09.02 Tas: Stanley - The Nut
Woke up to a another bright day and decided that we'd climb the nut - a short, steep walk or there is the chairlift if your feeling flush! Didn't stay up there too long due to the fly issue, but there were some amazing views! Managed to have a look around Stanley before trying to find somewhere to buy a new tyre! No luck in Smithton or Wynard, as everything is closed on a Saturday & Sunday in Tasmania - this definitely isn't the mainland!       Labels: big_trips, chair_lift, northwest, photos, stanley, tas_day_9, tasmania, the_nut
08.02 Tas: Marrawah Beach
08.02 Tas: Dismal Swamp
We visited Dismal Swamp, a giant blackwood sinkhole! After questioning the admission fee ($20 each!) and whether we should go in, we decided that we should because we hadn't been able to see/do something else on our journey! We walked in and were given the choice of how to reach the sinkhole, either by walking down or taking the 110m slide 40m down! Well, you know us, we wanted to take the slide, especially when we had 3 goes each! After we had put our hair nets on, and picked our (cycle) helmets we had to choose what type of sack/mat to use the 'slow' or 'fast'. So being the fearless souls we are, we both picked 'fast' ones! Once installed in the sack/mat feet first, we were told to hold onto the straps, keep the elbows in tight, and head slightly up! That really wasn't enough to prepare you for the 'bone shaker'! I was wearing my glasses on the way down and thought that I'd lose them, as I didn't realise that corners of the slide were corrugated (not sure why they couldn't have been smooth?!), hence it now been known as the 'bone shaker'! After we left the slide, slightly jarred, we headed around one of the boardwalks to view the installation art, before heading back to the top of the slide! This time Joanna & I picked the slower sack, as we thought that we might be able to enjoy the ride a little... hmm, the start was just the same as the fast one! The only difference was that you had to walk to the end of the slide, instead of sliding there! Joanna decreed that that was her last run, she was now suffering from whiplash to her head, neck & shoulders! Being one not woose out too often, I thought that I'd go for glory on my final run, with a return to the fast sack! Just before I set off, my glasses removed, the chap radioed the 'receiver' at the bottom of the slide with 'have a 14'! He turned to me and said 'you'll probably be quicker than that', meaning that it would take me less than 14 seconds to cover the 110 metres! He wasn't wrong, and I even hit the crash pad at the bottom! However, I still wasn't able to control my head through the turns due to the g-forces and I ended up in the cafe with a bit of a sore neck and a slight headache! It was soooo worth it though!!         Labels: big_trips, dismal_swamp, dismal_swamp_slide, joanna, nathan, northwest, photos, tas_day_8, tasmania
08.02 Tas: Cape Table Lighthouse
A final night in a proper bed was had before returning to the fold-down-flat rear of the Magna! The room in the Cradle Mountain YHA was a very good size, and had very thin walls - NOT that there was any of that business happening on either side! But why do semi-permanent buildings (it's a National Park so I guess there are some standards to adhere to) skimp on quality or soundproofing? If you like the build of a caravan then take one with you! They have a captive market regards visitors to the area, but I'm not quite sure it was worth the $80 a night! The best bit about it though was the common room/kitchen - a good place to meet fellow travellers & generally nice people, while enjoying the heat of the woodburner!! Anyway, the wildlife didn't disappoint around Cradle Mountain, in fact we had a moment with a wallaby! When driving in Australia you not only have to look ahead, but you must also do a 'sweep' covering each side of the road. As I was 'sweeping' I noticed that there was a fast approaching Wallaby coming from the left! So I shouted my usual 'SH*T!', with Joanna beside me going 'What? What?' - probably had her head in the map planning our route! The wallaby was going too fast to stop - I saw it try to slow down and then decide which way it would go round the car - one of those cartoon moments! I braked because I thought that he'd run across in front of us, but fortunately he tried to go behind us! I say 'tried' because all we heard was a bang at the back of the car as it struck! Be assured the wallaby was unharmed and continued bounding into the bush! From Cradle Mountain we headed north on our way to Stanley. We collected some supplies from Wynyard and then followed the signs to Cape Table Lighthouse & Lookout, with views back down the coast towards Devonport.    Labels: big_trips, lighthouse, northwest, photos, table_cape, tas_day_8, tasmania
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