Saturday 16th September, 2006

We headed into Cradle Mountain today.
It is only 82kms out of Devonport, but the road turns and winds just about all the way out. The scenery out there is very Alpine and the little towns are picture postcard perfect.
I’ve noticed how the heritage architecture differs here from W.A.Although Tassie was the first penal colony,the houses look more ‘English gentry’ whereas in W.A it looks more colonial/stone/20 lashings in the stocks you dirty scrubber-like.

By the time we got there I was just about ready to lose my lunch from the drive up,but all that passed when we hiked down to Dove Lake.
WOW!

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/cradlemt.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/dovelk.jpg
I couldn’t resist running parts of it, with one hand holding up my cargo pants.
I don’t know about you, but there are some destinations where you just feel like dropping your gear and getting naked and being at one with the dirt and rocks. This is one of them.


And look who came out to say ‘ello!

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/wom2.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/wom1.jpg

Yes, it’s a giant brown snake cleverly disguised as a wombat!

He was trying to cross the path to the other side ,but we were all in raptures with his presence and inadvertently blocked his way until he sighed and muttered ‘bloody tourists” and headed back to where he came from, which gave me the perfect view so that I am now be able to factually state-they really do have a large arse.

Speaking of large arses, what is it with Tasmanian driveways, that everytime I drive in or out of one I either hit my front bumper or tow bar?


Anyhow,I wanted to hold him and hug him and squeeze him and love him.
I think his name is Stewart.

Cradle Mountain is fantastic and if there’s time I’ll definitely go do another hikey run. There is one out to the falls and I’m sure it would be spectacular.