Morning Sunrise on Mount Cook

Clouds on the mountains

 I want to go up there

 Mount Cook 

 Trail from the lodge

 On the Trail

 Trail from the lodge

 Sir Edmond Hillary looking at Mount Cook

 On a bridge part of the trail

 Looking back at Mount Cook

 The Clay Cliffs

Jack's Stream

Lake Pulaki - Yes, it is that blue

 Mount Cook

Glacier on Mount Cook

Near Twizel, used in Lord of the Rings

Near Twizel, used in LOTR

 Near Mount Potts Station

 Red Deer near Mount Potts Station

 The Cathedral, Christchurch

 Victoria Bridge, Christchurch

 Dinner at a Carvery

I just posted a video that I recorded 15 March in Sydney of a Saint Patrick's Day celebration and you can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBxLedpdPjc&feature=channel_page

Today I took my time working on a few pictures to post and sent to family and friends before I left the hotel.  I stopped by a winery in the Coal Valley Vineyard area and sampled a few of their selections before deciding to buy a reisling to take with me.  When I left I drove to the top of Mt. Wellington. 

The clouds had not yet cleared and I was treated to a view of white haze instead the view of Hobart I had hoped for.  During the winter sometimes the tope is capped with snow making for an impressive view from the city below.

I decided to drive on toward Devonport so that I could make my way to Melbourne to spend a few days before leaving for Christchurch, NZ on the 24th. When I stopped for petrol (gas to us Americans) the station attendant mentioned a place called The Maze along the way that I could stop and have a meal. 

When I arrived I understood the name because they have a large maze that you can find your way through and then enjoy a good meal after your adventure.  I didn't try the maze but did enjoy a good burger and chips.  I also had a milkshake but very different from any I had in the USA.  There was no ice cream in it, just simply milk and flavoring.  It was ok but give me the fat loaded ones I am used to.

On resuming my travel I was amazed to see so much green land.  Tasmania is full of extremes, rugged rocky coastlines, gorgeous white sand beaches, mountains, and beautiful farmland.  The combination of all of this in a small state was what gives Tasmania its charm.  You can be from one area to another in just a short time.  I wish I had more time to explore Tasmania but I also want to see Melbourne and all it has to offer.

When I arrived in Devonport I drove to the office for the Spirit of Tasmania, a large ship that runs from Devonport to Melbourne.  The agent was able to get me on tonights voyage so I topped off the tank of the rental car, parked it, and dropped the keys in the drop box since noone was there at the kiosk.  I was supposed to leave it at the airport but the agent for the ship called Europcar rentals for me and they said I could leave it here instead.

The ship is large and holds many vehicles and equipment in addition to passengers.  It looks like any large cruise ship that you see at many ports.  I had a quick meal and then found a recliner looking out the back of the ship to the sea so I could use my computer for a while before getting some sleep.  The cruise take approx. 10 hours at about 25 knots.

HINT:  When I picked and dropped off the rental car I took pictures of it to show the shape it was in before and after just in case there is any question about it.  Be sure to include some landmark or building so you can prove where the pics were taken.

After a great breakfast at Storm Bay I took a few pictures along White Sand Beach Rd. and then drove toward Port Arthur where I saw the sign for Remarkable Cave.  That peaked my curiousity so I drove out and was greeted by a beautiful view of the ocean.  The name comes from a partially collapsed sea cave.  The roof at the end is no longer there but it left a keyhole like opening through which you can still see the ocean.  They have built a nice walkway down to the viewing platform.  Several surfers were in the water when I arrived and more came before I left so it must be a good area to catch some waves.

From there I drove on to Port Arthur and saw the signs for the old penal colony that was there.  Port Arthur was used for the repeat offenders.  I thought about going in to have a look but I could see much of the buildings from the parking lot and the fee of $28 was more than I was willing to pay to see them up close.  When I got back to the main road I saw the building for Tasman Island Cruises and stopped to see when their next trip was.  I found out that I could be on the 2:00 boat so I booked it and went across the street to eat a bite.

I parked my car in the parking lot and joined the group getting ready for the boat ride.  Everyone here was very friendly and anxious to make if a fun trip for everyone.  We boarded the boat and once we got underway we were treated to a great lesson on the whole area including the rock formations and animal life.  These people believe in working with the environment and giving back to the area.  The trip was the high point of the Tasmaian part of the trip, I had a blast along with everyone else on the boat.  The captain even let two young boys on the trip drive a little.  With 900 hp he made the trip one to remember and this boat is tough, we zipped around spires of rock and pulled into several sea caves.  Even though the trip lasted just over three hours it seemed to go by much quicker.  If you are in the area I highly recommend this trip.  And you can count on them having a trip if it is posted, they said they have even taken trips with only one person on board rather than turn them away.  I bet that was fantastic trip for the lucky individual.

After the boat ride I wanted to get back in an area with phone service for Vodaphone and internet so I drove toward Hobart and had a burger and beer at Hogs Breath Cafe.  It was a little different than the one I am used to in Key West but similar.  I went back to the airport hotel I had stayed at the first night here.  They were out of regular rooms so he gave me a nice suite for the same price.  There I downloaded the over 1100 pictures I took today (told you it was a beautiful and exciting trip) from the camera and backed them up to the extra hard drive before going to bed.

