Happy New Year

One word for Tasmania- cold. Actually two words- cold and pretty. I can’t remember any other New Years Eve afternoon, in Australia, where we have gone ‘up the mountain’ to see snow. The snow on Mt Hartz had actually melted by the time we arrived, but never fear,

Lookout on the way up Mt Hartz

it was to snow again..... and again. We took a bushwalk to see the waterfall, very pretty- just a pity we weren’t wearing more clothes. We should have been here last week- apparently that is when Tasmania had its ‘week of summer’.
The cold didn’t stop us from attending the ‘Hawaiian night’

Hawaiian night, NYE at the Kermandie Pub

at the local Kermandie Pub to celebrate the final day of 2008....... although we did have ‘thermals’ on under our Hawaiian shirts. A few dances with the locals and it was back to Kel & Dean’s to countdown the new year. Sparklers lit, Kel, Dean, Kel’s parents Sue & Geoff and Dave and I, cheered in 2009 watching the Sydney fireworks on tele.
Next morn we awoke to 2009 and rain. However, we have learnt that you ignore the rain. It will pour for 10 minutes, then become bright and sunny.... then rain again...... then sun...... you get the picture.
Tasmania is filled with natural beauty and nearby Kel & Dean’s is some of the most picturesque. Dave and I ventured down to Hastings Cave’s. It is 9 degrees inside the cave all year round, so we we rugged up... but it was warmer inside the cave than out.

Photos from inside Hastings Caves

The caves are the most spectacular we have seen (having done Jenolan, Wombeyan, Wellington, Capricorn and certainly worth the visit.)
Port Huon, where ‘Kel & Dean’ live is approx 50 minutes south of Hobart. They live on 9 acres, so of course have some chooks amongst other animals nearby. Venturing for a walk down to the river with Dave, I had visions of showing him the local platypus. Instead, we were greeted by the overly friendly local goats. ‘Them goats’ have a funny look in their eyes, and I admit I was a tad scared of them. I kept calling for Dave to save me, as the goats ran over for a pat. Dave laughed, but later managed to have his own animal encounter- checking the hen house for eggs, he collected one egg and one bumble bee- firmly trapped in his hair (see he really should cut it........)
However, the best feature of this area is ‘Dean’s Campie’. What Dean can’t cook in a camp oven isn’t worth eating. Nothing beats a dinner of camp oven pork,

Roast pork in the campie

vegies and best ever crackling. Tonight we are having a BBQ, but Dean is whipping us up a Sheila’s Pudding in the campie for dessert (an apricot and peach sponge pudding). A light dinner really, after all we have all been to Salamanca Markets, Taste of Tasmania (huge food & wine festival) and the Cascade Brewery today

Cascade Brewery

(we sampled every beer). What better souvenir of Tasmania than Huon Pine, so today at the markets I bought myself a little cat made from Huon Pine.... well I can’t have a real one.
We plan to venture back to Mt Hartz and take a walk around the lake, and a few more must do’s before we leave the Huon area and enjoy the rest of Tasmania (we hear it is to warm up some more too!)