quick update

Hi there just to let you know we are still here
I have a new computer and i 'am trying to work out how to use it, not so easy for me so bear with me.
We are now in Warrnambool for a week so i will try and catch up.
We have come back to the main land from Tasi the crossing i hated it , i think i'am a land creature. we have been to Ocean Grove , Cape Otway, Port Campbell now here.
We ment some friends in Ocean Grove and spent almost a week with them it was good to see some friends. i don't think all the older people in the park like us much i think they think we should be home as they wait until school holidays are over till they come out, i did think they would be more friendly. the kids were told to go home by some old crone that they had been listening to them for hours, well they shouldn't camp near the park now should they.
Ok i will fill you all in soon.

Lake St Claire to Wynyard

We left early so if Mark saw a river he could fish on the way we would have time to stop & it was quite a drive for us with the van on it is very windy most of the way.
There was no fishing but we did stop at Nelson falls they were just a short walk in & so worth it they were beautiful. We went through Queenstown & it is a mining town so as you can imagine not so nice. We then pull up at our next stop Rosebery also another mining town.
At the caravan park they are only open a couple of hours in the morning & the evening so you just pick your own site & pay when they open next .
The next day we went to Montezuma falls it was late in the day & we didn’t realize it was 8klm return walk till we got there, so we walked & walked at least it was on a path not to many steps on steep hills. It is an old railway line from back in the 1900’s it was a great walk but long especially for Ella I had to piggy back her some of the way, she is not light I just kept on thinking of my buns of steel & not to put on 23kgs extra which is what she weighs.
The falls were great really pretty as they would want to be after all that walking, on our way out as we were the last left in the forest it was starting to get dark, we saw a black snake on our path not sure if it was a copper head or a tiger & I didn’t really care I was out of there. We all slept very well.
We were meant to go to Cradle Mountain the next day, & stay in Rosebery for two nights but we decided to go straight to Wynyard.

Hobart to Derwent bridge

We got to Derwent bridge after lunch we stayed up at Lake St Claire, it is right on the lake it is in the national park so it is very basic.
They have signs up about the resident tiger snakes, so there is no walking into the bush we stuck to the paths.
There are also echidnas just wondering around feeding on ants, they didn’t care who was there, you could even pat them, they are so cute the kids loved them. They went fishing Ella was so excited they let her go, as soon as she through the line in she was confuse that there wasn’t a fish on there straight way. It didn’t last long she was bored with it every fast. (there were no fish that night).
The next day we drove back to Derwent bridge to THE WALL it’s a gallery of wood carvings & this wall all carved to tell a story one side was on the logging the other on the hydro seam , there were jackets, gloves, animals all carved from timber & they all looked so real & soft. Even Alyssa & Mason were impressed ,you weren’t allowed cameras so I have no pics, it was hard for me as I take photos of anything & everything.

TAHURNE

Today while I was teaching the kids I noticed that I had a TICK not happy they are one of my fobbers, so Mark had to pull it out before I passed out. I told Mark I ‘am going to buy myself a tick collar & tie it around my short he laughed but I was not joking the thought of a little creature burring it’s head into my skin makes me sick. Not a good start to the day. Then after my little drama we went up to the tahune air walk it’s out of Hobart .
It is a big path way up in the trees with mesh under your feet so you can see out right down to the ground I think it was 37metres high, there is one part that you walk out on to a part that has no support underneath & it has quite a bit of bounce it is a little scary Mark didn’t even like it all that much, that is saying something .
Alyssa hated the whole this she was sweating & in tears she couldn’t finish quick enough. I didn’t mind it made for a nice change to be up in the trees then at the bottom.
Ella & Mason had a great time. We then had to cross two swing bridges Mason couldn’t wait as he shot off over them the more they swung the happier he was especially since it made Alyssa upset. We were hot & had enough all except Mark of course he really will just keep going I’am sure there are energizers in him somewhere.
On the way home we called into the big tree, & she is big very impressive .

HOBART

1/2/2010

Today we drove to Hobart we arrived around lunch set up the van we are getting much quicker so it doesn’t take to long at all, we only have a couple of days here not long enough so we headed to Cadburys yes I was a little excited , it was a bit of a let down because you can’t view any of the factory any more health & safety & all that. It does cost to go in as well it was $17 for us.
But we got to buy cheep chocolate we spent to much it should last us all year, well lets hope so any way I can’t see me losing any weight this year.

After that we went for a drive up Mt Wellington it over looks Hobart 1200 feet above sea level way to high for me & it was cold in the summer, imagine how cold it is in winter.

sights of Port Arthur

<31/1/2010

Today we were going to get up early well that didn’t happen, when we did get organized we went for a drive to the blow hole we went for a walk around to fossil rock you could walk up this little path out to the top there is no barrier Mark being Mark was getting close to the edge I was having kittens , a honeymoon couple got swept off & where killed, you can just imagine me yelling at them if they were getting to close. I think I scared them more then the cliff. Then to tasman arch , to devils kitchen , they where fenced thank god it was hard for me to even look over the rail.
Then after lunch we went to the remarkable cave it was the most amazing place it was cool ,quite, & just the most calming place, I could have spent hours just sitting there but no Ella had to go for a wee again.
Mark got speaking to our caravan neighbours they went out diving for abbalone & they sent some over for us to try, it was nice but I don’t think I could eat to much of it.
Mark has had to do a few miner repairs to the van I think she will be held together with silicon. I think I will have to rename her Pamela because she is full of silicon.

COLES BAY TO PORT ATHUR
It was a longer trip than we normally do, the hills & roads are windy. I have to say the water is horrible to, I’am to use to my Belgrave tank water.
Port Arthur is very small the park is big but the facilities are old & there is no soap at all.
Four year olds learning to wipe really need soap. We have tried out the shower in the van as I really didn’t want to use the others, it was good it just doesn’t last to long so there is dilly dalling.

Today we went to Port Arthur’s historic site, it is huge it takes a good day . It was not what I expected although I don’t know what I expected really. I though it would be more shackles in the walls. It has been guttered by fire in 1897 & in 1883 the government was embarrassed by the jail & what had happened there so they sold alot of the buildings off. Then later on people were taking bricks & other things.
We went to the isle of the dead which is an island out in the middle of the bay were they buried anyone that died at port Arthur convicts, soldiers, civilians they say there could be up to 1100 people buried there it is a little eerie. There is so much history there it is intriguing I could go on for ages you need to go there & see it for yourself.
We had a great day we where all stuffed lucky Mark put the slow cooker on before we left so we just had to come home have a glass wine & have dinner. “well done Mark”