05.20.2004 - Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Yesterday I had a fabulous morning at Freycinet National Park, hiking up again to the Wineglass Bay overlook. With a crystal blue sky, the view was spectacular, and then I climbed considerably higher on rocks well above the trail, to get an even more breathtaking perspective on the bay. It’s certainly among the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. The crescent-shaped beach with its beautiful turquoise water reminded me of Culebra. The pink granite boulders and peaks, adjacent to the ocean, reminded me of Acadia National Park. The shape and rise of the huge rock mountains is something like Zion National Park. All in all, quite a combination.

I made my way to Hobart by mid afternoon, hoping to go through the Antarctic adventure there, but it was closed—it appeared permanently. Hobart is a nice little port city—more of a big town, really. I ate at Mure’s Fish House, which had been recommended to me by one of the people at the Freud Conference. The lower level, where I ate, is an order-at-the-counter operation, and they also sell fresh seafood, with a sign saying “Fish Monger.”

It gets dark here at this time of year between 4:30 and 5 PM. Other than the extreme south of New Zealand, southern Argentina and Chile, and some very small islands, this is as far south as one can get on land without going to Antarctica.

All in all, I think Tasmania is a great place. I’d like to return and see more of it.

On to New Zealand tomorrow.

RSM