Tasmania 2016, Day 1

It’s been a long day. We woke before 6:00 am and decided we might as well get moving. Majella cooked what was left in the refrigerator and would not last for breakfast and we completed our last minute packing. Russel and Norma arrived at 7:30 am, transferred luggage, and parked their car. We picked up Michael and Maria from Dingles and Warwick and Colleen collected Jim and Fay on their way out of town.

Our plan was to meet at the airport. Warwick called as we arrived there and we agreed to meet where we were parking at Wagners. I dropped my passengers and then headed for the rendezvous but managed to miss my turn and went the long way round, across the river and back. I did eventually get there. Warwick called a taxi, we parked up the car, and headed back to the airport where the rest of crew were enjoying coffee.

Our flights with Virgin departed on time and arrived a little early in Melbourne and then Hobart. The rental van pickup went as directed – fetch the key from a coded box and find the van in the parking lot – and we were packed up and off to town.

We found our accommodation at St Ives Hotel in Battery Point without difficulty and checked in to two 2 bedroom apartments and a double room. St Ives is close to town and in the historic area of Battery Point. As an added bonus we have a great view from our apartment balcony.

By then it was late enough for dinner so we immediately headed off to walk to Mure’s Lower Deck at Constitution Dock for a seafood dinner. The food was varied – oysters, salmon, fisherman’s basket, or plain old fish and chips – and good and we washed it down with a variety of liquids – cider and stout in our case, white wine, red wine, beer, and ginger beer in others.

Soon after the sun set at around 8:30 pm we headed back up the hill in twilight where we reviewed plans for the next day and then headed for bed. Tomorrow will be a more active day.