We wake up at 7.30am, have a bit of breakfast, shower, tidy and secure the van for driving and then it's time to head off. I'm not sure there's much to see between here and Hobart but I will know more after looking again through the maps and booklets.
Chris and I stop for a half hour or so at this little alcove on the beach just down from where we stayed last night. Swansea council had a smart idea. For a km that we could see.. maybe more.. they have stopped the erosion of the beach by covering the sand completely with grey sandstones. It's unusual but quite nice to walk on... and a little weird to not see any sand. We traipse up and down the beach collecting seashells for the kids at home and pocketing them. Then back to the van.
We are still heading south to Hobart - and today the roads are very wet and slippery. As we go round a large bend we see a huge truck overtuned on the side of the road. It's laying exactly parallel to the road so it looks like he's slipped sideways. He seems to be well taken care of: we see several utes parked off the side of the road and some men have already stopped to help. The driver (we think it's him judging by the look on his face) is standing next to the truck shaking his head and grimacing. We figure he's ok and won't appreciate a couple of rubbernecking tourists hanging about even if it is to try help.
We stop for coffee and hot food at a little bakery in Triabunna (after a good natured grumble from Chris about how I'm a slave to either my coffee addiction or my bladder.) Triabunna is tiny but the bakery has a great selection of cakes of which we buy a few.. and the most excellent brews!
As we drive through the next town - not a five minute drive from where we just came from, we hit Orford. This is yet another lovely seaside town with some gorgeous homes - one especially catches our eye. It seems to be about 2/3 glass and is all sharp angles. We cross a bridge and there's more pretty homes - a couple of cedar ones, a lovely stone house and the road to Sorrell has a rock wall following the curve against a seriously large river complete with rapids. We continue on and see the river get even wider - it's huge! I look it up and find it's called Prosser River.
We pass through Buckland - the historic church town and as we keep travelling - Chris and I have a laugh at a sign at the side of the road.... Break-me-neck-hill. Someone has a sense of humor.
As I am writing this, I get that feeling in your stomach when you are both excited and nervous. I think it is because tomorrow we fly home and I can't wait to the see the kids again. We have missed them terribly, especially the first few days - as several phone calls home will testify. As time went on though, the separation anxiety lessoned then pretty much disappeared. During this second week away we found out our 2nd oldest son Mason had scored a much wanted first part-time job at Dick Smith's. We are so happy and proud of him. He had the interview before we left for this trip and finally - typically - he found out he got the job while we were here. He also had to give a big speech in front of the whole school about a camp he went on a few weeks before we also left. By all accounts his was a real hit - my darling son's sense of humor can be quite black and dry to say the least. Also our 3rd son Jake got 3rd prize in a science competition. He was stoked and we were so proud of him. Clever kid. Funny how so much happens when you leave for just a few weeks.
Our first glimpse of Sorrell tells us that this town is quite large, especially considering some of the tiny ones we've passed through in the state. It looks like it might have some great shopping, too. Visibility though is a little difficult - can't quite get the full picture as its pelting down now. We go over a long bridge over Pittwater and the gusts are blowing the van alarmingly. It amazes me. You come off the bridge and the roads, and travel through huge walls of greenery again. Within minutes we spot the Hobart airport and we are trying to find the Barilla Caravan park where we plan on staying overnight. We just have to find Richmond Road on the B31.
We book into the Barilla Caravan Park and, oh dear... I find it's the same park we very first looked at when we arrived and decided against. My fault there. For some reason I went - oh, let's not stay here - and we went to Snug instead. Perhaps I was overtired from the flight, who knows. That said Snug was a great little place for our first night in Tassie.
2.45pm and we've washed the outside of the van and almost packed. A load of washing is drying and now it's time to go re-fill the gas bottle and the petrol tank for the next person who hires the motorhome. The van is due to be handed back over at the Hobart airport by 10am tomorrow.
I'm sitting here on the steps of the van writing this - looking over green sloping hills dotted with homes and trees. The sky is threatening rain but it's not really cold. A pair of sweat pants and t-shirt do just fine. I wonder if I can talk Chris into a game of putt-putt they have here at the park. There's also an indoor pool (heated) that looks rather inviting but alas... neither of us brought our bathers.
Earlier while I was wandering around the park (and Chris was busy doing something else) I met a wonderful lady called Mary. She is Irish and I could listen to her speak for hours - she has that certain Irish lilt to her voice. She's popped in to see me again and this time stayed for a little and we chat then she extends an invitation to us. Come over for coffee. She and her partner Peter have lived on-site at the caravan park for around 5 years and are very happy here. She's possibly one of the few people I've met that can match me in the chatterbox stakes.
Chris I head out for a bit to do the gas and petrol thing and end up looking through some shops before we go back to the park. We relax for a bit then order a woodfired pizza from the park reception (nice set up there.. you can buy a beer or wine and/or food... pizza, icecream etc..) We choose a small salmon, brie, onion and caper one and it's bloody delicious!
We finally see Mary has come back after a few errands and toddle over to say hi. Instead of the promised coffee she and her partner Peter ply us with drinks. It's the first Kalhua and milk I've had in... well, I don't remember when to be honest. They go down a treat. We sit in this old bus her and Peter have made as their home. It has all the mod-cons, somewhere to sit, a toilet, shower and wash machine and a bedroom at back. It's quite nice. Very homy with lots of candles burning away giving it a soft, mellow glow. We did feel a bit bad - we caught them mid-way through cooking dinner. Mary isn't fazed though. "Oh, the chips will be a while cooking, and when they're done, the microwave will do the rest," she says with an airy wave of her hand. "Sit.. sit."
They really are one of the nicest couples you could meet. We sit for quite a while, chatting and drinking and when it's time to leave, she makes us promise to say goodbye in the morning. Hugs all round and we leave for our own van. Sometimes you meet someone who is natural, funny, self-depreciating and they are just the best kind on the planet. This is Mary all over. Peter is a sweet man too, just a little quieter. Thanks Mary and Pete.. we had the best time tonight. It was fun!
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