Day 14: Hobart, Tasmania

We left for Tasmania at 10:35 AM. Landing in Hobart, we picked up our rental car. This was the first time I've ever rented my own car before, not to mention it was a right hand drive... We embarked for our motel, unsure if we'd live through the drive. Well, we somehow made it, and found our motel to be very nice and not too far from everything. As we gathered our thoughts and tried to map out our weekend, we found out that Cascades Brewery (Australia's oldest) had tours today and the last one was at 2:30. We scrambled and made it just in time, and quickly fell in love with their variety of beer, nestled in the valleys of Mount Wellington. From lagers to stouts to apple champagne ciders to pale ales, they covered it all. Their brews were tasty, and we actually found out that this brew house also brews a majority of Fat Yak beer, which is an amazing Australian IPA. Following the tour, we drove around and wandered aimlessly, and happened to find a road up to Mount Wellington. A 10km windy, steep road with hairpins and shear dropoffs, we ventured up. Keep in mind this was my first day in a rental, on the opposite side of the road. This drive was what some would define as a trial by fire, as the road was barely wide enough for two small vehicles, let alone tour buses.

The view at the top was phenomenal, and I have to say this was the most amazing experience I've had yet. Jack and I initially thought to just mosey around for 20-30 minutes; however, the seemingly close organ pipe rock formations seemed within reach, and I convinced Jack to wander further. We went off the beaten trail, bouldering these large and bizarre formations, and made our way all the way to the end: a roughly 2 mile hike on rough terrain that took 30-45 minutes each way. The journey was something that I crave in life, and days like today are the only thing I need in life to truly be content and happy deep down. The scenery was extraordinary, the vegetation and flora so starkly unique, the sandstone porous and rough to the touch, the air crisp and clean, the sky bluer than the clearest day. I can honestly say that I smiled the entire day today.

From the second we saw just how jaw dropping Tasmania was from the plane, my tiredness and soreness from this trip has vanished, and we've been motivated to explore as much of it as possible. After working on some thesis, of course. I am in a state of awe, every way I turn. We finished our day at the Drunken Admiral, a seafood restaurant that was booked full with reservations. We got at call back on a cancelled reservation as we gave up and began to leave for another meal. The atmosphere was something you'd imagine in the movies or a fishing town back in the 40's. Today was the best of my life, and I don't see very many things in the future beating it. Tomorrow we head to Port Arthur, with stops at Eaglehawk Neck, Boomer Bay, Devil's Kitchen, the Tasman Arch, and the Blowhole, among others. Upon returning, we just might stop by Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary to hand-feed baby kangaroos, koalas, and Tasmanian Devils.

Also, Jack made a friend on the plane, although I'm sure he has no idea they became friends or that this picture exists.

VIDEO TO COME