Today I got up early in the morning to head to the airport to start my trip to Tasmania. I have a 5 day trip planned mainly by driving around the island and staying towards the East. After boarding my flight, it wasn’t but after a short flight that we started descending into Hobart. I picked up my car, mainly by going to the rental car hallway and comparing prices. It was incredible that no one came close to Avis, and I had even booked with Hertz the week before to ensure I had a car, but they were over $100 more expensive. So when I said, they’re offering this, can you match it, and she said, oh no, we will not. And I was thinking, um ok, then I’m sorry, I won’t be continuing on with my reservation with Hertz. So I got in the car, put my cds in the tray ready for my first road trip completely alone. Keep in mind, it’s on the other side of the road here too!
So I drove into the city and had lunch at the Salamanca Markets area next to the fish port. I had a great sandwich and sat in a park enjoying the views of the architecture and marina. I had to watch my time, because my first tour was of the Cadbury Factory and I wanted to make sure that I didn’t miss it. So I carefully drove my way up north to the Cadbury Factory to join the tour. They had free samples, and I had to monitor myself to not take too much. I was too excited by all the chocolate aroma filling the room. The tour started, and Monique, our tour guide had quite a funny accent and explained how chocolate was made. Overall it was a pretty good tour, but as in any manufacturing environment, sanitation is important, and we weren’t able to see that much stuff. So my dreams of seeing huge cauldrons full of chocolate were shot out the window :(
After the tour, I went into the gift shop where they would bag up ‘defects’ and the phrase one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure rang so true. I picked up some different things and headed for the check out. I then rang my friend Rafael who works at Cadbury to come down and say hello. We then set up a time to meet at his place so we could go to dinner.
After Cadbury, I continued North to a little town called Pontville, which had some great little houses perched on the hillside. I continued along to Richmond by taking the TeaTree Road. In Richmond, I parked the car and walked all around the town finding some really great shots of a bridge that was constructed in the 1800’s.
I then decided to get a snack at the Maze Cafe and tried a Cornish Pastie. This is a roll looking thing filled with meat and vegetables. It was quite good. Then from the little house, an Amish looking man came out and sat down at the table with me starting a chat. He then took out a strip of paper and calligraphy pen and started to write my name in Old English characters.
After Richmond, I headed back down to Hobart and up to New Town where Rafael lives. He had 2 flatmates who were both nice. He then took me out to a great restaurant where I tasted the best veggie burger I have ever tasted in my life. I had risotto but ended up helping Raf finish the burger, and it was absolutely incredible. Pesto, hummous, lentil bean pattie. It was the best thing I’ve eaten since food in New Zealand!
After dinner and drinks at Kaos, we went home and tried to figure out the best route I should take through Tassie. Only time will tell what places I see! I’m quite excited for this adventure, and very glad that I have the freedom of going where I want, when I want, and with the means of a car. Why haven’t I rented cars for journeys before??