Tasmania, Explore the Possibilities

Tasmania, Explore the Possibilities
16th-23rd April 2010

‘Explore the possibilities’ was the first sign that attracted my attention when I arrived at Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania. Truly a world apart not a world away, Tasmania, the only Australia’s island state, is offering special opportunities for everyone to be amazed by its world heritage national park, pristine white sandy beaches and unique landscape, dominated by ancient dolorite rocks that reflects its past connection to Antartica. Travelling solo for the first time ever, my journey to Tasmania was truly a life changing and inspiring one for me.

My first day of adventure began by exploring Hobart, surprisingly the second oldest city in Australia after Sydney. It is located in the south-east of the state at the foot of majestic Mount Wellington with River Derwent at its heart. The atmosphere of Hobart is both the embrace of vibrant modernity and historic charm. The rows of 19th-century sandstone buildings, colonial mansions and heritage homes in every corner were waiting to tell their unique stories to every street walker who cared enough to stop and wonder. Fresh Tasmanian oysters and grilled salmon steak accompanied by a glass of Tasmanian wine were on my list to hunt for lunch around Salamance Place, where the famous Salamanca market is happening every Saturday morning. In the afternoon, Bonorong Wildlife Center was my destination where I had an encounter with the real Tasmanian Devils, the largest carnivorous marsupials in Australia. Far from the craziness of Taz in Looney Tunes, the devils definitely do not spin. They are rather shy and nocturnal animals which are sadly at huge risk of extinction because of deadly facial cancer.

In discovering the rest of Tasmania, I joined the Under down Under backpacker tour where I met other adventurers from all around the world with so many stories to tell, so much fun to share and so much passion to explore. Our first destination was Port Arthur, the UNESCO world heritage listed preserved convict site and geographically the perfect prison with no chance to escape alive. Walking in the ruins and finding out the real stories of Port Arthur really uncovered the harshness of convict life which brought me to more appreciation of freedom, equal opportunity and safety. After my mind was fully inspired by the rich history of Port Arthur, my senses were brought to life on the journey along the east coast of Tasmania. The 1-hour hike over Freycinet National Park was paid off after looking at the effortless beauty of Wineglass Bay. With bare feet, I invited myself to walk in silence, felt the white sand between my toes and just completely be there. The splendid tranquility brought me to unexplainable peace and at that very moment, I truly lost my mind and found my soul.

My adventure in Tasmania was short in time but long enough to inspire me to be brave in exploring the possibilities in life. Dreams are there to lead us into a more fulfilling life and find our trueselves with time.

[500 words]