Itinerary for Tassie

We are off to Cradle Mountain today for three days, then its Strahan for two where we will take a Gordon River World Heritage Cruise, then to Hobart for 7 days and then Bicheno for 5.

We will be touring from Hobart and Bicheno to see as many of the sites as possible.

We will update the blog with pictures and stories when we can.

Its a little cool here this morning, probably about 14 at a guess, but very pleasant.

Just about to pack up to head off and while watching the news we discovered that our illustrious Prime Minister is on the island doing a charity bike ride. FANTASTIC I say. With luck we will run into him... and you can take that anyway you like!

Talk soon and take care.

Best Weather Predictor

Ha. I have to say this ( see gallery)  is the clearest, and in my opinion the most accurate weather prediction device I have ever seen. If you don't get a giggle out of this then I'd check your pulse.

Title in Gallery is ' Bryce Weather'

Travelling across the ditch on 'The Spirit'

Woohoo, what a ride this was. Jayne and I had an absolute ball. We met some lovely, lovely folk and we boogied our way to Tassie. (See proof in gallery)

Let me paint the picture.

The night before we sailed was stifling at 29 degrees at midnight and we were to rise at 4.30am to make the 6 am call to embark. I set the alarm for 4.30 to make sure we were up in time. (remember that)

We woke earlier than 4.30 so we rose and had showers, packed up Whimsy and were on the road to the port by 5.30. We were lined up at Port Melbourne behind 100's of cars ready to embark at 6.15. We actually boarded the ship in Whimsy at 8.30am. But that was after going through tight security and quarantine. There are very strict restrictions and we had to throw out or eat the contents of the fridge before going through the checkpoint.

Security actually board your vehicle and go through it asking questions like 'are you carrying firearms or weapons of any sort, such as knives?' I replied 'no' at first and realised we had a drawful of the suckers! So me being me I said 'oh we do actually' and immediately opened the cutlery drawer...There are some mean looking knives in that draw I can tell you, which could cause a mortal wound if aimed well and with intent! Security just waved them away but I thought that was just a bit too funny.

Just a note. The security guy looked super dodgy to me and for a second I weighed up whether we should deny him access just for our own safety, bugger Tassie!

Driving onto the ship was a little frustrating because it took so long but at the same time it was a fascinating experience. We were so glad we had a toilet on board and we felt really sorry for folks in their cars who were also waiting such a long time to board... god knows what they did.

The spirit can carry 500 vehicles at a time and on this day it was at capacity.

Once we parked Whimsy up in amongst all the tall motorhomes and large trucks and we caught the lift up to level 7. We sat at the stern (back) of the ship in a lovely lounge area next to the bar and what I thought looked like a DJ's set up (looked promising to me)

Once seated we looked over the paperwork we were given when we went through reception. Just at that point we read 'make sure you know the level on which you have parked the vehicle, before you leave'!!!! Shite, its a little too late for that isn't it? We were sitting comfortably with a coffee and had no idea what level we had parked Whimsy on. Jayne and I looked at each and I said 'oh bugger, 'Where's Whimsy'?

God bless her, after talking it through and looking at the sketch of the ship we worked out that we thought we had parked Whimsy on garage level 3, so Jayne headed back down into the bowels of the ship to find her. We were right, she was on garage level 3, phew! BUT, on her way to find Whimsy Jayne came across the level where all the pets were kenneled. Jayne came back traumatised swearing that we had 'sooo done the right thing by NOT bringing Pearl' on this trip. All the puppies were crying and yelping... and we weren't even moving at that stage. Jayne said she just wanted to stay with them to calm them down but it is not permitted.

Well we played music trivia and Jayne won one of the early games and had to dance to win the prize. She danced and won us lunch! I later won a cheese box so that was grand. The entertainment coordinator was brilliant and a good look into the bargain, see gallery.

During the day two lovely older ladies sat next to us. Stella and Lois aka Thelma and Louise, we discovered were travelling to Tassie to tour around the state freecamping. They told us that they have never paid for camping and that they had been around OZ at least twice and loved to go to remote destinations. Stella is 91 and Lois is a young 81, and they were off to see the wilderness areas of Tasmania.

