What is the saying? Ah yes, bread and WINE!

Once we get out of bed and open the very efficient blockout blinds we are greeted with an overcast morning, but with spots of clear skies. It is meant to get to 22 degrees with the chance of showers, but given we are going to winery-hop in the Tamar Valley today, we are not at all concerned. 

We are still preparing our own breakfasts - me for one will never tire of these amazing raspberries (almost finished 😭) to add to our fruit toast. Not only does it save money, it also saves time - which is our main priority. There are a number of people in the carpark below us eating delicacies from the Rosevears bakery. We can vouch for the freshness and tastiness!

The days left are gallopping by. There is still so much to see and do, and so little time to do it in. Breakfast underway, I grab the Wine Trail booklet to decide on 2 - 4 wineries to visit. Now, Gen is no a big win drinker and to date has restricted her choices to very sweet varieties such as Moscato. So today might be a bit testing for her. For the last few years, my driving restrictions have meant that I have been able to continue to imbibe as now, there is always someone else doing the driving! But on this trip, I am feeling a little sorry for Gen as she is doing all the driving. On previous holidays, I have always enjoyed being the one behind the wheel as I am sure some of my past travelling compatriots can attest! Not mentioning anyone Helen and Donna!!

Anyway, this morning we leave Rosevears and are heading towards the south. As we join the highway a few kilometres from the hotel, the first thing that we see on the road is the signage advising that there are cyclists in the area. We know first hand, having followed a number of cyclists for kilometres in areas where passing visibiity is poor. The yellow road sign shows two cyclists riding abreast. And that is exactly how they ride. Too bad the powers that be did not think to depict those same two cyclists RIDING IN SINGLE FILE! But for every storm there is a silver lining and the silver lining to being trapped behind cyclists driving at about 20 kph, is that you have more time to be observant of the little things that you pass. Like the tired agapanthus, drooping along the borders of garden beds, bereft of their colour and vim , tired and spent. Or the way that the clouds part momentarily to allow the sunlight to dance across the waters of the body of water that is the Tamar River, and not some bay. Like the extra detail that the man cleaning the exterior of his truck is doing. Instead of just using his gerni to water blast the behemoth that no doubt provides his living, he is up on a step ladder, hose in one hand, rag in the other, polishing the chrome around the edge of the windscreen - that's dedication. Like the passion and power of the footy players on the field that we hurry past (once we're passed the cyclist!)

This morning I took the last of my Panadol Osteo. This is probably the gentlest of the drugs I take daily and is useful as it allows me to limit the stronger pain-killers to an as-need basis. Now, given the problems that we had trying to fill my Qld written prescriptions, we are not sure whether we will be able to buy them over the counter, or whether we will need to get another script written here in Tasmania. Turns out, this is an easy one. You can buy them over the counter, with no record taken, AND for about 2/3 the cost of supply in Queensland where a record is kept of supply and questions asked if you need them more frequently than what a pharmacist might think you should. Go figure, there is no rhyme or reason to the lack of consistency. We decide that before we leave Launceston that we will buy a couple of extra boxes as spares.

So we are now through the City Centre. We are heading south on the Tamar Valley Wine Trail. Last night I had a quick look through the Wine Trails Tasmania 2022 booklet that we picked up a few days ago. The booklet divides the state into four major wine regions. For each region, it explores the region geographically, climatically and soil typing and the impact these have on the fruit and resultant wines, as well as supporting producers and non-wine things to see and do. The Tamar Valley includes the Tamar Valley, Pipers River and Launceston. There are 17 wineries listed in the Tamar Valley region, and we do not have enough time to do them all, so I have selected:
1. Josef Chromy Wines in Relbia (most southerly and because I really enjoyed the glass I had at Stillwater Restaurant last night; 
2. Clover Hill Wines in Lebrina in the north east of the region as they specialise in sparkling wines;
3. Pipers Brook Vineyard north of Clover Hill and the one i had heard of before visiting the region; and finally
4. Jansz Tasmania which is adjacent to Pipers Brook.
A number of the unvisited wineries are open by appointment only and we do not have the time to commit. I am just glad to get to these ones!

At Josef Chromy, you must book a tasting, which we have not. The only vacancy they have is for 2:15pm today, and so a little dejectedly, I turn to leave. But once a salesman, always a salesman and the lady who we had been speaking with had another alternative (of course!). While a tasting was not possible, we could sit on the terrace and have a glass of wine with a cheese plate. I am so glad we did. I convinced Gen to swap out her Moscato for a Reisling and I had a Chardonnay. The cheese plate was amazing - a Brie, a blue and a cheddar from the region along with some of the amazing leatherwood honey (we are on the hunt for some to bring home) fruits fresh and dried, candied nuts, home-made crispbread and dried fruit-bread. The wine was truly delicious and Gen conceded that perhaps with a bit of training, her palate might be able to be trained to enjoy other wines! Watching the tastings underway, I can understand the need for bookings. They are held for no more than 4 people per wine advisor who sits with them in conversation rather than just presenting wines by a glass. They walk the grounds, explaining the varietals and the outcomes. As well as wine and cheeses, Tasmania also grows a wide variety of nuts and just beside us, beyond the path is a beautiful hazelnut tree. Like many quality producers, the grounds are just beautiful. Manicured lawns are dotted with flower beds and named mature trees. The aerator pond is home to a black swan pair and any number of ducks. There is a clutch of native hens (Turbo chooks as Gen calls them) scratching away around the base of the vines for any wriggly tasty morsels.

