Míša in Wonderland: Introduction to Tasmania

INTRODUCTION TO TASMANIA

I am traveling so much that I don´t have time to write about - we all know that. Apart from my work - I go to school + I moderate speed dating nights + I do sport activities + meeting my friends + trips during the weekends etc. etc. Sometimes it is too much but I like my busy life. So, I decided that for some time I will stop writing about my little trips during the weekends and I will focus on my big holiday. For this year I already bought some flight tickets. I am going to Jordan and Morocco. I promised myself that I will travel outside of Europe. But today I would like to share with you another holiday which I spent in Australia especially Tasmania. And it was one of the best holiday in my life!

Why Australia?

Well. It was quite hard to decide where to go. We both want to visit Japan for instance. But we said it is going to be very expensive (and Australia isn´t? haha). Then we were talking about Galapagos Islands (also very expensive), South - East Asia, some places in Africa. We were discussing all this for days. Then my brother saw quite cheap air tickets just for 17 000 CZK from Munich to Melbourne. So we said ok, let´s go to Australia then.

Who I was travelling with?

My brother. I wanted to go for a 3 weeks holiday during Christmas period, somewhere outside of Europe and I was determined to go alone. Then I asked my brother if any chance he wants to go with me and he agreed. The happiest person was our mum because I didn´t have to travel just by myself.

What was our plan Australia?

We have relatives in Sydney from our mum´s side. But Australia is so huge and we couldn´t visit all places we wanted. And because our flight was to Melbourne we decided to spend some time there and then go to Tasmania. We will go to Sydney next time. And I am sure there will be next time because we both totally fall in love with Australia.

What was our first plan in Tasmania?

Overland Track. It is the most beautiful track in whole Australia. My brother suggested this idea and I liked it. If you wanna go there you need a permission. There are limited places for every day. Unfortunately when we bought our flight tickets, the permissions for Christmas period were all sold out. So, we had to change our plan.

What was our second plan in Tasmania?

Firstly join 8 day tour to see TOP of Tasmania. Also we didn´t have a car so it would be impossible for us to visit these places. Secondly make some of trips on our own - Devonport, Hobart, hiking around Hobart and with waterfalls and Truganini Track.

What Tasmania means to me?

- beautiful nature, trees

- primeval forests, mountains, lakes, waterfalls

- wild animals, you can meet animals everywhere - parking place, by the road...

- new friendships

- emty white sandy beaches

- hiking

- Tasmanian devil

- poor transportation - some buses go only 2 times per week - yes, during the season

- no people

- black chapter of history - the biggest murders of Aboriginals happened here in Tasmania

- it can be cold during the summer (22 degree during their summer - from December to February)

- Overland Track

- Salamanca Market - the most famous Market in Australia, I still can´t stop thinking about Ginger bread I bought there, so delicious

- Tasmania will always have its own place in my heart

Few things:

- they say the nature in Tasmania is as beautiful as in New Zeland with one difference. New Zeland is crowded with tourists

- about 500 000 inhabitants, half of them live in the capital city Hobart

- the island has an area like the Czech Republic (10 000 000 inhabitants)

- I recommend you to rent a car although it is very expensive

- it was cheaper to pay for the tour then if you travel by your own - rent a car, arrange accommodation etc.

- from Melbourne take a flight to Hobart, if you go to Devonport it´s much more expensive

- it was the most expensive holiday in my life so far but totally worth every cent

- poisonous snakes + spiders, if you say Australia, most of people will tell you that they would like to visit this place but they are too afraid of spiders + snakes. To be honest, I was the only one from our group (8 day tour) who met a snake and it was after the tour finished.

- there are not many people in the island so when the local boys so us - foreign girls they immediately wanted to get married

- generally there are not cangaroos in Tasmania but wallaby who are smaller

- Czech travellers are quite rare here

- most of young travellers are from Germany and France

- when I traveled with my brother, at first people always though that we are couple. Then they knew our surnames (Pesek + Peskova) so they thought that we are married. Then we told them that we are siblings and look alike! omg. (we actually probably don´t but we did when we were kids!) After that they always said: "It´s so cool, I wanna travel with my brother/sister too". Always the same scenario, haha.

- towns are really small and there is not much to see, but we were happy if we could stop by in a supermarket (the offer was always very limited but better than nothing)

- Tasmanian devils suffers from cancer - infectiousdisease, killed about 70% of them

Example of prices

- air tickets from Melbourne to Devonport - 6 000 CZK (it takes about one hour)

- 8 day tour: 17 000 CZK

- bus from Devonport to Hobart - 1 000 CZK

- rent a bike - 1 000 CZK per day

- dinner in Asian restaurant - about 250 CZK (always the cheapest place where to eat)

- simple spaghetti in a restaurant - 300 CZK
- hostel - 500 CZK per night (shared room with other people)

8 day tour
Here you can find information about our 8 DAY Tasmania Tour:

Ancient rainforests, pristine beaches, mountain hikes & spectacular landscapes. Travelling in small groups we visit Cradle Mountain, Russell Falls, the Bay of Fires, Wineglass Bay, Tasmanian Devil sanctuary, the village of Strahan, Bicheno and Port Arthur. The tour also includes a visit to Bruny Island - voted one of the 100 greatest trips in the world by Travel and Leisure magazine and Tasmania’s Best Tourism Attraction.

Source: https://lostinaustralia.org/tasmania-adventure-tours/8-day

Highlights

The beginning

Our plane from Melbourne to Devonport.