Jayne and I have discussed this meeting a number of times since and we realise that we really need to get a grip and give freecamping a try...at some point.

We arrived at Devonport Discovery Park and its lovely. See Van Park Reviews in a day or two. But also see Gallery.

ps. The alarm I had set for 4.30 am went off at 4.30 pm on the ship.... note to self: make sure you set am and not pm if you want to wake up in the MORNING!!!

Take care, talk soon.

Ashley Gardens, Melbourne

Ashley Gardens Caravan Park is the closest park to the port of Melbourne. We arrived at midday today in about 35 degree heat.

Once again we were expecting a pretty spot, something cool, something inviting............ha! We have discovered that the names of the parks really aren't descriptive of the actual look of the park, nor its position. Lesson learned.

I have renamed this park 'Asphalt Gardens'. Its all concrete, with a few gardens dotted around the park, however, it seems a well run park with modern facilities, and it is convenient for those hopping the Spirit early the next day. We will be up at 4.30 and off at 5.30 as it takes 50 minutes to drive 9 klms on a work day here in Melbourne we were told.

The Spirit just sent us a text saying to come earlier in the morning !! Jeez why bother going to sleep I say!

A storm is about to hit here, the same storm that has halted play in the Ladies Masters just up the road at Royal Melbourne. Its too bloody hot to go into Melbourne this arvo  and Jayne isn't feeling very well today - probably all the second hand smoke we were breathing at Warrigal Care!

We are hoping the storm cools things down because at the moment the forecast says it will be 29 overnight....yuk! BUT Whimsys' air conditioner is a godsend.

Casey asked me 'are you having fun yet Mum?' The answer to that was that we have had a couple of rude shocks and we really haven't settled into a routine yet, nor have we really done any touring. Our best time so far was at Dolphins Point (I was still crook though) and Twofold Bay. We are realistic, and will just let things play out.

We have booked all the accommodation in Tassie because when we tried to book a few places yesterday we were told that they were full and it was a busy time. Anyway, we have managed to stay in the areas we want. Devonport, Cradle Mountain, Strahan, Hobart and BIcheno. We are hiring cars in Hobart and Bichenot and parking Whimsy up for 7 days in both spots. We will tour from there in whatever little car we can hire. Really looking forward to Tassie.

Will update the blog in a day or two.. stay well.

Love us.

Beyond Twofold Bay.........

We left Twofold Bay reluctantly, but we needed to get to Melbourne in time to catch the Spirit of Tasmania on the 23rd Feb.

Our first stop was supposed to be Lakes Entrance. We had booked Waterside Caravan Park, Lakes Entrance. It sounded grand.. Yeah? Na. It was not waterside and the sites were tiny and on top of each other. I'd heard lots of lovely things about Lakes Entrance but after 3 Caravan Park walk throughs we had to give it a miss.

Riverside Holiday Park Bairnsdale was recommended to us for its position and views so we motored further along the highway. I think someone was having a lend of us.

Yes it was beside a river, but no you couldn't see it! Yes it was easy access... right on the highway. Road noise was constant and loud. Sites were small, service was non existent and we were not happy. See reviews. So bad we didn't take a photo!

We only stayed one night at Bairnsdale and looked up other options on the road to Melbourne. Evidently Melbourne was going off with  numerous festivals this weekend so getting anywhere to stay was difficult.

We drove to Sale but only stopped for a coffee at a great vibey place called Mr Raymonds in the main  street. Would recommend it. Plus we looked in on a lovely old pub called The Criterion. Would have eaten there but it was too early. Looked amazing.

We had to stay somewhere so we checked Trip Advisor. It recommended Warrugal Gargens in Warrugal, as its only 100 klms from Melbourne. We booked for two nights. It was called Warrugal Gardens and Retirement Village ( I call it Warrigal Care (the place that doesn't care at all) This was a challenging experience, really challenging. After being a single mum and pretty hard up I thought it would take a lot to shock me. Well consider me shocked!! See reviews.

