Well, I've entitled this the way I have because in some 15 years or more of hostelling, until now, this has never happened to me. Ever. And I still live in hope that perhaps I will get back to the hostel and discover that it didn't actually happen. Because to be honest, it is just sooo surreal...
But let me just tell the tale from the beginning. This morning, at Stupid O'Clock, I spent a shed load of money (well, $26) getting a taxi to the airport for the start of my Tasmanian adventure. I was sooo excited, I haven't travelled anywhere in an eternity (it seems - actually its only been 18 months) but clearly that amount of time has made my brain go soft and caused me to lose my travel-savvy, as you will see later. But I digress.
I got a Jetstar flight to Launceston. 2 1/2 hrs or something - quite respectable. The flight left on time, the service was reasonable (for a no frills airline - to be honest I slept most of the way) and the journey was pretty uneventful. Went through arrivals (past the sniffer dogs looking to see if you've brought any fruit to the Apple Isle - phew! I hadn't...), picked up my bag and then began the interesting task of collecting my rental car. You see, I had made a preliminary booking 2 days ago, but hadn't received any confirmation, so I booked with another company - or so I thought. At 11.30pm last night I discovered the confirmation email in my spam box, and as they charge you regardless, I had to quickly cancel Budget and go with this company, Red Ribbon - or something. They don't actually have a desk at the airport - you arrive, phone them on a mobile, and then a bloke swings by with your car, takes you back to their office and you sort out the paperwork. Quite wierd - but looks ok I guess. I've got a neat little red Hyundai Getz or something. Anyway, Dad had been talking to me before I hired it, telling me I should get the extra insurance and so on, which I never do. But it played on my mind so when I received an email offering me a discount for it, I took it. And then regretted it - when the bloke at Red Ribbon told me that I actually hadn't purchased cover with them, but with the internet brokers who sold me the car hire (who are in New Zealand!) - so if I have a prang (and I'm only covered if the prang is with another car - if I hit a tree well, that's it - not covered) I have to pay the $2000 excess to Red Ribbon first, then claim it back off these Kiwis. Well you know getting that money back will be like getting blood from a stone! So I'm stuffed...
Anyway, I drove into Launceston and after quite a lot of faffing about (photographing the car and so on before I left, figuring out where to go, what to do... yada yada) I managed to negotiate my way to Cataract Gorge. This is just a beautiful place - a nature wilderness in the heart of the city - I don't know how many kilometres and so on it is, but boy I had a lovely walk there. I did the 'zig zag' trail, which is apparently for hikers (that's code for 'this is going to be a little bit strenous so you better think about if you can handle it). You climb up the side of the gorge, with magnificent views, round a corner and there is the First Basin, with chair lift and a suspension bridge going across it. I carried on from there (that walk was supposed to take 20 minutes but hey, I was taking photos - so it was a lot longer) because I wanted to see the Second Basin. Well apparently it was another 20 minutes to the Second Basin, and probably it was, but again, lots of photos. But boy was I starting to feel it - hiking in jeans just doesn't cut it - and there were people running along the track in skimpy shorts and so on (its winter now and freezing - but in the sun its quite warm).
Made it to the Second Basin, and then decided to head up to Duck Reach power station. Well this bit of the journey was to take 45 minutes - and again, took me a bit longer - but was well worth it. The power station building is still there and you reach it from another rickety suspension bridge.
Anyway, after that it was getting on for 2pm so I decided to head back, as there was more of Lonnie to see. Got back about 3ish and did a bit of a wander around town (I was looking for a supermarket actually but didn't find one until much later). Anyway, walked around City Park - saw the monkeys, the pavillion, the turned off fountain - it was all very beautiful (very Victorian actually). Made my way down to the Esk river and had a bit of a wander past Boag's brewery, the Seaport marina (stopping off for a coffee there) and then wandered back into town. By this point it was getting on for 4.30pm and it was absolutely freezing! I could barely feel my hands.
So I made my way to the hostel, which is actually quite nice - a bit bohemian, but then, it is called the Arthouse after all. And that's when everything started to go to pot.
I was sorting through my bag in order to get everything ready for the evening, and I thought to myself, I must get the USB modem out and put it in a safe place so that I can look stuff up on the internet later. So I got it out and put it in a safe place.
Or so I thought. Because after this, I headed back to the car and set off in search of either a supermarket or dinner, and eventually found a Coles. Did my shopping, headed back and went to get out the modem so I could have everything ready to go - to do my internetting down in the common room after dinner.
But the problem is, I couldn't find the modem. At all. I have upended my bag so many times now, patted down all my pockets, searched through absolutely everything (including going back out to the car) and I can not find it. And then I was filled with dread, as I think that maybe someone has been through my bags and nicked it. But if they were going to nick the modem, wouldn't they take the netbook too? I know its a PC, but hey. Someone might want it.
So I don't think that anyone has been through my bag. What I actually think is, that when I got it out earlier, I put it on the bunk above me - and maybe I left it there. And that would be very tempting for someone in the room now, wouldn't it? The thought just makes me sick. $129 USB modem, gone. And how am I going to do my research and blog now for the rest of the trip? Realistically, I can't buy a coffee every night and sit in McDonalds (like I am now).
I went down to reception to see if anyone has handed it in, but alas, no one has. Which now fills me with more dread - because I can't leave my netbook in the car overnight, so I have to have it in the room. Do I sleep with it, and my cameras, and my phone - in case someone tries to nick them? I don't know...
What a horrible ending to such a lovely day. Here's hoping tomorrow is better...
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