Tasmania, pt.2

Path around Dove Lake

Dove Lake
Beginning, Dove Lake Hike

Cradle Mountain area

Having some brekkie
Our Tassie License Plate

We got off the Spirit in Devonport, Tasmania on Saturday morning after passing through customs and found the rental car office. Mark and I were a bit anxious about driving around an unfamiliar area on the opposite side of the road and steering from the right of the vehicle, but he'd gotten a chance to practice in Melbourne once so we hoped it would be okay (and it was- especially since I didn't drive). The Thrifty rep warned us the forecast called for rain, and when we told her we were headed to Cradle Mountain, she told me, "pull your beanie (hat) down a bit more" and "when the weather in Devonport is dreadful, it's shocking on Cradle Mountain". Everything sounds more serious with a British or Aussie accent....we decided to continue with our plans. We went into Devonport for brekkie and found an unusual spot decorated with old records and and album covers. (Sadly, a McDonalds was the first landmark we saw when entering the city). Then we drove South to Cradle Mountain, in Lake St Clair National Park which is a designated Wilderness World Heritage area, meaning it is protected due to its diversity of features. The drive was beautiful. Lots of open, green areas with cows, horses, and sheep grazing. There was little traffic because it was Saturday and still early.

We started the hike about 11 a.m. and it was cool but dry. We decided on the Dove Lake Circuit, a 1-2 hour hike around Dove Lake and were rewarded with beautiful views of Cradle Mountain spires surrounded by fog. It felt like we were in a scene from 'Lord of the Rings'. The landscape was interesting- rainforest with bush grasses, moss, ferns, and buttongrass, a cool bushy plant with bulbs sticking up off the ends. About halfway through the hike, it rained, but we had worn layers with raincoats and hats so although we were a little soaked by the end, it wasn't a big deal. We dried off in a little cabin and shared some trail mix and water. It had taken us an hour and a half to do the hike. After stopping by a local supermarket for some bread and cheese, we headed to Launceston, a two hour drive from the park, and the second largest city in Tasmania. We got there with 'no worries', checked into our hotel, and celebrated Mark's birthday with dinner at the Cock 'n' Bull, a British pub in downtown. Mark had fish and chips, and I had a lovely plate of bangers and mash. The bartender asked where my "accent came from", and seemed to know where Oregon was, which was nice. Although we saw one nightclub, we decided to head back to the room. Instead of dancing the night away, we did the next best thing- watched a tv show called RocKwiz, filmed in Melbourne, in which well-known musicians and members of the pub crowd team up to answer trivia questions about rock music. They have a rockin' house band that plays excerpts from songs and the contestants have to press a buzzer to answer...then we watched a weird, sweet little Swedish film, 'Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers' where a group of six friends go into each room of an elderly couple's apartment while they're out walking the dog and play music with ordinary household stuff they find. I recommend it. I never would have considered a book or electric mixer a musical instrument but this is proof.