The upside was that we found a great little bar in Warrugal. The locals don't frequent it much yet but hopefully they'll work it out. It's called 'The Bank' and we had a delightful lunch there today. The locals were in Subway, Kentucky and Maccas but I guess it takes time to try new things.

Warrugal Gardens looks quiet and retiring...... it isn't. Its beside the railway line and once the trains stop running you can hear the rev heads on the local roads. That is all beside the fact that you are jammed into sites half the size of sites in NSW. Plus, most of the caravaners are English and permanents here? not sure, but maybe working in the mines?? Not an issue but truly a great place for a tobacco health promotion intervention here I can tell you.

35 degree heat and second hand tobacco smoke streaming from every direction. Not my idea of heaven.

Onwards and upwards we say!!! Melbourne tomorrow.

Bermagui and Twofold Bay Eden

We originally planned to stay in Bermagui but due to a very popular dog show the caravan park on the headlands in Bermagui was booked out. That's why we stayed in Narooma and then progressed through to Eden.

We took the opportunity to have lunch on the harbour in Bermagui though because I really wanted to see the coastal village. We  ate at 'The Sundeck' on the Harbour and shared Quinoa and Zuccini fritters and a side of fries. The fritters were really lovely but the fries were a disappointment. For those of you who don't know me, I am a potato freak. Ill eat potato cooked every which way and I guess I have strong opinions about the treatment of the humble spud. How you can destroy  a spud Ill never know but sometimes in an attempt to present potato with a twist, it can be ruined. This was one of those occasions. We would still recommend The Sundeck though. Its a Delightful spot and the fritters were great. A plus was the view from The Sundeck of trawlers returning to the harbour with their catch. See photos in the Gallery. Top spot and worth a visit.

Given we couldn't stay in Bermagui our  research led us to consider a caravan park named The 'Garden of Eden', in Eden.  We pulled in and had a look around and Jayne and I looked at each other and said whatya think? We both shook our heads and said "NO!." It was hot, airless and not near the beach. No garden of eden here! It was set  amongst a very charming industrial estate.  Our other option was a Big 4 in Twofold Bay so we turned 'Whimsy' around and headed further south. Twofold Bay is about 7 klms south of Eden.  

We chose to take the coast road from Bermagui to Eden. It was in the most part a lovely drive but very challenging on some sections of the road. Lots of single lane bridges and very windy mountain roads. One section of the road was a challenging climb full of 25klm per hour hairpin bends. 'Whimsy' handled the challenge brilliantly. Jayne and I however decided at that point that we would stick to mostly main roads.....

The Twofold Bay Caravan Park turned out to be the right choice we think. We are right next to the beach in a quiet spot nowhere near the main road and its associated noise. A short walk south along the beach takes you to a pub that serves lunch, dinner and coffees. Sounds perfect to me... will keep you posted on that one. See Park Reviews for a full review and see the Gallery section for beach shots.

We are going to rest here for a few days.

PS

Well we walked along the beach to what we were told was a 'pub'. This is no mere 'pub' folks, this is a stunning hotel that has been refurbished. The Seahorse Inn was Originally built in the 1840's buy a fellow named Boyd, who was clearly an original landowner in these parts. The buildings on what was originally an estate, are quite magnificent. The hotel has Hotel Rooms, Bistro, Restaurant and Bar and Function Room. Its worth a drive to Twofold Bay just to see this little beauty. We plan to come back sometime in the future as it is really a hidden gem.

We only had a coffee there this morning. but it was beautiful sitting in the grounds of the hotel looking at the bay. The menu looked wonderful and they only use vegetables that they grow in their own garden, that is just out the back door of the hotel.... yum!

Stargazing at Dalmeny on 15th February.

