Tasmania (at last)!

fter a crazy early start (4.50am alarm call) I left my hotel and checked in for my 7.05am flight to Hobart. We were a bit delayed leaving Melbourne as a crew member had called in sick so a reserve had to be tracked down.

It was a very short flight to Hobart (less than an hour). On our approach to the airport it was obvious that the weather was very different from Melbourne – there was plenty of low cloud around for a start. On the ground the temperature was much much lower than the forecast Melbourne temperature of 34 degrees!

I picked up my hire car (a Nissan Tiida) and set off for Port Arthur, about 85kms South of Hobart airport. According to the tourist bumph, Port Arthur is one of Australia's 'most significant historic sites' – the ruins of a former 'key element of the Australian prison system'. All good interesting stuff. Included in the admission price was a short boat trip which was a bit pointless, and a guided walking tour which was good and would've been even better if it was longer. The guide in the group I was in was really good.

After spending about 3 hours at the site it was time for lunch. I stopped off at Eucalypt, just by the entrance/exit to Port Arthur – I had a roasted pumpkin and chickpea salad. My salad was tasty, but not as filling as I'd hoped. Luckily, I'd passed a bakery on the way down and I thought a curried scallop pie (a Tasmanian delicacy) would fill me up! The pie was 'interesting' – I might have to try another one whilst I'm here so that my survey is more statistically representative!

After my double lunch effort I continued on my way up the East coast to Swansea. The drive was pretty dull and the low cloud was a bit disappointing (it had threatened to get sunny earlier).

I got to Swansea and checked in at my motel. I'm spending 3 nights here as it seems like a decent base for the area.

Swansea itself looks like typical small-town tourist Australia. I had a quick look up and down the main street, but it was pretty dead. Luckily there was a bottle shop next to my motel and the restaurant opposite had a decent looking menu.

After a cold Cascade in my room I went over the road for dinner. My local scallops and squid with masala salsa was just the job!