11/3/2013

It is officially SWATVAC (Australian for dead week). Like every good student I am making the most of my study week....and going to Tasmania! My flight left at 7:30 and I got into Launceston, Tasmania just after 8. I was planning to walk into town but a local offered me a ride so I took it. She also happened to be good friends with a coffee shop owner who let me stash my bag while I wandered around Launceston. I went up to the beautiful cataract gorge. I took the world's longest single span chair lift over the gorge and walked back. There were peacocks and kangaroos everywhere! I walked up and around the gorge and back to Launceston. Then I walked along the Tamar river. I took a tour of Boags brewery and saw their history of beer making and scandalous advertising. Then I went to the city park that houses a monkey exhibit and an orchard conservatory. After the park I went for an early lunch then picked up the hiking supplies that I couldn't take on an airplane. At 1pm I took a bus to Devonport, Tasmania and enjoyed a much needed nap.

Launceston has the best traffic control boxes that I've ever seen! 

I got to Devonport around 3:30. I checked into my hostel(it's a pub) surprisingly quiet, though. Then I got the last of my hiking supplies. I reorganised and hopped over to the information centre. They were somewhat helpful and gave me a map. I walked on the waterfront until it started to get cool. The wind started to pick up too and blew all of my money out of my pocket. Goodbye $50 I'll miss you. Despite losing money I still went out for dinner. I ate an entire large pizza and did not feel one bit bad about it. I ended my evening sitting on the floor of the common room waiting for my phone battery to charge. The outlets in my room are too low to the floor and don't fit a phone charger. Of course u was using my phone during the charging process so it took even longer. 

I won't have Internet again until Friday/Sunday but I promise to make it worth the wait.