This weeks thoughts:

I went to Tasmania!!! This week is going to be a recap and review of what I did 😊. I was so surprised there's actually so much to do in Tasmania and everything we did was only in the North-East and South-East coast (sry that it's rly long read this week but that goes to show how much there was to do). Don't mind my picollaging skills btw.

Day 1:

Mona: As soon as we got to Hobart we went to Mona which is this really funky 🤪 art museum. Some of the art is kinda questionable but the architecture and furnishings of the building is so cool. They also have vineyards there and had signs that made my day... 9/10 because I just dunno how I feel about art galleries in general even though I did try to harness my ✨Pinterest girl✨ vibes.

Richmond: About half an hour away from Mona is this small town called Richmond. We stopped for icecream at a rly cute lolly shop and walked around all the antique stores (there were like 6 diff ones). 9/10 because it was kinda boring but ig that was just cos the whole place was relaxing 🙃.

Richmond Bridge: In Richmond there is also this old bridge which is Australia's oldest surviving large sandstone arch bridge (made in 1825) and is still in use!! 10/10 because it gave off such main character vibes.

Wicked Cheese: We stopped at this little dairy farm on the side of the highway and bought the best brie ever, it was so gooey and delicious. 7/10 because it was New Year's Day they weren't making cheese 😔.

Hobart dinner event: We went to the heart of Hobart to look for smth to eat and stumbled upon a council run event. There there was local small business food stalls and live music all along dock. 8/10 because small business is expensive but at least u feel good abt supporting good food.

Day 2:

Port Arthur: About 1.5 hour drive from Hobart is Port Arthur. It's this historic prison were the worst convicts would go (although some just stole rly petty things). The ruins r interesting to look at and there is this super dark room for isolation where they would 'punish the mind' 😨. 8/10 because it's defs worth seeing to learn abt the history of Australia but I just got bored. Although the food truck menu had 'Sausages in bread (with onion)' which made it better.

Unzoo: On the way back from Port Arthur was the Unzoo, it's like a zoo but they don't cage the animals in and it's all native animals. There were rly cute Tasmanian Devil sisters that were sleeping and other Australian animals. It was a little sus though because we had to keep going through gates which I would assume to not be necessary if there were no fences... 7/10 because the tickets were expensive and it looked like it had been heavily impacted by Covid economically but there were free talks.

Tasmanian chocolate foundry: Basically opposite the Unzoo was a chocolate foundry. There was so much chocolate... 7/10 because the chocolate was expensive and they weren't making chocolate when I was there 😔.

Eaglehawk neck: So at Eaglehawk neck there was a lookout (nice view of cliffs and ocean), blowhole (a hole in the rock where the water splashed up) and the devils arch (a big cliff archway that pics don't do justice). 9.5/10 because it was a nice pit stop and I didn't get bored (as it wasn't a main attraction and we didn't stay long).

Veering off, between here and Hobart there was this really hard rain that was super heavy that we thought was hail. Idk if that was just normal for Tasmania or what but yeah.

BBL: My bbl team is the Hobart Hurricanes so I had to go to a match there. It was so fun, the atmosphere is such a vibe and they gave us so much free stuff (tickets were $8 each). 10/10 because we won the match 🤩.

Day 3:

Ross Bakery: It was rly cold and rainy so we stopped at this little bakery that had a tea room where we had a pie, warm scones and tea. 10/10 because it was so cosy inside.

Cataract Gorge: Cataract Gorge is cut through the South Esk River and dates back millions of years. It is a significant place for the Tasmanian Aboriginal people and is enjoyed as a relaxation spot just outside Launceston. There is this an old bridge called Kings Bridge that was kinda scary to walk on (it moved) but defs not as scary as the chair lift. Idk how that chair lift is legal because I don't think it was very safe (you could easily get out) but it was an experience. 9.5/10 because even though I can get bored with scenic views, the chairlift and bridge kept it interesting.

Low Head Penguins: We went and saw fairy penguins!!! Omg they were so cute. They have such funny personalities and like waddle in a line. 10/10 because the tour was rly good and bearing the cold was so worth seeing the penguins 🐧!!

Day 4:

Hillwood Berry Farm: So because Tassie has so many farms we had to go fruit picking. We got a box and could just pick whatever we wanted!! Unfortunately, we could only pick raspberries because the rain was affecting the fruiting seasons but it was still great. 10/10 because not only were they such good raspberries but they were like half the price of raspberries at home!!

