Sounds like a deal from Del Boy...
04.02.2006 - 04.02.2006
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Backpacking 2006
on jefranklin's travel map.
Today started off with a lie in until about 10:00, which was sorely needed. After facing the communal showers, we wandered into town to sort out breakfast. We still haven't got the idea of this backpacker lark yet and so spent $20 or so on a couple of foccacias and some coffee. Fortunately, the foccacias were too big, so we left them for later.
We returned to our car, and set off on the first trip of the day: the Tamar Valley island wetlands. This gave us the opportunity to checkout the variety of wildlife there, ranging from common ducks and swans, to a couple of hawks and herons. We were hoping to see the odd copper snake sunning themselves on the boardwalk, but alas it was not meant to be. This walk lasted a couple of hours, which we did at the height of the midday sun (mad dogs and all that...), but a liberal application of sunscreen and bug juice kept the worst that Nature could throw at us away.
After the walk, it was off for another drive to Batman's bridge (yes, it's real name) where we stopped to finish our dodgy foccacias and another brief walk. The final activities for the day was a spot of wine tasting at a couple of vineyards. The first (Stoney Rise) was sole trader operated, which always makes me feel bad because:
I feel guilty taking too big a swig from the glass
I feel the urge to buy a couple of cases, so I don't think that they think we're wasting their time (if that makes sense).
Nevertheless, the guy who ran it produced a really nice Rosé, which we bought a bottle of. The second vineyard was Bay of Fires was a more commercial operation, which I had no qualms about relieving them of their stock. Unfortunately, I was designated driver (as always , so was forced to spit, I made sure I spat plenty though. Heather had no such problems, and even went in for a second glass of their vintage Champagne equivalent, I think the lack of spitting may have added a little Dutch courage!
As the day ended we tootled back to Launceston (at 120 kph to our dodgy room in the dodgy backpacker hostel we are staying at, stopping off on the way for some dodgy pizza.
Wonder if that's going to be the common theme for this expedition?
Posted by jefranklin 16:00 Archived in Australia