Tasmania Tour Day 7 (04/05/2011)

We met the rest of the group, with whom I am going to spend the next three days. We were in total 9 and would learn later that 4 more would join us tomorrow for the east coast tour. All the girls were really nice and we got along well. I learned during the day that the new tour guide (the third in Tasmania) believes he is uber funny and loves to hear himself talk. He got on my nerves after just two hours. But for that reason I have my iPod and just listen to music when his stories get too much for me. I know I will survive and he probably just tries very hard to get along with everyone.

We started early in the morning and our first stop was the Hobart suburb Richmond, an old town build by the convicts of Tasmania. A couple of photos later we continued towards Port Arthur, our main destination for today.

We arrived in Port Arthur and first we went through the Museum and learned more about the history of Port Arthur as well as of some of the convicts. A pretty weird feeling comes up when you imagine that this all really happened and you are standing right in the middle of it. I believe that the offered Ghost tour at night must be very scary, shame I couldn’t test it.

During the guided tour on Port Arthur I kind of got bored by the monotone voice of the guide and left the group to do some exploring on my own. The area and the feeling that went with it were quite incredible. When I walked through the forest on Port Arthur I could imagine how it would be to live 200 years earlier with a nice dress and very strict customs on this convict Island, a very strange but fascinating place.

Visiting the separated prison for the mentally ill prisoners was amazing.

This was followed by a little cruise to the Island of the Death where all the prisoners were buried as well as the boys island where the younger generation of convicts were kept. With a yummy raspberry muffing and a hot coffee it was really comfortable. I have to add that it was raining and cold nearly the whole day. I was freezing…..

We left Port Arthur and headed to a conservation park for animals that were once found hurt, involved in an accident or other things. They took care as well of some Tasmanian devils because they are threaten to extinct as they are affected by cancer for 80 % of their population and will not survive it. Only a few devils are disease free.

We were allowed to feed the kangaroos and saw the devils getting fed. At the end they presented a bird show with birds that were left in the park because the owners moved overseas of they found them wounded. A took a video of one of the birds, such a poor thing.

The final stop was at the Eaglehawk neck for some pictures. Can you see the rainbow in the picture?

For dinner the girls and I went to a Pizza place in North Hobart where we enjoyed some really good food and wine. It was a great day and I enjoyed myself a lot. I hope that the last few days in Tasmania will be as great as the last ones (just ignoring the tour guide).

Read you soon again and have a nice day :)