East Tamar Cherries: We stopped by to pick cherries but it was kinda expensive (like normal supermarket price) and u had to buy a kilo if u picked it by hand so we just bought some pre-picked ones. They were rly nice tho. 7/10 not rly an experience more just a stop by (good to eat in the car though as there was a lot of driving).

National Automobile Museum: There was an old car museum with lots of classic cars. 8/10 because it's kinda boring unless ur super into cars (like my dad) but they were pretty cool (and defs expensive) 🏎️.

Bridestowe Lavender Farm: The lavender farm is another big ticket place ppl visit in Tassie and u can see y. It's basically fields of pretty lavender and a nice cafe and gift shop (with everything lavender). 9/10 because it was rly nice and I got a teddy bear called Blossom but again I can get bored with attractions that you just walk around in.

Day 5:

Pyengana Dairy Farm: Pyengana Dairy Farm is one of the first farms in Australia (I think) to have fully automated milking. Basically the cows just turn up to the machine whenever they want (even at 3am) and milks it, gives it a massage and they just walk off. It makes such a chill environment for the cows (imagine producing 37 liters of milk per day and having to wait for a farmer to milk you, probs super uncomfortable). 9/10 even though it was interesting u just stand there and watch the cows and buy stuff from the cafe.

Saint Columba Falls: A short drive from the dairy farm was St Columba falls. There is a nice 15 minute walk through a main character rainforest to the lookout. The falls are 90 meters high and the amount of water that gushes down is incredible. 10/10 because it was a rly nice walk and view.

Bay of Fires: Ok, so the Bay of Fires like one of the most talked about tourist attractions in Tasmania so we had to visit it. It's a rock formation on the coast that are an orange colour because of the algae and fungus that live there. There's interesting Indigenous history and has such nice beaches. 8/10 because it is rly nice don't get me wrong, I just think it's a bit over-hyped (although we did go there on a cloudy day so it probs would look a lot nicer if it was sunny).

Day 6:

Wineglass Bay walk (and surrounding lookouts): Wineglass Bay is this gorgeous bay that (u guessed it) looks like a wineglass. U do around a 40 minute walk to the lookout and another 1.5 hours to the beach return (if u wanna take a look). 9/10 because not only was there a great view but the tired feeling you get after doing a walk is so rewarding. I am kinda unfit though so I did get tired rly quickly.

Day 7:

Salamanca market: Salamanca markets are held every Saturday in Hobart and has a variety of things from local businesses. 7/10 There was some good food and interesting stalls however a lot of the stuff u don't rly need or want and it was very crowded. Still support small businesses though.

Mount Wellington/ Kunanyi: Mt Wellington was super cold, like I can't imagine how cold it would be in winter. It's this mountain were you drive up to a lookout for an amazing view of Hobart. 8/10 because of the weather our view was blocked by foggy whisps (idk if we were high enough to be in the clouds) but I think it would have been really nice if the weather was better. Also you could climb on these rocks to (as some other tourists called it) 'a very small Eiffel Tower'.

Day 8:

I went home. Also, Hobart airport is so small that the international and domestic terminals r like combined and there's only like 6 gates and one level.

Overall:

It was really cool (literally top was like 17-22 degrees) and had so much to do (and that wasn't even the west coast). There was a lot of countryside driving which was chill (I was in charge of the music 🎵) but kinda boring. I never knew that they grew so much fruit there and that it's so cheap. I had the best strawberries of my life and they were $2 from the local Woolworths. Also Hobart is such a small capital city, like not even 5 mins from the airport there's road kill 💀. Defs will be visiting again and would recommend. 9.99/10 because it was cold (and I went in Summer) but it was so peaceful down there (I now understand y they say 'Tasmania - come down for air' 😌).

Side note of my life/ pop-culture news:

I died... you can take it as pop-culture news.First, Harry Styles, 1975, Wet Leg, Arctic Monkeys and Taylor Swift were nominated for Brit awards.Second, Gracie Abrams released a song and music video.Third, Florence Pugh has another vogue cover and did a cooking with flo vogue video.Forth, Taylor Swift decided to be a special guest at a 1975 concert (it was technically on the 13th in my time zone as well) and sung The City and Anti hero for the first time live (also apparently Harry Styles and Phoebe Bridges were there NOT confirmed though).

Hope you have a fresh week

C