TTA Day 4: In Search of The Wineglass

I have been desperately trying every morning to get up early and get on the road quickly. So far, it hasn't happened. This is simply because, when I wake up, its just too cold to get out of bed, so I snuggle back in under the doonah for a bit. When I finally get up, its 8 o'clock or something - actually not so late when you're on holidays - but by the time I have breakfast and get on the road - its gone 9am.

This wouldn't be a problem but for the fact that everything obviously closes earlier in Winter, and also the sun sets quite early too - and obviously you don't want to be driving in the dark, because then you don't get to see anything. What's the point of hiring a car and driving around seeing Tasmania if its dark and you can't see anything?

So every night I go to bed telling myself that tomorrow will be different, I'll get up earlier and get going earlier - and every morning its the same story! Just. Can't. Do. It.

Anyway, I digress. So I finally got out out of the hostel about 9.15am - no mean feat as the boys were still asleep, and I had to be sooo quiet because the kitchen is next to their room. In fact, me being Miss Super Courteous, I didn't even use the kitchen - I went into the building next door where there was another kitchen and made my breakfast there. How considerate am I? Just wish others would be when staying in hostels.

So, I left the hostel at 9.15 and made my way down to the beachfront. I wanted to do a walk along the front there, making my way to the Whaler's Lookout and to the Bicheno Blowhole. According to the book though, this little jaunt would take 2 hours. 11.15. Half the day gone already.

So pretty early on I realised I wasn't going to be able to do the whole walk I had intended - not if I wanted to do Wineglass Bay today - and trust me, I did. I therefore hoofed it back to the car and then drove to the Whaler's lookout and the blowhole. The blowhole was kind of cool, a bit of a puff really, I had expected something a bit more impressive. But its on the list of things to see, and I can say, I saw it.

From Bicheno I headed south on the road to Freycinet (pronounced fray-sin-ay by some locals, and fresh-nay by others - so I still don't know how to say it) National Park, where the famous Wineglass Bay is. I made it by about 12.30 ish, went in and got the lowdown from the National Park people, and then headed off on the track. Being Tasmania, I was prepared for anything, so I had my day sack packed with waterproofs, water, food, fleece - and I had my walking stick too. I must've looked quite a sight! Within minutes of being on the trail all the layers had come off, it was so hot. Whilst I love bushwalking, I am not a fan of going uphill...

That being said though, it was a pleasant walk up to the lookout, and I really enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the views over Coles Bay en route too. There really is something to be said for being out doors enjoying nature. Just love it.

Anyway, I made it to the lookout in relatively good time, and when I got there I encountered a cute Englishman and his friend who I got to take my picture. Had a nice chat to them, then they left and I sat down for a quick cuppa to enjoy the view. I can't stand how some people race up to see the next big lookout, or important sight, and then never take any time to actually appreciate it. Whilst I was enjoying the view a young couple from Geelong approached, so I dutifully took their pictures for them and had another chat. So much for a quiet enjoyment of the view.

After this, I made my way back down the track to the turn off for Wineglass Bay beach. According to the sign this was going to take 1.5 hours - and it was now getting on in the afternoon - but I decided I wanted to do it. Why come all this way and then not do as much of the walks as you can, to truly get the full experience?

The walk is very steep down to the beach, and the steps (which are just rocks spaced apart) are really large. Upon arrival at the beach I discovered a couple of wallabies. They were relatively tame and obviously used to humans - in fact one group of people were feeding them (bad people!). I wandered up the beach, marvelling at the crystal clear blue water, and then walked over to the rocks on the other side of the cove. I don't know how it is they get their beautiful orange colour, but it is very pretty.

All too soon though the afternoon was getting away and it was time to go. That's when I truly felt the pain of the journey - that is one terribly steep hill! Eventually I puffed my way up the hill and then made it back to the car - the next plan was to find a nice place to watch the sunset. I had realised that it wouldn't be good to watch it at the Wineglass lookout because the sun sets behind the back of the look out - so you can't see anything. I thought I found a good place, at Oyster bay - but then, the sun went behind some clouds and it all just fizzled a bit, so I gave up. Before this though I had made the trip to the lookout at Cape Tourville, which was pretty - some lovely views back over the bay.

Alas, the sun set again way too early and I found myself still about an hour away from my accommodation at Swansea - which meant another journey in the dark -soooo not what I wanted to do.

Upon arrival at Swansea Backpackers I literally went up and down the road several times and could not find the place. I eventually had to resort to asking in the local garage - and clearly many others had too, as he quickly drew a mudmap and told me to turn in the drive of the Bottle Shop next to the Bark Mill Tavern. And so I found it.

What an amazing backpackers! The Lonely Planet describes it as a 'flashpackers' and really, it is. Its been recently renovated so everything is very fresh, very clean, and very new. Again, I had a room to myself - a choice of 5 beds - so I well and truly spread out. I also nicked the doonah off another bed too to have a double layer, as it was quite chilly.

The clientele at this backpackers was a real mix. There was a group of Koreans who were playing Cluedo - sounded quite funny to hear "blah blah blah blah blah Professor Plum blah blah blah library"! Then there was the German hostel manager - a bloke all of about 12 - who had a few mates staying there so they were cooking up their pasta and having their beers. Then there was - and this is the only way to describe it - a derro who obviously lives there long term - long, dirty, straggly blonde hair, drunk at 530 in the afternoon, chatting up anything remotely female and breathing. Suffice to say it was lucky me who had the pleasure of his company whilst eating my dinner. Actually he wasn't all that bad, he was relatively harmless, just clearly a late 30- early 40 something year old who has never grown up - he took great delight in telling me all about this motorbike he'd imported from Japan and assembled himself.

Fortunately he got a call from his 18 year old "friend" and then went out - and I went off to bed, exhausted. Another top day...