We experienced an unexpected evening with friends, food, fine wine and stargazing in Dalmeny NSW yesterday. Dalmeny is a few klms north of Narooma. We were heading south from Narooma but Chris and Mark Lavers were heading to Dalmeny so we took the opportunity to catch up with them and their mates Chris and John who were staying at the Dalmeny Camping Ground. A lovely evening eating under the stars led to being witness to numerous falling stars and satellites. I have never seen a satellite in the night sky before so seeing a number of them was a real treat. It was a lovely day and night and we were really spoiled by great hospitality. Thanks guys, we will miss you.

Wardrobe Malfunction

We couldn't have, surely not. No, no, no,  not Jayne and I, its not possible. 

We didn't pack our entire wardrobe into Whimsy's cute little hanging space.... did we?

Well we must have tried because in the middle of the night the whole thing collapsed. The rack attached to the roof of the wardrobe had come away  leaving everything on the floor of the robe. FANTASTIC. The screws holding the rack had pulled away from the roof and there was no screwing those back in expecting it to hold. No chance and none.

So what do two girls do with the threat of no hanging space? Ask a bloke to fix it? Ring a carpenter? Not on your Nelly. We measured it up, bagged the offending rack and headed (walked) to the local hardware store. (For those of you who aren't familiar with Narooma its hilly, very, very hilly) We bought some double sided tape, a new piece of wood (provided measurements and had it cut for us) and new longer screws. Walked back to the park and fixed the sucker. Its promising, its all still holding today, so here's hoping! (See before and after shots in the Gallery page)

I'm aware this may seem like a minor issue to some but for us its about getting out of fixes using our own abilities, solving problems ourselves where we can, and providing a solution that not only works and looks ok, but doesn't cost a bomb!

So far so good!

PS The day we left I said to Jayne "should I pack the electric screwdriver?" Response was  "why would we need that?" I agreed, and it didn't get packed. Moral of the story? Follow your gut!!!

Arrived Narooma

Well the plan was to head to Bermagui after Dolphins Point, but alas every grey nomad and their dogs,(literally) booked out the only caravan park in town! So we were left with the difficult decision (yeah right) of which stunning beachside village to stay in on our trek south.

We have visited Narooma before and  its a very pretty spot - though a bit hilly. The view out to Montague Island is lovely and the coastline itself is rugged and quite spectacular.

We booked Easts Caravan Park right on the river/inlet the day before leaving DP. When we arrived they told us you are lucky its the last site left on this side. Well ofcourse my radar went up, and I said to Jayne quietly "it'll be a crap site right next to the highway" Sure as my names Alison Clare, there it was, a site right up the back of the park with nothing between the site and the Hwy but a wire fence. Yeah thanks, but no thanks. Oh and thanks so much for telling us that the site was on the Hwy when we booked. How hard is it??? Well, its teaching us to ask the right questions when we ring ahead.

We knew there was another park closer to the beach in Narooma so that's where we are staying for 3 nights. The park is  Surfbeach Holiday Park. (review will be on the Park Review page.)

The weather is inclement at the moment so not sure what we will be able to do  here. Jayne and I want to do a tour of Montague Island but the weather may not permit that. Will keep you posted.

Happy blogging!

Arrived Dolphins Point

Our first port of call on the Where's Whimsy' Journey, Dolphins Point. Took us ages to get on the road today. Too sad this leaving thingy.

Will need to practice this blogging business as I have forgotten everything I was told! Will score this little joint on the park rating page but just quietly, its pretty, but pretty old and a bit TIRED. Well that makes two of us. Talk tomorrow!

Jayne and I did rest and swim here. The swimming was fantastic at high tide. Warm and easy swimming. At low tide it looked like 'The Great Sandy Desert'

Getting Ready To Leave

Hi there. We are getting ready to leave (9th Feb & very excited) and doing all the normal things you do before a big trip. Getting all the boring health checks out of the way, doing a rough travel plan (while drinking too much wine) organising our gorgeous puppy dog 'Pearl the Poodle' to make sure she is well loved and cared for while we are away (freaking out about leaving her) Getting Whimsy's health checks done as well of course!

We are also waiting for the weather to improve so we can polish Whimsy within an inch of her life! Anyone who knows Jayne and I will know this is an imperative!  Ill take a photo of her before we go and place it in the Gallery...