Had a really nice last day in Launceston, and it's been really nice having a house to myself for a few days! Felt a teeny bit lonely after being with April, Simon and the doggies for a while and I also got completely paranoid about spiders and had to turn the lights on before I went in every room, just in case one scuttled out from a corner! After encountering that huntsman on the car the other day, I'm taking no chances!

Marcus and I went for a stroll around Penny Royal, which is just at the foot of the gorge too. It has a windmill which no longer works and you used to be able to see views of Launceston from the top but that was closed too. Bummer.
Then we went for a drive to the Seaport which is just by the harbour. Had some really nice chips there - mmmmm. Best chips I've had in Oz so far, especially seeing as the chips I've had so far have not been that great! Just had quite a nice relaxing time in Launceston and we had two days of gorgeous weather too! Did have to be careful in the sun though seeing as the hole over the ozone layer is over Tasmania! Got some interesting tan lines on my fingers from my many rings....

Got the bus ok to Hobart, though I'm glad I don't have to take anymore of them in Tasmania as the feeling of dread of getting on a bus came back. After taking all of those buses in New Zealand, I really wasn't keen on taking anymore! The trip to Hobart only took about 2.5 hours though, so I guess that wasn't too bad really.
However, the bus etiquette in Tasmania is very different to New Zealand. I had to check in my luggage and it got loaded for me, though no one told me that until I asked the driver of the bus! Then, I boarded the bus and was sitting by myself even though there were several other passengers that had got tickets....seemed a bit strange to me, but I thought that perhaps people just didn't want to get on the bus until the last moment. However, an announcement came over on the tannoy that said that people could now board the bus. Ooops. Didn't realise that I had to wait for an announcement - no one told me that either! Would have been helpful for them to say when I checked in my luggage. Couldn't remember seeing any notices up either, saying that you shouldn't board the bus until the announcement so how was I to know!
Some spoddy little teenagers were on the bus too, causing all sorts of havoc at the back. The bus driver had to talk to them twice on the bus for them to sit down at the back, otherwise they'd have to get off!

Nancy and Lyell (Simon's friends who I'm staying with in Hobart) picked me up ok at the supposed bus station in Hobart. It was just a bus stop as apparently they went to the bus station but it's being renovated and there were no signs to say where the bus dropped off or anything! However, after they asked a few taxi drivers and local people, they found out where the buses drop people off now. It was basically a street and I obviously had no idea where I was and I couldn't even see a payphone so I could call them if they weren't there! For a split second I had thought that I'd have to wander around Hobart city centre at 9:30pm, with my suitcase and all my other luggage, just to find a payphone! However, they did find me so thankfully I didn't have to have that stress!

Their B&B is still being built, so I'm a guest in their house, which is very nice. They also have wallabies and kangaroos hopping around outside as they live in Lenah Valley which is basically at the foot of Mount Wellington and so quite full of trees and bush. We saw quite a few macropods hopping around, which is really cool! I hope to see a few more before I leave here. It's all well and good seeing them in zoos and reserves and so on, but if you can see them right out in the wild, then that's even better!
They also have an aged cat called Purr-cat, who makes a lot of noise (like someone with a bad cold) as he has a tumour in his throat. Poor kitty! However, he seems quite happy still, so that's good. He also likes being stroked and made a fuss of, which is a nice change from Mr Bingley (April and Simon's cat) who I didn't really get on with as he didn't really like being stroked a lot.

Plan for tomorrow is to get up early-ish for Salamanca market which is quite a large tourist attraction now. It should be a nice day as well, so I'm just hoping that I don't buy too much! My luggage was 26.7 kilos when I got to the airport (and I had to pay extra for that seeing as I'm flying no-frills JetStar - first time I've had to pay for my overweight luggage!!) so I must get that reduced by at least 3 kilos. I don't know what else I can get rid of, apart from a jumper that April gave me that I'm sure I won't use after Tasmania. I might have to abandon a little pair of sandals as well or something, and then just have a look at the rest of my luggage. Sigh. Must do better at not hanging on to things!!