Tasmania Is Not The Same as Tanzania

Location: Hobart, Tasmania  Rides: here

I saw my first Americans in three weeks today. They were in Baltimore Ravens jerseys and they came to Hobart in a big floating box. They had "done all of New Zealand" and then they would "do all of Australia" and then fly to Darwin and I guess, do Darwin. I dont know, I dont want to turn my nose up, but different strokes I guess. 

The trip here was pretty rough, in relative terms. Whenever I have a long haul I always think of Louis C.K's bit about people complaining about flying. The bit is about "everything is amazing and nobody is happy."

He says something like "New York to LA in six hours. Thats used to take, like, 30 years. And a bunch of you would die on the way. And they would just bury you, put a stick on your grave and keep walking. And then one of them would fuck your wife. Now you watch a movie, take a big, runny dump, and you're there."

But, the 12 hours on the ship was kind of a trip, in the non-pun sense. It was pretty high seas and I only got about 4 hours of sleep. The going out was great, and the slipping in under sunrise in Devonport was beautiful.

But I had a sour stomach from too much coffee and not enough food and then I drove 3 hours to Hobart. Tasmania is not, as I expected, closer to the terrain of New Zealand. It pretty much looks like the rest of Australia (gorgeous), with about a tenth of the people.

Hobart itself is off the charts. It has a small town European feel to it, with interesting little side streets and down by the water, cafes and loads of outside dining/drinking. And almost everything you eat is from here. It's a restauranteurs wet-dream. The beef, the veggies, the yoghurt, the beer, the lamb, the seafood, it's all from within 300K's of this very spot.

Yesterday I went for a ride up Mount Wellington. Since I didn't have any wifi for three days I didn't have time to scout a ride so when I arrived at my apartment in Battery Point I saw this huge mountain and figured I would just ride towards that.

Hobart (Battery Point Section)

I was so sleep deprived, and I hadn't had anything solid to eat, and my mouth was dry, but I went anyway. I didn't even know I was climbing Mount Wellington until the first sign at 12K. It was a no-joke climb, over 3500vft in 10 miles or so.

The views were intense, and I could write pages about that climb. I got very cold on the way down, but I may have had my happiest moments of this trip during those 12k's. I know that because I started talking to myself and also singing.

Oh, last night I had the most amazing oysters. They weren't the best I have ever had, but they were so vastly different than any other oyster I have had, that made them amazing. They were so creamy, and not slimy, and hardly had any smell at all, and they popped in your mouth like Freshenup gum. And they were from right here on Bruny Island and I had a Boags draught with them, which is from Launceton, about 200k north of here.

Today I rode again, and met up with a guy at the very beginning. A born and bred Tasmanian. We rode together the whole time and I have to tell you it was nice to have a long conversation with someone. Especially on a bike, when the feeling is that you are talking to no one really, and so a lot of quality shit comes out.

Beer. 

It's cooler than anticipated, so I spent a couple of hours this morning shopping, and I'll have to throw some other stuff out.

Fuck, I really wish I could get deeper. If you don't know, and you got this far, and you have traveled yourself, you know I'm only giving you about 10% of what matters. I wish there were a way to do more, I really do. The major problem is that I don't have WIFI where I am staying, but the minor problem is that I just don't have the time.

Please plan that trip you have in your mind. The one you've been mulling over now for a while. That's the only way you'll get it all.

And if you do, I would love to hear about it.