On to Clover Hill, a 45 minute drive away. We skirt the forests on the drive and can smell the leatherwood on the air. It is such a dominating scent and explains the abundance of bees that we see everywhere we stop the car. The Cellar Door for Clover Hill comes in to view after you turn a corner and pass a huge tree. Architecturally speaking, it is stunning! I would not be surprise to find the architect was the same as the one used at MONA. Stark and striking, it is still sympathetic to its environment. The hard materials - sandstone, weathered steel and timber are softened by crushed sandstone paths, lawns filled (I assume deliberately) with clover, and trees and shrubs in the grey tones of sage and olive groves. We walk through HUGE automatic glass doors to find a tasting room cum lunch room - they do a shared cheese plate or a six course degustation menu only - that looks out over the vines down into the valley beyond. The autumn afternoon light glows gold over the changing colours of the trees and vines - Gen comments often how she loves the changing colours of nature here in autumn, as do I. There are also a number of beautiful bronze statues - a farmer and his dog just inside the front gate and next to the cellar door is a stunning large wedge-tail eagle landing, talons extended as she reaches her perch.
Tastings here do not require a booking, and are presented as a more 'traditionl' tasting. As Gen is driving we decide that we will share a tasting as the full six-sample tasting is equivalent to 1.6 standard drinks (and she has already had one glass). To compensate, she also orders a pot of French Earl Grey Tea - her favourite that she has not had since we left home.  The shared cheese plate is very different to the one we finished only a little while ago. There is a french baked brie with shaved pumpkin curls, a creamy blue and an aged Bay of Fires cheddar.
Clover Hills specialise in sparkling wines and the standard tasting is 6 wines. We begin with a non-vintage Rose and finished with a Cuvee Exceptionnelle that was splendid. There were two other wines not included in the tasting in the sparkling range plus a rage of still wines. But it is sparkling wines that are their speciality. I just can't pass up the chance to taste their not-included Exceptionnelle Blanc de Blancs so purchase a glass. Great move! Now I may have (or may not have, asif!!) joined their Cellar Door Club for a minimum of two deliveries per annum. The first delivery is timed to reach home about the same time we will, so remember, keep Saturday 23 April free!!!! I'm having a celebration of all things Tasmanian. 

Our next stop was at Pipers Brook Vineyard - the only Tamar Valley winery that I had heard about before arriving in the region. Their cellar door sits dead in the centre of the vineyard. You weave in and out of the rows of un-named vines following small timber signage. As we pull in to the carpark, there are a couple of families. Gen comments that she can't understand why people would bring children to such a venue - and really, I have to agree with her. There is little to keep a child interested and occupied, and we all know what bored kids are like!
By now we have had our fill of cheeses for the day and are actually craving something sweet. The kitchen at Nadines at Pipers Restaurant is closing, but they do offer a Brownie with berries, cream and ice-cream. It was just what we were looking for! This cellar door is much more casual and they offer a bit of everything. You self select the wines you wish to try which are listed under red, white and then sparkling, which to me seems back to front!  Again, given that Gen is driving, we opt to share one wine-tasting. I select the Ninth Island Rose sparkling, then the Ninth Island Reisling and Pipers Tasmania Pinot Grigio to be followed by the New Certan Pinot Noir. That in particular was a very nice drop. I bought a bottle to share with Andrew and Meredith when they arrive at the end of next week, and a bottle of the Pinot Grigio. Hope that they are in a tasting mood - lol!

We could have also visited Jansz Tasmania as they share the land with Pipers Brook, but the cellar doors are closing, so we miss out.

Still, I am comfortably mellowed and am happy to head back into Launceston and Rosevears. We have not yet eaten at the restaurant here and have decided that we will do so tonight. The trip back seems longer than the same one out, and Gen is tiring of the driving (and being in and out of the car repetedly). While we were at Pipers Brook, we phoned and booked dinner for tomorrow night at Alina at Penny Royal. We are doing a Tamar River Cruise and will explore a little of the Cataract Gorge site after the cruise. Our time here is fast coming to an end. Off to the Bay of Fires on Tuesday before Freycinet on Wednesday and then back to Hobart.

Just after 6pm we head down to the Rosevears Hotel, below the units, and walk through to the restaurant. We did not book, as we didn't want to have to cancel a booking a second time if we couldn't fit dinner in! There are a few cars in the car-park, but nothing like that of Friday or last night. Still, the waiter explains that they are almost fully booked and that he can only offer us a table in the rear and up a couple of steps. No problem - we can make that work. The menu is a mix of restaurant and pub food. I choose to have a steak, my first since I have arrived in tasmania. Knowing that I won't be able to finish it, Gen chooses a Marguerite Pizza. Just as well she did, because I could not finish all my meal. The steak, pan-fried field mushrooms with mash and wilted spinach was delicious. Gen enjoyed what was left of the steak. Desserts looked too good to pass up and I had a Turkish Delight Pavlova with cream and persian fairy floss (a tiny amount) and Gen chose the Salted Caramel Popcorn Sundae. Both were deliciously sickly.

