The upside to the intermittant rain was this magnificent rainbow
The swinging bridge was the highlight of the hike
After a quick communal breakfast at the B&B, we drove south along the Huon Trail down to the Tahune Airwalk, a cantilever steel walkway 45 meters high, above the tree line. As we headed into the rainforest to hike up to the airwalk, it started raining and HAILING. Fortunately, we’d had the foresight to purchase cheap plastic bag ponchos, but it was rather humorous to be hiking in such inclement weather conditions. One advantage of the on again, off again rain was our sighting of a spectacular rainbow over the river that cut through the forest. Some fellow hikers recommended the swinging bridges hike, so after the airwalk, we headed along the trails onto the swinging bridges. The trek was well worth it. Cassie and I spaced ourselves across the lengthy span and double bounced each other on the bridge, then swung from side to side. It felt more like a trampoline than a reliable supportive structure. We left Tahune in time to return to Hobart for our “Wild Thing” jet boat adventure, which was a tour along the southern coastline of Australia at 100km/hr. Unfortunately the tour was cancelled due to the rain and strong winds. We were disappointed but already wet and exhausted.
Another girl we work with, Alex, took a five week leave of absence from work to help her boyfriend Hughie on his tulip farm in Tasmania. We were planning to meet up with them and seven of Alex’s girlfriends at the airport late Friday night, then drive out to the farm all together. However, Alex’s invitation to come to the farm house early was extra appealing with the bad weather and cancelled boat cruise. The farm house was a little more than an hour’s drive into rural Tasmania from Hobart. We drove up to a massive brick farmhouse with a circular driveway. We had a warm welcome and a tour of the mansion. The house was built 70 years before and had been passed through the family. There were heaps of bedrooms, many of which were formerly the maid’s quarters. With twelve of us in the house for the weekend, we still each had our own bed with an electric blanket, a great novelty in a cold farmhouse! Following a dinner of spaghetti bolgnese (that’s what they call meat sauce in Australia), Cassie insisted we make self-saucing chocolate pudding, a big farm tradition. It was a fudgy chocolate cake with chocolate sauce, topped with cream. Yum. The girls arrived at the farm around midnight, and after selecting bedrooms, we turned in relatively early.
Another girl we work with, Alex, took a five week leave of absence from work to help her boyfriend Hughie on his tulip farm in Tasmania. We were planning to meet up with them and seven of Alex’s girlfriends at the airport late Friday night, then drive out to the farm all together. However, Alex’s invitation to come to the farm house early was extra appealing with the bad weather and cancelled boat cruise. The farm house was a little more than an hour’s drive into rural Tasmania from Hobart. We drove up to a massive brick farmhouse with a circular driveway. We had a warm welcome and a tour of the mansion. The house was built 70 years before and had been passed through the family. There were heaps of bedrooms, many of which were formerly the maid’s quarters. With twelve of us in the house for the weekend, we still each had our own bed with an electric blanket, a great novelty in a cold farmhouse! Following a dinner of spaghetti bolgnese (that’s what they call meat sauce in Australia), Cassie insisted we make self-saucing chocolate pudding, a big farm tradition. It was a fudgy chocolate cake with chocolate sauce, topped with cream. Yum. The girls arrived at the farm around midnight, and after selecting bedrooms, we turned in relatively early.
