A Trip to Australia: Tasmania

Sunday, November 26, 2023 Melbourne - Hobart Flawless journey to Hobart. Our stay in the southernmost land we’ve ever visited. And indeed, everything’s different. The climate—14°C, rain that varies in intensity but never stops, the landscapes… It’s a shock! But, apart from the bad weather, Dom is thrilled.











We’ve also downgraded our accommodations. We’ve got a tiny room, and the bathroom—private, at least—is two hallways away… But the price is reasonable (under 100 €) and the location is central.

We cheered ourselves up by dining at *The Drunken Admiral* (reservations are a must—we barely snagged a table for 8 PM!). The decor is straight out of an old ship, complete with cheeky statues in the style of *Pirates of the Caribbean*… We had fun! The food was decent, but pricey. Dom loved it; I was less impressed.



We bailed on the British series *Emma*, based on Jane Austen. We couldn’t take it anymore. The boredom was so intense that the specter of a collective suicide loomed over us. This show, where the world’s most insufferable bourgeoisie—the English nobility—lives out love stories with such improbable naivety that I wanted to scream, is pure torture. Mercy, I surrender! I’ll tell you anything you want, just make it stop! We got rid of it. We’re safe now!

Monday, November 27, 2023 Hobart - Spring Beach

Yesterday was the trip to Tasmania. Today, we’re exploring for real. We’re wandering through the charming historic district of Battery Point…

Then we visit Mona, THE local museum, an attraction you wouldn’t want to miss! From the very outskirts—before even stepping through any doors—there’s something offbeat, an ironic take on the world that shines through…







It’s kind of a museum of madness. You’ll find all sorts of things there. Underground passages lead you to places where the most extreme, least tolerated sexualities are expressed—things I won’t be showing here, of course…









Just as easily, your steps might lead you to sanctuaries where sacred religious chants fill the air, where you’ll see countless icons and Christ representations from every era and origin.

There are small things, major works, lots of installations, approaches that play with psychology, optical illusions... It's a big mishmash, a gigantic cabinet of curiosities where everything blends together, where anything is possible, where there are no taboos—even if it shocks, which is undoubtedly one of the roles of artistic expression! To push boundaries, break free from constraints, open the box of forbidden things to lose yourself in as much as possible, and give the mind a little more freedom...



A "suicide" workshop...





The library of blank pages...



A workshop called "separating the wheat from the chaff" that provides tweezers to sort through piles of mixed grains...









You have fun, and you’re not quite sure where you are anymore...

After that, we headed to the Royal Botanic Garden to unwind a bit.











Evening was already setting in as we rushed to reach our destination for the night, Spring Beach, not far from Triabunna, so we could visit Maria Island the next day. Time to deal with today’s parking ticket...

When we arrived, we realized we were staying at a guesthouse. We met C.C. I’m not usually a fan of this kind of setup, but the minor downside was nothing compared to the beauty of the place. We practically had a whole house to ourselves, complete with a huge garden where flocks of colorful parrots were flying around. And C. wasn’t annoying at all. We chatted a bit when we arrived, then everyone went their own way. He even left us a bottle of local sparkling wine in the fridge, which we enjoyed on the terrace with our trail mix.

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 Spring Beach Experience on Maria Island. With the pass bought at a premium at the Hobart information center, we still had to shell out another hundred AUD (okay, that’s only about sixty euros, we get it…) to access the ferry that takes you there. We left from Triabunna, just a fifteen-minute drive from our place. There weren’t many people—we were barely a dozen at most.

The island fiercely guards its insularity. There are no cars, and therefore no roads either. And hardly any inhabitants. This leaves nature with a space it’s lost almost everywhere else. The national park concept is applied here with striking success. The wildlife roams freely, indifferent to humans, who’ve been deemed neither aggressive nor dangerous. Pure bliss!

Wednesday, November 29, 2023 Freycinet National Park Gotta admit, the "Guest House" trip can sometimes be a great tip. C. and B.'s place had no shortage of charm. And their brief company wasn’t at all a drag. Not even a little. Besides, check it out—C. gave us a tour of their greenhouses. Even handed us some beans!

