Taz - Update 3

What a fantastic country! I’ve spent the day driving around between historic Richmond , gorgeous countryside, and then vast expanses of water, spanned by low rise bridges, and the most fabulous beach I have even seen.

Richmond is a parody of itself, full of chintz tea rooms and sweet shops, model villages and a duck pond, but the ancient churches and the cemetery, the oldest in Australia , moving and atmospheric.

On through Sorrell and down to seven mile beach, which, so far, is the best beach I have ever seen!  Miles and miles of unbroken sand, enormous shells, backed by the bluest sea, gentle waves, surf waves in the bends, and pine forests and sand dunes as far as the eye can see. with the hills of the Derwent valley looming overhead.

This country is such a mystery-one minute its all English colonial buildings, and rolling hills/green pastures-even cows and sheep-farm  shops and fruit farms, and then there’s spectacular beaches, surf, and pine forests….even the beach changes-the pine forests gave way to sand dunes and what looked like a Christmas tree farm!

 

 

As I type, I am listening to a severe weather and fire warning for the weekend-not rain, but heat. I don’t understand the science, but the temp here goes up suddenly, its going to be nearly 40 degrees this weekend-from an average of 20-24 the last few days.

It’s typical of Tasmania -nothing is consistent, from the weather to the landscape.

 

SAT-yes, it’s SO hot!  

 

Its now 40 degrees, about midday , and the pavements are melting, as I am!

I have retreated back to the ‘flat’ for a restorative cuppa, post Salamanca market forage (brilliant fruit, loads of free tasters, had to go back again, like Lewes farmers market but massive) and now reckon I will have to take off up the mountain in search of cool air.

OMG I have just driven up a mountain!

No one told me the road went to the summit-it’s higher than Ben Nevis !

My ears popped, but the road twists and is so narrow once I’d started I couldn’t turn round…I have never been so scared in my life.

So that’s the most fantastic beach and now the most fantastic mountain I have ever been on/up/seen, and all in the space of 48 hours-this is such a weird country.

There is masses of open space, its so quiet compared to Sydney , but the scenery is marvellous, and the people very friendly-they love my English accent.

I’m too exhausted to risk getting in the car again today….my nerves are shredded, but it was worth it.

The heat is still phenomenal, about 35 at 6pm , I shall have to go to the nearby MacDonald’s for a restorative ice cream (and use their free wi-fi!)