Its off to bed now, we have an earlier start tomorrow!

And we thought the food was good over the last couple of days . . .

Well and truly in a food coma last night, I slept like a log. When I finally awake it has gone 9:30 am. I'm not sure how long Gen has been up. "Why didn't you wake me earlier" "Well you must need it" - if only it was that easy.. This is the one drawback of a medicated sleep - it becomes just too easy to sleep the morning away..

Launceston is expecting up to 24 degrees today so we can dispense with some of the layers. Gen is excited to show me some of the Launceston that she visited five years ago.  After an in-room breakfast of fruit toast (baked yesterday at the Rosevears Bakery) and some of our fast dwindling supply of Christmas Hill Road raspberries, we leave the hotel, turning to the south rather than the north today. Property down this end of Rosevears is more developed. There is evidence of older homes - some pre-dating 1900 by the look of them look serenely over the Tamar River - although at this point, it looks more like a lake, it is so wide.

As Rosevears is only 20 minutes north of Launceston, I would find this a beautiful part of the state, and country, in which to live. Along with regal, sleepy older homes stand newer constructs and as we drive around, we see newer homes yet to be finished. They overlook the glistening river, rippling in the sunshine across to a mountain backdrop that on a clear day includes the Cradle Mountain outline! Pretty, pretty special. Also along this winding 'lane' along the water we see two plots of grapes creeping their way gently up the slope, planted to maximise the amount of light that each any every branch can receive. There is not a winery name of either of these so I do not know if there is a small boutique winery here - I'll have a look into it tomorrow.

Before long we are on the Bass Highway in to Launceston. The residents are so lucky - so much property has both a mountain view in the backdrop and a water view in the foreground. Homes are predominantly modest, although when we get into the City Centre, away from the riverside, those homes on the upper streets are more substantial and stately.

We begin our discovery of the city at Queen Victoria Museum at Inveresk. Obviously a local landmark, this space is filled with people. Young and old wandering through the various displays of Tasmania (and Launceston's) development and past. Moving through the natural history displays, Gen can finally put a name to the bird that she has seen but couldn't identify - it is a Brown Skua - similar to a gull, but brown and on steroids (like much on the island). We have seen examples of most of the marsupials in the wild - just not a wombat - although I still hold hope of seeing one before we leave Tasmania.

They have a wonderful Planetarium. Tasmania holds quite a place in the history of astronomy in Australia. It includes examples and the real examples of some of the earlier telescopes, especially radio telescopes that put Tasmania on the astronomical map. We are in time to see the day's first showing of the night sky in the planetarium. Us, and a family of four. Wow. Our astronomer, Rebecca, (with a degree in astrophysics) is very informative. As all of us are seated in one area of the arena, she spins the display so we don't need to dislocate our necks! So, tonight is going to be a great night to see the bands of the Milky Way - too bad it is cloudy in Launceston, just our luck. She points out the latest two exo-planets discovered, including one in the life-sustaining Goldilocks Band - exciting if you are into extra-stellar life, or just a star-junkie like half of the Carkagis clan!

The museum is set in the former railyards and quite a bit of space is given over to exhibits of this former use, and the contribution that they made to the local economy and community. They even covered the conversion of operations during the war times - and we see a new parallel with home where a new munitions factory is nearing completion.

Being inside a museum, the space is climate controlled and now I am getting cold. Thankfully I am carrying my jacket (and in the wheelchair today). I suppose I look like a dork wearing it back-to-front, but who cares, I'm warmer! Outsider you take a look at some of the art exhibits and insallations, I feel better as we walk in and out of the warmer sunshine. But time is galloping and Gen wants me to see the City Park today.

Once the site of Launceston's Government House, the Park was developed by the  Launceston Horticultural Society and handed to the Launceston council in 1863. It is teeming with life - young people hanging out, some new residents (from the sub-continent by their appearance) gleefully taking videos of the Macaque monkeys, families with children, local musicians jamming in the Pavilion dedicated to warmer clime plants, young lovers, a family taking an older member on an outing and a number of large gatherings having planned picnics. It appears to be a well-loved space and offers something for almost everyone. The established trees are nothing short of majestic and the rose and dahlia beds are boasting full blooms. Those dahlias were Dad's favourite flowers and when you see the magnificence of this display, I can see why. Additional to the Pavilion and the monkeys are any number of memorials - you should see the Queen Victoria Cupola now housing drinking bubblers, duck ponds populated by at least four different species we see today, oh, and a miniature tractor-pulled train that seems to want to take every path Gen is pushing me on. I start to think that the driver is deliberately following our route so we have to move out of his way. He doesn't seem to follow a pre-determined route! The weather is beginning to close in and the wind is increasing, so we slowly (uphill) make our way back to the car.

