It had been over an hour of driving in the dark along winding back roads when we neared our accommodation for the weekend. This was the kind of road that required your high beams be on to be able to see the next turn, and we could only hope that a wallaby or a wombat wouldn't be on the road around the next bend. Entering the gates of the rural Tasmanian hobby farm, we did not know what to expect. Would these first-time Airbnb hosts be crazy? Maybe they're mad scientists planning to perform their next experiments on us. Or, worse yet, maybe they won't like my jokes. The wind howled as we parked the rental car in front of the house, adding drama to a potentially traumatic situation. As we got out of the car, a shadowy figure opened the front door. Shouting over the wind, she eliminated all of my fears with a simple question: "Do you guys want nachos for dinner?" I knew we were in good hands - evil and nachos simply don't coexist.
Linnea and I recently bought cheap flights to Launceston, Tasmania. And before I go any further, I need to clarify for any readers out there whose Australia geography isn't great: Tasmania is a state in Australia. It's an island south of the mainland, just an hour flight from Melbourne. For whatever reason, the name 'Tasmania' seems to invoke images of a foreign, exotic land. This image is incorrect. Tasmania is neither foreign nor exotic to a mainland Aussie. This isn't to say that it's not wonderful because it is - it's covered in picturesque valleys, lovely coastline and beaches, and mountains worth climbing. Arguably the most famous of these mountains worth climbing is Cradle Mountain, which was our main destination for this trip.
As I alluded to earlier, being the first guests in an Airbnb is a risky maneuver. You don't necessarily know what you're getting yourself into without seeing the reviews of fellow travelers. In this case, the risk paid off. Our hosts were former cafe owners who miss working in hospitality, meaning they focused their hospitality energy on us for the weekend. Not only were we greeted with nachos, but we were given a breakfast menu each evening upon which we indicated what we wanted the next morning and when we wanted it. Waking up to breakfast cooked to order (on different days, I had egg and bacon parcels, smashed avo, and a farmer's breakfast) and barista-made coffee each morning was as spectacular as it sounds, and it was made even better by the affection of the hosts' five long-haired chihuahuas.
A week before we planned to visit Cradle Mountain, several feet of snow fell in the national park, which can happen just about any time of year. There was enough snow that visitors weren't allowed because the driving conditions were too dangerous. This was worrisome because we had just a few days in town, so bad weather could easily spoil our plans. Lucky for us, the few days after the snowstorm were snow-free with temperatures high enough to make the roads safe for driving. And lucky for me, because I hadn't seen snow in well over a year, there was still snow on the hiking trails. 18 months without snow is a long time for born-and-raised Minnesotan! I got my fair share of snow, a couple of times breaking through the crunchy top layer to find myself submerged up to my waist. Using the forecast as our guide, our first full day in the area was the day we went to Cradle Mountain. It was the right choice - most days at Cradle Mountain are foggy and rainy, but we were treated with a couple of hours of sunshine as we hiked around Dove Lake, throwing snowballs and enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way. The peak wasn't accessible due to snow and ice, so we had to settle for views of the peak instead of from the peak - I hope to make it back someday when the summit is safely reachable.
With the main destination of the trip behind us, we enjoyed a few of the area's lesser-known attractions over the next couple of days. One day was spent driving along Tassie's northern coast and indulging in vices, including a chocolate factory, a brewery, and pizza. The next day was spent hiking to the top of Mount Roland to work off those vices. Before we knew it we had to say goodbye to our gracious hosts, 5 chihuahuas that I hadn't expected to like so much, and Elmo the miniature horse. We also had to say goodbye to Tasmania, whose loveliness is a bit of an open secret among those who have been. I'm happy to be in on the secret and already have plans to go back with my sister and cousin in December.
