Our second day of the tour started off wonderfully. Our first attraction was the Cradle Mountain, which was about an hour and a half's drive from the hotel. Upon arrival, we took the shuttle bus to Dove Lake, which was where the Cradle Mountain stood. Being listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Cradle Mountain is a beautiful place. Seeing Cradle Mountain for the first time is like stepping onto a whole new world, with its beauty so gratifying and remaining yet so mysterious.
We stopped by Sheffield, a small town known for their unique and artistic murals.
Our next destination was Cataract Gorge. Now, a little insight about Cataract Gorge. Cataract Gorge is the longest single spanning chairlift in the world, located just a 15-minute walk from the city centre. Apart from the chairlift, you will find walking trails, swimming pool, peacocks and many other aspects of the wildlife. Mum and I took the chairlift, and it was a wonderful experience in which I would recommend to everyone. If chairlifts aren't your thing, go for one of the walks and you will also get the opportunity to capture the magnificent views Cataract Gorge has to offer.
Now, by this time of the day, I thought, 'Wow, this day's been really good. Could it get any better?' The answer? Yes, yes it could.
Our next activity was a cruise down Tamar River. There's one thing about me, and that is that I absolutely love cruises. There's something about the water, the boats and the amazing views that just simply draws me in, and to this day, I have no idea why. The Tamar River cruise seemed timeless. Chances are, it probably only took about 45 mins at the most, but our skipper, Jeremy, had an impressive mount of knowledge about Launceston and the views, were just- well, I was simply in awe. The rock formations, the houses sitting on the hills, the water, the sunshine, the buildings and the boats both old and new -- it was enchanting. And I learned so much more about Australian history. By the end of the cruise, I felt like I had been washed over by a cascade of life, and it just felt so good.
And that was the end of the day. After settling down in our hotel room, Mum and I went down to the shops and after a long walk and familiaring ourselves with the town while looking for a place for dinner, we found a Turkish restaurant by luck, and was served by a really friendly lady, who was handling the store on her own, something which I found of admiration. We took a walk back to the hotel and had our dinner in peace in our hotel room, while having a movie on the telly. Speaking of our hotel room, here are a few photos of it:
I thought it was quite unique to have another room of beds within a room, and had never seen anything like it. If you're ever in Launceston, I would recommend this hotel (Best Western: Balmoral). The rooms are very comfortable and very roomy, and the facilities are great
Gosh, I sound like one of those brochures advertising tourism and how great a country it is. I sound like one of those travel shows with presenters that say 'so just sit back and relax' like they're living in paradise. But you know what? That's exactly how it is. Tasmania has been amazing so far, and truly a paradise. I'm loving it here. It's like.. I haven't had this good of a time in ages. And it's.. it's great.
No comments:
Post a Comment