We have brought our latest washing load with us as there are a couple of laundromats listed in Launnie (am I sounding like a local yet, Robyn??). we find one a couple of klms from the city centre and make a bee-line. Gen has the machine ready to load and discovers that we don't have enough in change left, so she walks a block back to a service station to change money. Just over an hour later, we are ready to set off again. 

When we arrived at the museum this morning, we had phoned Stillwater, the restaurant where Gen had a very memorable meal last time she was here. The only booking they can give us is a seating at 5:30 pm. So we book this - with a later breakfast, we feel that we can forgo lunch to allow us to make the most of an early dinner. And by the time Gen finished the washing, it was after 5 pm so we drove through the City and back across the bridge to where Stillwater sits, overlooking the still waters of a 'bay' in the Tamar River - yep, very aptly named.

Now, the service was impeccable. All staff have obviously had extensive front of house training. Water offere, house-made sourdough (soo delicious) is served as we read through the menu - gosh, it all looks so good. How will we choose what to eat?  Mull over it we did and we finally decided on sharing Snacks (starters) of Hot Smoked Salmon Croquettes and Rock Lobster Blinis and then the entree of Beef Tartare with radish.

Mains - I had the Gnocchi and Gen the Rib Fillet (bleu) with beans and potato sides.

Gen had a local Rosè and I had the Pinot Gris. Desserts followed with Gen chosing the Yuzu ice cream and I had the meringue. Could not have eaten or drunk another thing! Stillwater Restaurant was outstanding in food and service.

We've hobbled back to our current home - had a coffee and are now more than ready for bed. Tamar Valley Wine Trail tomorrow before we cruise the Tamar and do the Cataract Gorge on Monday. Time is fast coming to an end and there is still so much to see and do!

The Providores trip continues

The Rosevears Hotel new units are very comfortable. The first two pods (which we did try to book, unsuccessfully, are two bedroom units. so we have had to make do with a studio unit. By now, we are more than used to sharing a bed. This time, we have really lucked in - we have a King bed! I don't take up much space any more - thanks to my back, I can't roll over, so when I lie in my bed, think Mortitia Addams. I don't cross my hands, they are usually down by my sides to keep warm! But you get the picture. So having a king bed means that Gen gets the same amount of space that she would get in her Queen bed back home.

A couple of times late last night and early once in the morning Gen went out to the balcony (after downloading an app to point out south) to have a look to dee if we could see the Aurora Australis. But no luck.

The units are new with modern fixtures and fittings. This room is an all abilities room, so it has a huge bathroom with a shower seat. A little luxury for many, but oh so good when you have no balance to be able to wash your hair without falling, or shave your legs! It also has the warmest heat lamp I have ever felt - I could sit in there for hours!

The hotel offers breakfast Saturday and Sunday only, but very conveniently also houses the Rosevears Bakery. They not only cater to the hotel guests, but to the local community also, so they have a reasonable range. Our room has a kettle and toaster, so we are able to make a coffee and have a baked goodies for breakfast. Today it is ham and cheese croissants and fruit toast. We are carrying enough cheese and fruit, raspberries and apples, to do us for the next couple of days.

Last night we went through the clothes to send home and this morning Gen collected the other carry bags from the car and we packed 3 bags of clothing wrapped bottles and tubs, ready to be posted home. We weren't sure of the weights, so didn't seal them till we got to the Post Office in Exeter, the closest town above 7 kms away. Surprisingly all 3 were under the 5 kg limit, even though i was sure that at least one of them would be over.

From Exeter, we decided to visit the House of Anvers Chocolate Factory first as this was the furtherest from where we are. It should have taken just under an hour, but thanks to some roadworks being done on the Bass Highway, it took us 20 minutes longer. First of all, we travel those very English-looking valleys that we travelled through yesterday. As we eventually got close to the Factory, we see a recently ploughed field and standing proud as punch over a felled small wallaby or perhaps a pademelon was a beautiful Wedge Tailed Eagle. She was HUGE and her kill was dwarfed by her. Too bad that we were in traffic and I couoldn't get a photo to share with you all. But both Gen and I both have that photo in our brain-bank!

Anyway, we finally get to the chocolate factory. We have been pretty lucky with the crowds and here is no different. Yes, there were people here, but the grounds are quite large and so there was plenty of space for everyone. We start in the museum, reading the history of chocolate and how central Europe came to be chocolate processing leaders. There are two major processing areas that are on view to the public through two large viewing windows. Both Gen and I agree that we would hate to have to do our daily work under the constant scrutiny of strangers. Not able to scratch your head (or elsewhere!), or stretch your back. No thanks. Still its very interesting for us to watch, lol! There are literally hundreds of moulds used for chocolate making, some very old with prussian and early chinese patterns; some bakelite similar to the first ones I ever had, through to the recent hard plastic and the newest silicone moulds. 