 On the deck at Storm Bay

 At White Sand Beach

 Near Remarkable Cave

Near Remarkable Cave

 Tasman Island Cruises

 Inside a Sea Cave

 Tasman Island

 Inside Another Sea Cave

 Totem Pole and Candlestick

Waterfall Bay

 Port Arthur Prison Ruins

I did laundry at the hotel (each cycle cost $4 AUD!) so I could get everything clean and repacked before I left.  A girl at the restaurant recommended that I go to the Tasmanian Pennisula and see the Tasmanian Devil Park and possible take one of the boats from Port Arthur to Pirate Cove.  I had checked the night before on the car rental and got that straightened out.  I took the shuttle back to the airport, picked up my car, set the GPS and headed that way.

I saw one of the places that offer the cruises and according to the brouchure they had a 10 am and 2pm trip.  I was hoping to get on the 2pm one and stopped in to book it.  The girl there said they weren't doing an evening cruise at this time but offered one the next morning.  She was quick to say how their cruises were the best and imply the other company doing the cruises were not as competent.  Something just didn't mesh with me so I declined to book anything and thought I would just take my chances on getting to go on one of the trips before I left this area.

Before I got to Port Arthur I saw a sign for the tressimated pavement and went to investigate.  The rock layers here are broken and riddled with lines that make them look like old pavement, almost like someone had built a roadway here.  From here I could see the coastal cliffs and beaches in the distance so I kept going on this new path, not knowing that it would also lead me back to where I was going originally.  Here I saw a blow hole where the roof of a small sea cave has collapsed leaving a hole for the ocean waves to channel through and shoot into the air.  Also near here thay have built a fence along the road to protect the little penguins that burrow here.  Every morning they head out to sea to feed and each evening they return and make their way to the burrows. 

The return just about sunset or shortly after so if you want to see them forget paying anyone to take you on a tour and just ask any local where the best place to view them is.  While here I saw Devils Kitchen, a completely collapsed sea cave, and Tasman Arch, a very large opening to the sea that was once a sea cave that the roof has collapsed.

I drove on and made my way to the Tasmanian Devil Park.  This place was well worth the $26 fee, most of which is used to support a habitat for all their animals.  Here they had kangaroos, wallabys, Tasmanian Devils, many birds and other wildlife.  They do several shows during the day and be sure to see the flight show if you can, the devil feeding is also fun to watch and the personnel are eager to answer any questions you have.  If you have only limited time on the day you go they will gladly let you return the next day to see other shows you may have missed.

I decided to stay in this area so I found a place called Stormy Bay that was beautiful with a great view of the harbour.  Jill, the owner, was very nice and helpful in guiding me to a place to eat.  With your stay a big breakfast is included adding a lot to the value.  This is a great place to relax.  The Vodaphone I had borrowed to use here didn't work in this area and there was no wireless internet so I just enjoyed the evening after a dinner and beer at the local servicemans club.  There I picked up a bottle of local wine to drink but was so relaxed that I didn't even open the bottle before going to sleep.

 Tasman Arch

 Albacor Tuna

 Kangaroo with Joey

 Tasmanian Devils

My Birthday!  Several people emailed me their birthday wishes and I thank all of them for that.
I decided to walk around the harbour area and take a few more pictures before heading to the airport at about 3pm.  After a while I decided to grab some lunch and walked into the Orient hotel pub and was surprised to see nothing but green!  Everyone was Irish today and there was a lot of genuine Irishmen there enjoying more than a few beers.  They all welcomed me and after a few pints I had to go before I decided to just stay here.  I made it back to the hotel and picked up my bag before the shuttle driver arrived to pick me up for the trip to the airport.

When I arrived at the airport all the trouble began.  I had booked this flight with JetStar, a discount airline.  They said the bags I carried were a couple kilos heavy and that the fee was $80!  What a scam!  These are the same bags I have taken on each flight so far with out problems and I was not the only one they did this way.  The workers were rude and would not cut me a break at all even though the fee if I had know about it when I booked the flight would only have been $10.  I had already booked my flight from Melbourne to Christchurch, NZ with this same airlines and since it is an international flight if I add the fee at least 24 hours before the flight the fee will be $80 and if I wait until the day of the flight and hope to meet someone nicer who isn't so strict will be $160!  Such a rip-off!  Avoid this airlines if you can at all.

The flight was ok but everything on the plane involves an inflated cost.  When I arrived in Hobart I then found out that the rental car place could not find my reservation so I hopped on the hotel shuttle and got to my room.  There internet was $5 an hour or $20 a day and there was no free continental breakfast like in Sydney, the hotel rate was nearly twice as much and everything that was free in Sydney had a price here (by the way, they did offer a "buffet" that had the same things as my free breakfast in Sydney for $15).  I just hope things get better.

 Sydney Bridge Reflection

 Captured by Natives

 Saint Paddy's Day Party