My Trip To Australia, New Zealand and Asia

Hiking in Tasmania

Location: Tasmania University
Weather: Cold/Rainy/Warm/Sunny/Changing

Well I'm now in Tasmania, flew here last week to Launceston. Just done The Overland Track, which is an 80km bushwalk through the middle of nowhere. You have to take a tent, a sleeping bag(which I hired) and food because there are no shops and only huts(which may be full or may be empty) and camping sites long the way. It turned into an 110km 8 day affair, because I cleverely thought there would be gas stoves in the huts, but there weren't so I had to take a 20km detour back to the start on the 2nd day and buy a gas stove, but I did run into a couple of girls on the way back who felt so sorry for me that they have now invited me to their house in Melbourne, so I cannot complain! Also I did a few side walks and climbed Tasmania's highest mountain - Mt.Ossa which was a proper climb over rocks and all sorts, I even had to dodge 2 snakes during the 2 hours it took to get there! I also had a great time when I was sitting by Fergusson Falls (a waterfall) and some woman decided to fall off a ledge and break her wrist/seriously concus her head and knock my camera in the cascading falls. She had to be helicoptered out and was ok apparently, but my camera is lost along with all my photos from HK/Sydney/Melbourne

Tasmania is a good place, on the track I saw Wallabies, Potaroo's, Pademelons, Possums(who are the most lairy animal I've ever encountered, they have no fear of humans and don't mind going into your tent to try to steal your food), black/brown snakes, Quolls (native fruit-eating cats) but so far no Tasy Devils and I just missed seeing a wild Platypus and Echidna. I'll probably be here until next weekend and then go back to Melbourne.


By JamesReed on 20.02.04 @ 04:40 AM GMT [As Web Page] [Archives]

Now in Tasmania

Location: Launceston Library
Weather: Warmish

Well now I am in Tasmania! Launceston to be exact. Yesterday I went to the Neighbours night in St.Kilda and met 3 legends! Toadie, Dr.K and Lynn Scully! Dr.Karl is well cool, he is very laid back and all the women love him! Lynn Scully was also there and she looks much better in real life! my friend asked her if he could be her on-screen husband now Joe has left! I got photos with all of them and a beautiful Scottish Britney Spears lookalike so I was very happy! Due to drinking too many beers, I missed the last tram and had to walk 5kms back home, then get up at 8:30am, I was not feeling at all well, luckily the flight here was only 45mins.


By JamesReed on 10.02.04 @ 05:33 AM GMT [As Web Page] [Archives]

Tennis finished - what do I do next?

Location: Some net cafe in Melbourne
Weather: Warm, after days of sun, rain and cloud

Well the Aussie Open is now over, on Saturday I managed to get a ticket for the women's final and saw the great Justine Henin-Hardenne(or however you spell her name) win against Kim Clijsters, all the Australians in the crowd were very upset at this because she is Lleyton Hewitt's girlfriend (oh nooo) and they hardly cheered for poor Justine! that line call was a bit dodgy though, I suppose. Anyway to celebrate, I went out for beers with some friends from the hostel, lead by this bloke called Jurian the Giant Dutchman and ended up in a casino nightclub until very early in the morning. I really should have gone home earlier, because I staggered out of bed around 11:30am extremely tired and with a serious hangover. I dragged myself down the road and as sheer luck would have it there was 1 ticket available and I got in to see the men's final!! Personally I would have liked Safin to win, but Federer was just too good and Safin just lost it after the first set. Still the Swiss people I have met here were very happy!
Yesterday I visited the Melbourne Gaol where Ned Kelly was hanged.
And today was really good, the hostel had 2 fire alarms go off!! one at 7:45am and the other at 10am! but later in the day I went on a fine river cruise to Williamstown and now I've got to try and decide where to go next. Basically it all rests on who's going to be at the Neighbours night - a quiz night in a pub with the real stars from Neighbours - if it's Delta Goodrem, Sky Bishop, Michelle Scully
or Harold(he's a legend!) I'm here until at least Monday otherwise it's adios Melbourne!

By JamesReed on 04.02.04 @ 12:43 PM GMT [As Web Page] [Archives]