The cafe is in what must be the original home on the estate - think 1930s with leadlights and lots of rich timber. We sit and order a hot chocolate - Gen a traditional one and me a vanilla white chocolate one. Then we see they have waffles. Oh yes! Gen has chocolate and I have lemon curd. Both served with cream and ice-cream. Should have all been good, but it wasnt, in the best possible way. These waffles were twice the size of those that you get anywhere else, AND THERE WERE TWO OF THEM. EACH. Needless to say. neither of us could finish. I wish they had told us, we would have shared a single serve!

We are now half an hour from the Ashgrove Cheese Company. I'm dreading getting there, but only because I am so completely full! But get there we did. A family run enterprise, what the Bennett family has done is a real credit to them. Facing limited opportunities with the introduction of the big multi-nationals, they were at a crossroads. Their business model had to change if they were to continue, but obviously very resilient and willing to 'have-a-go' in the Australian vernacular, they have made their gamble pay off. The enterprise now not only controls their milk production, but have diversified to now provide a complete paddock to plate business, manufacturing milk, cream and a great range of cheeses. 

The visitor experience includes a very efficient and large visitor centre that provides fun and practical information on the various productions involved within their business. I can see how it would be very popular with primary schools as the information is well laid out and logical with enough hands on, media presentations and 'through the window' viewing platforms. My favourite was the window into the Nursery, where you can view the wheels of cheese ageing in a climate controlled room.  Of course!

For the princely sum of $12 you can have a tasting plate of five of their standard cheeses plus a dealers choice, which today is a soft cheese with figs - gee, she must think she knows me!! In order of tasting they were Eaglehawk Neck Heavenly Havarti, Cradle Mountain Double Gloucester, Mt Roland Bush Pepper, Walls of Jerusalem wild Wasabi, Bay of Fires Rubicon Red and the Soft Cheese with Fig. I'm telling you that they are all very very  good. The Wasabi-scented cheese was a little too hot for my poor palate, but still tasty (or at least the tiny piece I sampled was). Don't ask me for a favourite - that's like asking a mum to nominate a favoured son or daughter - just ain't goin' to happen!  Gen is finding a new liking for a range of cheeses that she probably wouldn't try at home. Gosh, the lengths I have to go to educate her, lol.

So, photos of eclectic cows taken, and online purchase versus local purchase plus postage considered (on-line won out at the advice of the shop attendant) we leave Ashgrove, very impressed with what we have seen. We have previously purchased Ashgrove Cheese at our local Coles and Woolworths, it is reassuring to know that the quality control espoused on their packaging is implemented in the processing of that cheese. I will definitely continue to happily buy Ashgrove Cheeses well into the future.

Back on to the highway (and those roadworks) for our last destination for the day, we head back to Christmas Hills Road. Across the road from the Raspberry Farm is the Van Dieman's Land Ice Creamery. We had been so full yesterday to consider even trying it, and I am not sure why we thought that today might be any different. But try it we will. Its like not wanting to waste the last morsel of food on a plate!

I'm almost glad that we have left this to the last. What we are presented with is little more than an up-market ice-cream shop. Beautifully presented, but there is no opportunity to see any process of the ice-cream making production other than a snapshot-window behind the ice-cream sellers into the final production room where ice-cream is being pumped into containers. Its a bit of a let-down in a region that goes out of its way to bring in the consumer to the whole process of growth and prouction. Still, the ice-cream is worth writing home about. We both decide that all we can manage is a child's serve in a cup rather than it's grown-up waffle cone counterpart. Gen selects the Pepperberry and Leatherwood Honey Ice-cream and I choose the Salted Lime Gelato. I'm not sure which is better - they are both soooo good! The honey flavour was strong, but not sickly and the Gelato was very palate cleansing. Just what the doctor ordered!

At this point, we look at each other and I am sure that we are thinking the same thing - there is no way we are going to be able to front up for dinner that Gen booked at the Rosevears Hotel tonight. She makes the call as soon as we arrive back at the hotel and cancels our reservation. It must have been about 9, maybe 9:30 pm that we share some raspberries, I have the remaining fig cheese that we brought home from the Ashgrove Cheese tasting with my raspberries in a croissant bought for breakfast and Gen finishes some dip with crackers that we have been carrying in our cold bag for the last 24 hours.

Its be a big day and to say I'm shagged is a total understatement. Off to bed with us. I'll sleep the sleep of the sated (more likely stuffed!) tonight.   

Penguin as only you could imagine it and Red-Beard to rescue memories

After arriving at about 8 pm last night at the Penguin Seaside Motel, and soon learning that the train we heard pass by the rear of the motel was a freight train and the only one for the night, we could relax. The room was huge with a large queen bed, a table with 6 chairs, a sitting area and a bedroom with another Queen and two single beds plus an ample kitchenette and roomy wheelchair friendly bathroom. As I still don't have a working keyboard - we guess the batteries are flat, we abandon the blog for tonight and watch a bit of Ambulance!

