. The ticket included a short cruise out to 2 islands, one where the boys were imprisoned, some as young as 9, the second being Dead Island where burials took place. The prisoners in nameless graves on the top level and staff and their families on the lower level, with headstones. It is quite a large site, with two cell blocks, a hospital, large church and various housing for guards and other personnel.
Once a flour mill then converted into a brutal prison.
Finally back to Hobart and the Doubletree Hilton.
We enjoyed the wild beauty of the countryside and the many magnificent historic buildings in both Hobart and Launceston
Next day we were up early to return the car and check in for our flight back to Auckland. This all seemed to be going well, until taxiing to the runway the captain advised there was a technical issue with the deicing system. They were calling an engineer to try and remedy the problem. After sitting on the aircraft for 2 hours, the captain advised the problem could not be fixed. We disembarked, waited a long time for the return of our luggage, then stood in a queue for a further 3 hours while they rebooked everyone.
We eventually flew out of Hobart at 9.50pm to Melbourne and were booked into an airport hotel where we arrived at just before midnight. At 6 am we were up again to get our flight back to Auckland. It was a shame as everything had gone perfectly to plan up until this hiccup.
Future plans.
Now we have 2 weeks back in NZ before we set off again for the Far East and then on to the U.K.
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