I decided to take a day off cycling to see Maria Island by boat. Maria Island is the oldest penal settlement in Tasmania and it’s also famous among geologists internationally. Plus it’s surrounded by hundreds of dolphins surging through and jumping out of the water! At least it was today for the lucky folks who joined Skipper Steve on the East Coast Cruises tour of the island.
Continue reading “Dolphins sighted at Maria Island!”
Day 4 of my Tasmania Cycle Tour – Coles Bay to Triabunna
89km, 800m elevation
I really wanted to catch a boat across the narrow channel of water that splits the Freycinet peninsula from a place called Nine Mile Beach — who wouldn’t want to visit a place with a name like that! I stopped off at Kent’s house and inquired about catching a ride. He used to take cyclists across but it turns out that he sold his boat a few years ago. That’s too bad. Fortunately, Sil is driving, so we just put the bike in the car and she drove me up to the Coles Bay junction so that I wouldn’t have to repeat that section of road.
Continue reading “Lavender Ice Cream and Sauvignon Blanc (Day 4 of Cycling Tasmania)”
Bicheno to Freycinet National Park
51km, 330m elevation
My first two days of cycling in Tasmania were hot and sunny. The sun is particularly intense this far south. When I woke up today, though, it was drizzling so I lazed around and got a leisurely start to the day. It’s actually nice to have some cooler weather and a bit of cloud for a change. As I heading south of Bicheno, I passed by lots of farmland and sheep pasture. It’s quite dry but also scenic and enjoyable riding.
Continue reading “Cycling Tasmania – Day 3”
St Marys to Bicheno
46km, 530m elevation
I started my second day of cycling around Tasmania with pancakes! Mount Elephant Pancakes is a locally famous country restaurant at the top of Elephant Pass that serves up piles of sweet and savoury crepes to hungry visitors every morning. I went with the “Banberry” option – bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries with a generous dollop of cream and ice cream! What a way to start the day. Oh, the restaurant is for sale – for just $1.4 million, you could be the proud owner.
Continue reading “Cycling Tasmania – Day 2”
St Helens Point to St Marys (via Elephant Pass)
79km, 1260m elevation
Before picking up my rental bike, Sil and I spent a night at the Scamander Beach Motel in northeast Tasmania. This was quite a change from the hipster places we’ve been staying at in Melbourne and Hobart. The motel looks like it hasn’t been updated since the 1960s and Sil described dinner as “shockingly appalling”. We both got quite a kick out of how bad it was.
Continue reading “Cycling Tasmania – Day 1”
My first cycle trip was nearly three years ago. I spent five days with a great group of friends cycling the stunning Icefield Parkway from Banff to Jasper. It wasn’t until a few months ago that I did my second cycle tour – two weeks in surprisingly diverse Sri Lanka. I loved exploring the culture and natural beauty of the country by bike and I got to meet some great people.
I’ve spent the last four weeks exploring Melbourne, getting to know it as an (admittedly, temporary) local. It’s a city with so much diversity that a few days just isn’t enough. Having friends show me around made all the difference – thanks Michael, Rob, and Jolanda! Soky and Anthony, who I met on the Sri Lanka trip, also gave lots of spot-on foodie recommendations.
While I loved my time in Melbourne, I’m really excited for my next adventure. I’ve just finished my first day cycling in the most different and wild of Australian states – Tasmania. This morning I picked up a rental bike from Manfred (who lives in the far northeast of the island) and started heading south with sweeping views of surf pounding into long white sandy beaches. I plan to complete a 1000+km loop around the island, visiting wineries and lavender farms in the east and cold, wet, wild forests and mountains in the west. This time I’m cycling solo but Sil is driving a rental car and carrying all my luggage. I know, it’s cheating. That just lets me cover more ground and see more of this almost mysterious place.
Let the adventure begin!
UPDATE – I’ve completed the Tasmanian Cycle Tour! One month and 1,500-km of cycling around Tasmania.
Melbourne is a city with a tremendous amount of variety and there’s even something for the cat lover looking for a fix. Cat Cafe Melbourne opened in 2014 with the aim of creating a calm and relaxing environment where people could come share some affection with their 14 resident cats. Cat cafés got their start in Taiwan and Japan and have been experiencing rapid growth in popularity over the last few years. Melbourne’s Cat Café is the first to open in Australia.
Continue reading “Melbourne’s Cat Cafe”
Three of my favourite things: food, travel, and cycling. I’ve always wanted to visit Melbourne and now that I’m here I’m exploring every neighbourhood, street, and restaurant that I can. Joining a cycle tour is a great way to get oriented and see what a city has to offer. Freddy from Freddy’s Bike Tours knows all the quiet backstreets and some great places to get a good meal. Plus he rents comfy cruiser bikes that are easy on the backside.
Continue reading “Exploring Melbourne with Freddy’s Bike Tours”
Eating Snow Around the World 