This morning we have arranged to meet a friend from my teen years - Bruce Harpley - for breakfast in Ulverstone, about 9 kms away. Driving in to town last night we saw the very Australian BIG PENGUIN. We will come back for a look-see after Ulverstone. But for now, we turn on Maps on my phone and set of to find a cafe called Daltons in Ulverstone. On KI (King Island as it will be abbreviated from here on) we blamed the poor maps for difficulties in finding places. Bruce had given us the address of the Dalton Cafe, but still we drive down Victoria Street and cannot see it. I turn on Street View and we see that the address displays a physiotherapist business. Am I going bonkers or what? I'm about to contact Bruce again when Gen spies it! Daltons is down the lane, behind the physiotherapist.

At least we know how where to go, now to get parking. Yippee - right ouside the door. As we get out of the car, Bruce is walking across the carpark. OMG, apart from the fact that we are both carrying many years, I would recognise him anywhere - well, I must admit I wasn't expecting a red beard, but otherwise he looks just like I remember him. We are shown to our table and order breakfast, the waiter asks Bruce about colouring his budgies by feeding them cochineal, (which goes right over my head - obviously not the brightest early in the morning). Yes, I get it know that he was having a go at the beard!! 

Our breakfasts - Coffee and poached eggs for Bruce and Coffee and Eggs Benedict for Gen and I - mine with salmon, Gen's with Ham and Avocado - are served with a smile. There are quite a few other diners and heaps of people getting a coffee on their way to work. The food is good and a lovely change from pies and egg and bacon rolls! Time flies when you are reminiscing and catching up with 40 years of life events.  We were telling him of our recent trip to KI and he said that the golfing industry on the island is huge. However, most of the players are flown over in chartered planes on a Saturday morning from Melbourne and play 18 holes before returning by charter flight to Melbourne that night and then fly back on Sunday for a second 18 holes before returning home via the charter  flight, again. You have got to be kidding me?!!

Turns out its a 45 - 55 minutes flight from Melbourne, so I guess it's feasible. Sure as sh*t means that the opportunity for re-developing that motel is definitely a goer. Anyone got a spare $2.5M they want to invest with me? Reckon we could double our money in 6-8 years! Think, golf packages, partner spa packages, REAL foodie experiences? Talk with me if you are interested! A conversation we overheard at lunch at the golf club before we left KI now makes perfect sense. The women said that they were going to stay in Melbourne shopping when the men came back the next day! 

But again, I digress (that is unless someone is interested in investing with me!)
We finished our breakfast and said our goodbyes for probably the next 40 years, although we did issue an invite should he ever be up to see friends he has in Bargara - yep, its a small world! Bruce has given us a list of a few must-sees before we leave the area and has generously given us bottle of Ryan and Pop's Honey - Bruce's bees output that he filters with the help of one of his grandsons. How lovely.

Back out in today's warm sun, we head west again, slightly back-tracking to visit Fern Glade. Gen visited here when she was in Tasmania 5 years ago and Bruce has suggested a couple of spots in particular to check. We are looking for Platypus! Its still and quiet, with few cars and just as few people. We park at the far car-park and walk along the edge of the Emu River. The path is lined with Tree Ferns that tower over both Gen and I. We walk quietly, very quietly but all we see are birds, a duck nibbling away at the water's edge and then "Mum, mum" Gen urgently whispers "Look" and there it is a platypus swimming just under the surface. A little further on, we get within 2 feet of two pademelons. Right on the edge of a major urban area!! Our morning's walk ended 500m later at the carpark area where Bruce suggested we might see platypus. But despite standing there, noiselessly for about 20 minutes, we are not rewarded with any more platypus sightings.

Now, we have collected just a few things we need to get home on this trip and have decided that we will post most home. We could just book for and pay for more luggage, but it was enough of a struggle for Gen with the luggage we bought with us without adding to it lol . We have some post bags and went through un-needed clothing and other 'stuff' this morning. So elated that we saw a platypus, we drove back into Penguin with the first three bags plus a few other parcels going direct.

The town of Penguin is home to the Big? PENGUIN! As we park the car opposite the Post Office, the Big Penguin is behind us, and along the kerbside next to us are penguin bollards - might mention that to some of our local Councillors - I'm sure Mary Poppins bollard could look cutely kitsch! We look at some of the other Penguin themed street infrastructure - bins, sets, signs while we wait our turn for a photo. There is a lady taking of photo of two other ladies and Gen asks if she would like to have a photo with them. Turns out she was a local who had just volunteered to take their photo, and offers to do the same for us. Very friendly she was - a local ambassador who had stepped out from the local VIC to give directions to other tourists. How lovely.

There are what seems like hundreds of hot-rods in Penguin today. The same volunteer tells us that there a Show and Shine on here this weekend. Would not have thought there could be so many hot rods in Tasmania - but then again, perhaps some of them came over from Melbourne! We had a milkshake, and shared a Penguin biscuit and a currant  square at the Penguin Country Bakehouse.

