Tasmania - 1st March 2009
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| From To Tasmania |
Before we arrived at the Port of Melbourne for our crossing to Devonport - Tasmania, we had a day driving around the Mornington Peninsula (South East of Melbourne). We had a really nice jacket potato in Mt Martha, topped with roast beef, cheese, onion, mushrooms and gravy - Yum. We browsed a few galleries before heading back up to Melbourne and the port. Before we got in the line up for the ship (Spirit of Tasmania) we prepared our bags with a few essentials for the voyage. Once in line (around 6:30pm) we thought that we would be on the ship by around 8pm as it was due to leave port at 9pm. Well we didn’t actually get the go ahead to drive on to the ship until 9:30 and there were loads (and I mean loads) of cars still waiting behind us. So many cars in fact that we parked, climbed 6 flights of stairs, dropped our bags at the recliners, got a beer and wine and finished them, whilst people were still driving on board!!
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| From To Tasmania |
After the first drinks went down so well we decided to try our luck on another!! After the second drink we went over to the buffet (10:15pm) and had a couple of large plates of food – we were starving by now! The food was very good and they had a nice big selection. Needless to say we stuffed ourselves to the point of feeling a bit rough! Carl had a couple more beers (to help him sleep in a lounge full of strangers, in a chair that was sure to be uncomfortable!) and Heidi had one little Malibu and Diet Coke. Still feeling the effects of the food we trudged off to the recliners and struggled to get comfortable. The leg room was not quite enough and Carl struggles to sleep lying back (he is a on his side sleeper). We grabbed a couple of hours here and there whilst the ship bobbed quite badly in what must have been fairly rough seas.
We got up at 6am before the sun rose, grabbed a coffee and went up on deck to watch the morning glow. Bleary eyed we gradually woke up with the power of caffeine, and went off for a buffet brekkie. As we ate we could see land coming into view and we heard an announcement over the tannoy that we would be docking around 7:45am (1hr and 45 mins late). We got the call to go down to the garage and the car around 30 mins after we docked and were off the ship 10 mins later – Shame we had to wait another 20 mins to be reunited with our LPG gas bottles that had to travel separately outside the ship!!
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| From To Tasmania |
Off we went to tourist info and then on to Macca’s for a healthy 2nd brekkie and some free internet time. (We’ll soon be eating as many meals as Ali! ;-)
Tired and with many brochures to read we decided to go clockwise around the island and headed out of Devonport over to a little place called Greens Beach. This was via a shortcut on dirt road and we welcomed the site of the camp and a much needed sleep!
What we have seen of Tassie so far is (not much) nice and the beaches look lovely. Right off to bed for that sleep! Night Night.
