After camping at Coles Bay, we headed for Hobart and decided we would afford ourselves some comfort and stay at Wrest Point Casino. This would give us a chance to catch up on some much needed washing. On our way, we stopped at MONA, the museum of old and new art. This is definitely very different to any museum I have ever visited. The contrast between the modern light work art pieces and older looking iron sculptures was fascinating. This is all set in varying building levels and beautiful landscaped lawns and gardens, bordered by the Derwent river. Yes, we did view the wall of Vaginas with interest.

Our accommodation was very comfortable with views over Hobart. We dined in the Wrest Point revolving restaurant and the food together with the revolving views was amazing. A good nights sleep and the morning saw us off and walking. Walking through the streets at Battery Point around Derwent River harbour somehow found us in the middle of an historic walk. Most of the houses had plaques or numbers which you could look up online and read about their history. Even though this walk was up hill and down dale, absorbing all the history made the walking seamless.

We reached Salamander Market and found it strange that with such a large crowd there were no Covid protocols. I couldn’t resist having some freshly made Dutch poffertjes. They were yum! This was also our first sighting of a classic car display. Before long we realised that the Targa Tasmania car rally was about to start. Targa gives you closed roads, greater distance, higher speed limits, and in full competition no speed limits at all.

Further on was Constitution Dock and I imagined what it was like for all those yachts finishing the famous Sydney to Hobart yacht race right where we were standing. Later that day we met up with a friend of ours, Leah Walsh, who was now living in Hobart. It was nice to see a familiar face as well as Leah’s Jack Russell Lord Benson.

No visit to Hobart would be complete without a visit up to Mount Wellington. Unfortunately we picked a day where visibility wasn’t that great and it was bloody freezing! On leaving Hobart, Ruthie caught up with a former work colleague who had moved to south of Hobart. Her daughter was playing football on route to our next stop.

The stop was Mount Field National Park and we were going to camp there. We walked to Russell and Horshoe Falls. It was there we got cold feet as well as everything else and decided against camping. The weather heading towards the west coast was not looking as favourable as we’d hoped.

We pressed on and stayed at the Derwent Bridge Wilderness Hotel in the Central Highlands. It felt more like a lodge than a hotel. The night air was very crisp so we were very glad to have a roof over our heads. More so when we dined in front of the open fire enjoying their signature King Billy steak dish washed down by a smooth Shiraz. Another great day!