Leaving Burnie, we headed down the Bass Highway towards the Christmas Hill Raspberry Farm.  OMG - hang on - down that way is the Spreyton Factory! The Spreyton Cider Company makes amazing ciders, ginger beers and non-alcoholic versions. You can do a tasting - 5 ciders and their ginger beer on a paddle, so we share one. I have always liked cider and Gen likes the sweeter ones too. The winner today is the Apple Raspberry Cider - it has depth in apple and the sweet, slight tang of raspberry. You can certainly taste the raspberry - and it is a taste that we have grown very fond of over this last month! Hmm (gently looking skywards) might be another box coming home. 
Its not sold anywhere outside Tasmania and although Uncle Dans will list the basic Spreyton Cider on their wesite, it is always unavailable as explained by their bartender Markus, who now lives in Australia after leaving Italy - in the north, in the Dolomites (another truly beautiful place on this earth!)  Turns out that Spreytons use a courier to deliver their goods, so we add a few jams, brandy, relish etc - there is no limit to the weight, so long as it will fit in the box - and there is a bigger box I can use!!
In order to soak up the alcohol - it was only equivalent to one standard drink - we ordered a bowl of hot chips. They were so good! And now, we are soooo full!

The afternoon is gaining on us now and we want to get to the Raspberry Farm, so we push off again.  Finally we arrive. It must be time for afternoon tea and it is certainly time for coffee. We are shown to a sunny table and I select a raspberry crepe and Gen, Waffles with Rasberries. OMG they are so good. I kid you not, the raspberries here as a big as a thimble. Each single globule bursts under the pressure of your tooth, filling your mouth with the most intense flavour. We make yet another few purchases, including 500g of fresh raspberries for the next day or three - IF I can make them last that long.

As the afternoon shadows lengthen we decide that we need to stop stopping at every food outlet we come across (we'll have to come back to the Anvers Chocolate Factory, the Ashgrove Cheese Factory and Van Dieman's Ice Creamery - probably tomorrow. So we punch in Rosevears and head for the Hotel where we have a room booked for the next 4 nights. We head cross country through picturesque English looking fields, with the every present Cradle Mountain in the background. Arriving in the Tamar Valley, we turn left towards the Tamar River and following the sparkling sun dancing on here waters, passing by marshy patches close to the road until we reach the Rosevears Hotel. Established in 1831, there are a number of new 'pod' like units built on the hill behind the majestic building standing sentinel over her stretch of the river. The KI folk could certainly learn a lesson here!   

OMG so sick of the UAP (some mongrel named Clive or something) adverts using all the scaremongering - 85% of all mortgages will default and you will lose your home, UAP will make all superinvestments be made in Oz.  How I hope that all of us who know any smidgeon of knowledge of the mechanics of government can share that with at least one other - ignorance will be the killer in this election. And mongrels will use any scare tactic to try to get a vote. grrrrr  

Totally knackered now - I'm off to bed. Chat later.

And in came the rain and those roaring forties

So we wake his morning to a full-on storm. I mean rain, not showers with the wind behind it. In this weather it is easy to imagine how a ship's captain could not hold his vessel against the raging of mother nature. And with the seas whipped up, we have a better view of some of the rock hazards. Bigger waves are breaking off-shore on hidden dangers. Altogether very bleak. We hear the coach arrive to collect the tour group as we live in bed a few minutes longer to ward off the cold. Slowly the other rooms empty and before long, we are the last room to leave.

We have received an email from the airline saying that due to operational requirements our flight is now departing later. We are now leaving King Island at 17:25 with arrival back in Wynyard at 17:55. From there we have a half hour drive to our accommodation in Penguin. I have managed to get in touch with Bruce Harpley who lives a few miles away in Ulverstone and we are catching up for breakfast tomorrow morning en-route to Launceston. 

Gen again went into the Bakehouse for our breakfast and hooray, has managed to get me a Crayfish Pie (at $15!). It is delicious. In a soft curry sauce, which is what the Taswegians seem to put all their seafood in for pies - think fish, think prawns, think scallops (roe on) and now also think crayfish (lobster)! It had plenty of crayfish - both in big chunks and smaller pieces generously spread amongst the sauce. She bought herself another egg and bacon roll - both had been cooked to order. She enjoys her roll and I made sure I left her some of that scrumptious pie to taste!

Given the unpleasant weather today we decided to drive along the other fully sealed road on the Island. We had wanted to visit the Cultural Centre but as the main 'tourist season' (March) is done, it is now only open by appointment. 

You know, there is a huge opportunity going begging here. The motel, which is for sale, is very tired and the restaurant is under different management. Yet the coastal location is supberb overlooking the rolling sea with private access to a small rock sheltered beach. I have no idea what the sale value is, but even if it were $1M, another investment of $500K+ to revamp the rooms, restaurant and the grounds (including the access road) and you could have a great return with groups - and especially golf groups. But I digress (again) 

Naracoopa is sited on the east coast about halfway up the coast and the mid-point between Grassy and Cape Wickham where we went on our first day. 