Then we hit the road again, heading to Freycinet National Park. - Where’d you put the National Park pass, by the way? - ???!!!! It was right here—I left it behind the windshield! I spot it. Just the edge of its white border catching the light. It slid down the windshield and wedged itself way back, between the glass and the black plastic of the dashboard. We try to fish it out with whatever’s within reach. No luck. Instead, we push it even farther into that unreachable gap. Dom gets out of the car and comes back with… A blade of grass! I tease her (gently), because, seriously… A blade of grass!

Well, she got it out! Everything I thought I knew about the physical laws governing this universe is suddenly in question…

We started with the Wineglass Bay Lookout—a stunning view of the bay, though it does require a pretty steep climb through some impressive rocks. We ran into plenty of wallabies along the way. And we even made friends with some!





Next, we checked out Sleepy Bay.

"Sleepy"? No way to resist. Everyone sprawls out on the big rock slabs that soaked up the sun’s heat all day. We let the sound of the waves lull us… How could you not?



Only Dominique, regal on her throne, keeps watch over the area, making sure no one disturbs our peace. To finish up, we walked the short kilometer of the Cape Tourville Circuit—a scenic trail along a jagged cliff, guaranteed to elicit "oohs" and "aahs" from the whole family.

As usual, we "did" the cemeteries too. We came across this plaque:

But what on earth is this about? Google, help us out! "The Port Arthur massacre took place from April 28 to 29, 1996, in Port Arthur, Tasmania. It was a large-scale shooting in which 35 people were killed and 23 injured. The killer, Martin Bryant, was sentenced to life imprisonment." "One of the deadliest mass shootings in Australian history, it led to significant changes in Australia’s gun control laws." "The 2021 film *Nitram*, directed by Justin Kurzel, is based on Martin Bryant’s story." We’re in the middle of nowhere again. Finding a restaurant is a real challenge. We end up back at an RSL (Returned and Services League) club. We hesitated at first—the room felt so cold and soulless. Then a glowing cross lit up. We were asked to stand. It wasn’t optional, and our hesitation (due to not understanding the situation) annoyed them. We were gestured at—stand up, arms outstretched in front of you, head bowed, eyes half-closed, while someone in the next room droned on in a monotone voice…

Dom and I, of course, found it all very exotic. We ordered a black onyx striploin without really knowing what it was. Without really knowing? Note it down somewhere so you don’t forget: it was one of the best steaks I’ve ever had in a life that’s seen plenty. It was sublime!

Thursday, November 30, 2023 Swansea – Launceston All night long, we were lulled by the music of a relentless wind that just wouldn’t quit...

Not far from where we’re staying, there’s a walk called the Loontitetermairrelehoiner trail... Shall we check it out? It first runs alongside a golf course...

Then it follows the coast. Easy.

There’s a cemetery. Naturally. It tells the story of the pioneers’ tough lives. It started raining for real... Time to find somewhere else, if there’s a spot that’s a bit more sheltered! We drove for two hours to the big city of Launceston. We picked up a room in a house with undeniable charm—all the comforts, but no kitchen. Here, the must-do walk is the zig-zag and waterfall circuit along the South Esk River... It’s an extremely popular spot. They’ve set up a swimming pool and the world’s longest chairlift. Luckily for us, the circuit was closed for renovations. We didn’t let that discourage us—we just had to climb along some wild nature to bypass the obstacles set up to deter walkers. That’s how we ended up in the near-solitude we love so much during our wanderings. On some dolerite walls, these really pretty zeolite crystals. - Huh? What? What are you talking about? What’s this... these... *dolerites*? - Well, it’s a microgabbro where you can see either large pyroxene crystals enclosing small plagioclase laths, or plagioclase laths joined together with gaps filled by small pyroxene crystals. Didn’t you know? You should educate yourself a bit!

There’s a community of particularly noisy peacocks... Hidden away, little critters are watching us... When tourists finally spot them, it’s pure joy!

Below is the only trace I managed to get of the hyper-speed blue bird we often see but can never photograph because it’s always on the move...

Giant sequoias. This one was planted in 1894. It’s a baby. They can live for thousands of years.





Then back to Launceston... We had "Mexican" for dinner for a change...

