Slept for ten hours straight (the 5.00am start on board the Spirit of Tasmania was not to my liking). Got up to an amazing view over the port of Burnie and had brekkie while taking it all in. Burnie is a strange place. The part of town I stayed in was excellent. It was next door to the Burnie Club that was prominently yet discreetly sign posted as "members only" and looked very swank. There well maintained Victorian mansions either side of the motel, plus there was a goat.
They like their animal sacrifice here in Tassie. As I've already mentioned this looked like an affluent part of town but as I turned the wrong way up a one way street while trying to get out of the motel I nearly ran over a goat. It was tethered to a post and had full access to the road. What can I say ?? I was talking to a couple who I have met along the way and they told me the story of an alpaca that they saw groomed as a poodle in the town of Sheffield. I may have to return to Tassie and investigate. There has to be a story for A Current Affair here somewhere.
They like their animal sacrifice here in Tassie. As I've already mentioned this looked like an affluent part of town but as I turned the wrong way up a one way street while trying to get out of the motel I nearly ran over a goat. It was tethered to a post and had full access to the road. What can I say ?? I was talking to a couple who I have met along the way and they told me the story of an alpaca that they saw groomed as a poodle in the town of Sheffield. I may have to return to Tassie and investigate. There has to be a story for A Current Affair here somewhere.
 |
| Burnie Sunrise |
I called in at the Hellyers Road Distillery to sample some of their single malt whisky. This was not a wasted part of the trip. They call the tourist side of the business an "interpretation centre" well this is a language that I know well and if they ever need another interpreter I would be more than happy to help (they could pay me in whisky). This is seriously good whisky (and yes there was a tasting). Apparently they make vodkas and whisky creams as well, who knew? Did I mention I was only there for the single malt?
 |
| When I Die It Should Be Because This Is Empty |
The staff were smart, funny and knew their product well. We were given a 76% eight year old single malt to sample. It was so potent they could use it to fill the fuel tanks on the Spirit if Tasmania. It smelt divine but was just too powerful to really enjoy. They had four other varieties also available for tasting. A standard single malt, another aged in pinot noir casks, a slightly peated variety and a full peated variety (reminiscent of a Laphroaig - see the Rating Life section of this blog). Suffice it to say my wallet and their cellar now have less of their original contents.
It was with a sad heart and lightened bank balance that I left and began my drive to Cradle Mountain. Paranoia was starting to set in however. Somebody must have called ahead, I may not have mentioned it but within the first 30 hours of me being in Tasmania I'd been pulled over by the police twice. Let me say I've done nothing wrong that I'm aware of (or at least I haven't been witnessed doing anything wrong that would be admissible in court). The first time was to check my licence. The way the incredibly friendly young officer looked at it was with awe and amazement (I'm not sure he'd seen one before). The second time was to breath test me, at 10.00am in the morning. I didn't mention to this nice young officer that had he got me coming out of the distillery I was on the way too he may have got a completely different result. We parted friends on both occasions and off I headed (always doing the speed limit) on the 90 minute drive to Cradle Mountain.
 |
| Cradle Mountain |
This may come as somewhat of a revelation to many of you but I think there are now two things on which Bob Brown and I agree. The first is that we both think he should resign from parliament. Check out the Green's website if you want to see the real looney tunes policies that they spew forth with that don't make it onto the television news. The second thing that he and I agree on is the heritage value of various parts of Tasmania, in particular Cradle Mountain.
After purchasing my National Parks pass and checking in to my most indulgent of accommodation, I set off to explore Cradle Mountain. The last 8 kilometres of this two way, yet one lane road, was amazing. There is something a little decadent about driving through scenery this good, with your mp3's blaring, a latte in one hand and the steering wheel in the other. It took me minutes to get over the guilt.
I alighted the vehicle, finished my coffee, silenced the stereo and then set off on the 6 kilometre walk to circumnavigate Dove Lake. Majestic. There is no other word for it. Everywhere I looked was a Kodak Camera Classic moment. I could use descriptive adjectives until the cows come home and not one (or for that matter all) of them would do it justice. Apparently Cradle Mountain only gets 30 fine days a year, this wasn't one of them, and it was still awe inspiring.
I returned to The Cradle Mountain Lodge, passed on the $ 140.00 degustation menu with matching wines, grabbed a sensational Tassie Pinot Noir and enjoyed a rare scotch fillet for dinner. Ran into some people I met on the Spirit of Tasmania and drank too much (who'd have believed it?).
I'm off to Stanley tomorrow and hopefully will spend the night in Strahan. Who knows, as they say in the classics (is Gone With The Wind a classic?) tomorrow's another day.
After purchasing my National Parks pass and checking in to my most indulgent of accommodation, I set off to explore Cradle Mountain. The last 8 kilometres of this two way, yet one lane road, was amazing. There is something a little decadent about driving through scenery this good, with your mp3's blaring, a latte in one hand and the steering wheel in the other. It took me minutes to get over the guilt.
I alighted the vehicle, finished my coffee, silenced the stereo and then set off on the 6 kilometre walk to circumnavigate Dove Lake. Majestic. There is no other word for it. Everywhere I looked was a Kodak Camera Classic moment. I could use descriptive adjectives until the cows come home and not one (or for that matter all) of them would do it justice. Apparently Cradle Mountain only gets 30 fine days a year, this wasn't one of them, and it was still awe inspiring.
I returned to The Cradle Mountain Lodge, passed on the $ 140.00 degustation menu with matching wines, grabbed a sensational Tassie Pinot Noir and enjoyed a rare scotch fillet for dinner. Ran into some people I met on the Spirit of Tasmania and drank too much (who'd have believed it?).
I'm off to Stanley tomorrow and hopefully will spend the night in Strahan. Who knows, as they say in the classics (is Gone With The Wind a classic?) tomorrow's another day.
No comments:
Post a Comment