Naracoopa reminded us of many of the sleepy coastal townships that can be found right along the East Coast of Australia. In fact, it reminds me very much of Woodgate of a few years ago. There is one street fronting the beach with most of the homes being holidays homes that are deserted at present. There is evidence of some newer building works happening - you know the time - those slip, sultry buildings in the colour of their surroundings so as not to compete with the landscape - filled with timber and glass. Personally, I can't imagine that in a few years they will remain as schmick. The timber will cop a lot of weather, as will the tin rooves like we have seen elsewhere on the island, and although I would love to be sitting in a warm house looking out through large picture windows - but honestly, keeping them clean against all that salty water would be a *itch to clean! (Gotta love our textured Kosciusko glassed windows back home - they require little cleaning!  😉)

Just "a few kilometres north", remembering the mud map as opposed to anything accurate, near Sea Elephant Bay, is supposed to be Blowhole Beach. So off we set. The road is on the map, so we are safe, albeit somewhat sandy. Gen does a great job navigating the potholes (and then we come on some Council workers doing some grading!) and when we get out to Blowhole Beach there is already one car there. Given the soft sand and the rain, it is decided that Gen will go have a look and see whether the walk is Maria-doable. She comes back in less than 10 minutes to say that if there is a blowhole, she can't find it, nor can she find any landform that would even remotely look like it could produce a spout of water of any form. By now, there are another two cars parked here - and we cross paths with another couple of people that we've seen a few times over the last two days. 

We are the second car to leave and we turn left back towards Naracoopa and not continuing on an increasingly challenging road further to Sea Elephant Bay. There is a sign advertising coffee, but like other operators, I guess they have headed for the mainland for winter - closed. So a quick nip down to the long wharf where once there was sealing prevalent, but no longer.

Turning back for Currie we opt to stay on the fully sealed road and this time not take the scenic route. Gen is now sick of gravel roads and sandy tracks - she can now say "been there, done that!" Its getting late for lunch and although we have loved the great pies from the King Island Bakehouse, we are also craving something that is not a pie by now. One of the three golf courses on the Island is next door to the motel where we stayed, so we called in there to see if we could get some lunch.

Yes, we can. It is fairly basic fare but my burger and Gen's battered fish (Gummy = shark) and chips was fresh and crisp. This restaurant is being operated by people of Indian descent - if only I could be sure that the curry on offer was not too spicy, I would have preferred to give it a go, but alas my mouth and stomach take so little heat these days.😪

We continued down to Beach which is just beyond the motel, down the next dune so to speak and found the other big industry here - the King Island Kelp Factory. 

Bull kelp is harvested from the beaches of King Island by independent contractors. At present there are only 6 licensed harvesters, who must take only from what mother nature has 'donated'. They cannot harvest from the rocks. The kelp is dried on high, hanging S shaped hooks, then racks to air dry, before being fed into wood fired kilns for dehydrating. Most of the Australian supply is shipped to Ireland for processing into Alginate Acid which is used extensively in the food and pharmaceutical industries, just to name two.

One last destination to visit before we leave this interesting destination. Located close to the airport, we visited the award winning King Island Distillery. Owned and operated and Heidi Weitjins, this was a gem of a find. They distil King Island gin, vodka, brandy and  limoncello. Gen is really taken with the Ruby Grapefruit Spirit, and thankfully they can arrange post, so we relieve them of some of their stock (hic). One gin in particular is interesting. Heidi's partner is a cray-fisher and they took a barrel of their gin and aged it at sea! It has a different taste - no doubt influenced by the cask being exposed to the salt-ladden air. The cellar door is actually their distilling plant, and as we taste and discuss each sample with Heidi, her partners are beginning to bottle the last of the Gin from that sea-aged barrel! We drove right past it at first, following google maps which takes you beyond it. The trick is to follow the signs, even if it doesn't look like a cellar door! More evidence of the poor maps.

At the Airport, we leave the car, with keys in the ignition, as per instructions, and head into the terminal. We are early by about 2 hours, but really, there is little else to see given the remaining time. There are only 9 people booked on the plane, so again they have allocated the back row to us. BUT, there are about 40-50 people at the airport terminal. We see two jets - a Sharp Airlines and a REX plane plus a number of smaller planes. Turns out, we watch 4 other planes leave before ours lands, disgourging another tour group, and is ready for departure. Our plan is flying to Launceston via Wynyard.

Gen is very very tense - it is very cloudy and she is apprehensive about possible turbulence. One belted in, she grabs the seatbelt from the seat between us and wraps it tightly around her hand. I tell her that the trick is to try not to get too tensed up and suggest that she hold my hand instead. "But I don't want to hurt you" she says. You won't I tell her. The take-off was a little bumpy, but it was surprisingly smooth thereafter. I keep asking her if she can see land in an effort to keep her mind off her fear and she visibly relaxes. Finally we see land and can identify The Nut at Stanley and Table Cape just a little further east before we touch down.

So, King Island done and dusted. I am glad we went, but it was nothing like what we were expecting. All I can say is that the marketeers have done a fabulous job. For the Island itself, it needs some major investment and renewal.

Back in the car, or as Gen 'lovingly' refers to it, the POS, having paid the ridiculous sum of $12 for 3 days parking, we head back through Burnie and further east to our overnight stop in Penguin. The motel is right on the main road, with a rail line plus freight train behind us. The unit is HUGE and well set-out and supplied for someone with mobility challenges.