Friday, December 1st, 2023 Launceston – Cradle Mountain

The sea’s wearing you out, don’t deny it—it shows! And since you’re not into the sea anymore, let me suggest the mountains! Just about two hours from Launceston lies Cradle Mountain National Park, our destination for the next two days. The diversity of landscapes over such a short distance is stunning. Now, jagged peaks stand fixed on the horizon, we’re driving through rainforests, it turns alpine around the next bend—you don’t know where you are anymore…



We arrive at our destination, the Cradle Alpine Retreat, where we’ve got a Superior Cottage with a spa bath. A real little chalet all to ourselves in the middle of nature. We’re thrilled!

We can’t wait to explore the peaks. We head to Dove Lake, the most popular spot. We hit a barrier. A sign tells us the road is closed to traffic, and we need to go down to the Visitor’s Center 2 kilometers below to buy a bus ticket—the only way to continue. So here we are…

Here we are! It was starting to get seriously crowded at Dove, so we quickly took off for the side trails toward Wombat Pool up there (it’s a reaaal climb!)



It’s packed—really, a ton of Northern snow skinks!

We make it to Wombat Pool (yep, the area’s full of wombats!). It’s sooo pretty.

I suggest heading back to Dove and taking the return shuttle, but she won’t hear of it. She’s not tired at all and insists we walk part of the way back. Off we go again—adventure calls, and that’s Dom for you. Sometimes, you just can’t win!









Then suddenly...

According to my Google Lens, it’s a tiger snake—one of Australia’s deadliest! I almost ran after it for the photo! It’s stupid, but we were over the moon!





Honestly, it feels a bit like Mars here, don’t you think?

We had dinner on our lovely terrace—frozen meals we bought in Launceston. We’d been warned: there’s no grocery store or restaurants around here. It’s really off the beaten path! !

We’re not alone—there are birds begging for our leftovers. We refuse to give in; it could become a bad habit. Then there are wallabies. Loads of them! !

Saturday, December 2, 2023 Cradle Mountain This time we're well-prepared—we take the shuttle, get off at Snake Valley, and follow the boardwalk all the way to Ronny's Creek. It's peaceful, almost the entire route is marked and takes the form of a long wooden walkway.



Wombats are amazing—they're everywhere! But tourists never get tired of them, rushing over and forming crowds in seconds.









It looks like Mars, I'm telling you! You probably think I'm tweaking the colors in these photos, admit it! But nope—not at all! It's just incredible!

We reach the end of the boardwalk, just steps from the shuttle station, when we come across this:

The black tiger snake. The killer. Unbelievable! We point it out to a group of arriving locals. They don’t see it. It’s gone. It’s out there somewhere in the valley...

Our steps lead us to the Weindorfer’s chalet and their friends. These Austrians came to build a chalet here in the 1920s, living a life of asceticism but also so much more—skiing, picnics, hikes... They’re considered the founders of the park...

Behind their house, the enchanted walk, which truly lives up to its name—a primordial forest transformed by lichen and moss! A gothic movie set!

I finally managed to catch the hyper-speed blue bird I’ve been tracking for a good month...

Then it started raining. It was too late to start another hike anyway... So, back home. Dom started the house puzzle... The weather calmed down, and we were able to eat outside, under the watchful eyes of the little wallabies hanging around the property...

Sunday, December 3, 2023 Cradle Mountain – Hobart We had a 4-hour drive. Seems like a lot, but with some great podcasts (including one by a journalist who recounts her life through messages left on her answering machine in the '90s) and stunning landscapes… it’s peaceful!









We arrive in Hobart, the upscale neighborhoods, at Battery Point—luxurious, spacious, super comfortable, very bright and airy… We’re thrilled.



By the way, Henry Kissinger died. We should celebrate that. (Wait, what? Celebrate someone’s death? Are you crazy? Never mind, this isn’t the place…). We opened our suitcase and discovered a stowaway—a little spider that tried to set up a colony in the plains.

Then we had dinner at the prestigious Mures Upper Deck (Kissinger, remember?).

Monday, December 4, 2023 Hobart – Melbourne A quiet trip with its usual one-hour delay. We’re back in the big city. We’re staying in Chinatown.



















A bland room with a terrace facing the gray walls of the surrounding buildings. Can’t have the Meriton every time. We’re eating Japanese tonight.