More Tassie

On our way out of Hobart (I think this was the day I was driving - finally, bravely, and successfully on the left side of the road) we stopped at Russell Falls. As beautiful as I remember it from last time I was there.

If you've talked with me about Australian wildlife this year you know I've been on a mission to see wombats. We went to a wildlife park that had a couple, but as always before, all I saw was a bit of wombat butt cause they sleep in their logs or holes all day, which is when I'm looking ('crepuscular'...a good GRE word). This place was also a Tasmanian Devil breeding centre though, and we saw a few young ones (in the picture) and adults. Not the friendliest beasts, but at least when their mouths are closed they are pretty cute. The wild populations are at serious risk from disease, so captive breeding programs are important.

I remembered the climb up Cradle Mountain that I did last time I lived here as one of the best 'hikes' I'd ever done in my life.

And again, it was incredible. Hike is in quotes because at the top there are a few hours that are definitely not just walking. Not a place for anyone afraid of heights. Or for anyone with tendonitis - so it was a bit more painful than last time. But still I loved it. Clear days are rare there, and now I'm two for two on that and feel very fortunate.

Then to cap off the day, as we were driving out of the national park, the great wombat search came to an end. A mum and baby were munching grass by a stream near the road, and didn't seem to care at all that we were standing there. After a bit the baby went into their hole, and the mum crossed the stream toward us and got so close we could hear her chewing. Awesome.