Tasmania Part 7: Our Last Day in Tassie

I tried to capture another photo of the beautiful full moon last night from our apartment....

We were very fortunate to have selected yesterday for our flight to the Southwest National Park.  Today's weather was rainy, windy, and generally unsuitable for most outdoor activities, especially flying in a small aircraft!
The girls and I opted to drive up to Mt. Field National Park.  Our pilot told us it was a beautiful area, and recommended the hike to Russell Falls.
The drive up was absolutely beautiful.  I wondered to myself if this must be what Ireland looks like.  High rolling hills, vineyards and other fruit orchards scattered over the hillsides.  For much of the drive we paralleled the Gordon River.

 

This is a wide, fast-moving river.  

Because of the rain we opted to drive up the sketchy gravel road to see what we could see.  We came very close to the top of the mountain when I decided that I was getting REALLY uncomfortable with the road conditions, which were (unbelievably) getting steadily worse.  I was driving on gravel-studded mud on a road that was essentially 1.5 car-widths.  I did meet a car a few times and it was hair-raising.  I'm not a chicken driver, but this pushed my limits.  When the rain started to get harder I decided I had gone far enough.  Also:  there was a sign at the bottom of the road that said it was unadvisable to be up on the mountain after 3 pm.  It was after 2.  Enough is enough.

Here was our "road".

A view from an opening in the foliage.  The road went up through huge trees.

I was very sorry the weather was as such that we didn't really want to hike because I think the

area has some very tall trees and interesting falls.  

Since I was the driver I was unable to take many photos.  

We returned to Hobart and dropped my youngest daughter off at MONA.  My other daughter wanted to go into town and pick up a few items to bring back to the States, so I took her.  We returned to the apartment and I began packing my clothes and doing a bit of laundry.  Since Tim is staying on for at least another week I can't really clean everything up.  

Our departure time in the morning is horribly early:  we need to leave the apartment at 4:30 as we have a 6:20 flight.  The three of us are on the same flight into Sydney, and then my youngest daughter is on a different flight from us remaining two.  She goes to Dallas and we go through Los Angeles.  The two of us part ways in LA:  she to Austin and I will fly on to San Antonio.  Tomorrow is "groundhog day" for us because we repeat Saturday twice.  I leave at 6:30 am and arrive into San Antonio at 2:30 pm the same day.  It is very confusing!  We get that departure day back on this leg of the trip!

Thanks for coming along with me on this amazing experience. I do hope I have the opportunity to return later this year.  There is a good chance it could happen since Tim's exhibition will be up for a number of months.  It would be very interesting to return during  a different season.  Being here, seeing so much art and jaw-dropping natural beauty has given me a great deal to think about.  Stay tuned for how that might influence my work!  xo L