after Christmas i made my way down to Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania. was able to find some quiet roads and stay off the main motorways which are busy with a constant stream of vehicles this time of year. it is the height of the tourist season in Tassie and communities that are usually without much activity are full of people enjoying the summer holiday season.
i followed the east coast riding south along side white sand beaches and small seaside communities. it only took a couple long days on the bike and i was already on the outskirts of Hobart. late one evening i pulled into a small town about 25 km outside of Hobart and went to the local tourist office to inquire about accommodation,the lady at the desk said that there were not any campsites in the vicinity and all other accommodation was booked out due to a very popular music festival. so i then went to the local park and met two fellow bike tourists, a guy from England and a young lady from France. they were also looking for a place to sleep for the night so we decided to camp together in a large field near the town. the next morning i rode over a couple of hills into Hobart and then went to see my friend Alex. i ended up spending several days hanging out with him and his friends over new years. he was a very energetic and generous host once again and kept me very busy giving me a whirlwind tour which portrayed many faces of life in Tasmania. we went camping on Bruny island for a night and then to a somewhat bizarre art warehouse party on New Years eve. also had the good fortune to be taken up to Mt. Wellington, the mountain overlooking Hobart and surrounding area. the views from this peak are incredible because you have a unhindered 360 degree perspective of the harbor, the islands off the coast and the rugged mountain ranges to the east. was also blessed to have clear skies and warm weather which i was told was very rare when visiting the mountain. after New Years i took a bus to Devonport to catch the ferry back to Melbourne.
the next phase of the adventure will bring me up the east coast of the mainland from Melbourne to Brisbane where i will fly out of Brisbane in early February.
Happy New Year and Best Wishes for one and all!
'jamming on the pipes'
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