We awoke to a raining morning and just thanked Mother Nature for the perfect previous day for our day on Macquarie Harbour. We packed up and did an unusual 8:30 departure as we wanted to do into the village to get fresh bread and then some shopping prior to leaving Strahan. In Banjo's Bakery and they just happened to have tastings of hot cross buns and we had sworn allegiance to the Easter bunny and said we would not buy any until Easter. Oh my goodness these were good so we just had to, it must have been Easter one year in early March so we will just go back in time. So up to IGA for some shopping then headed the 50 kms to Queenstown. Stopped for coffee and then petrol...hmmmm this was a problem as the service station was shut but it did have a 24 hr service. Had to put our card in the wall punch in how much we wanted then the pumps worked. Three lots of tourists standing around trying to work the system, eventually we got some petrol and were off on our way to Tarraleah Lunch time ended up being at Lake St Clair where we had a truly awful lunch at the cafe, not often we do this but decided to for a change and were very sorry. The awfulness of the afternoon was deleted by the beautifulness of The Wall which we have seen three times before. An artist has sculpted a creative history of Tasmania of huge panels of Huon Pine,
so fantastically realistic and beautiful about 50 metres in length. Unfortunately cannot take photos but they are etched on our brains, truly memorable.

After leaving Derwent Bridge headed for Tarraleah a Hydro village from the 30's that has been restored to its original condition to house tourists quite lovely and the history interesting. Our cabin was not quite with it as a container type accommodation with an extremely uncomfortable bed on my part. Dinner we decided was some pork mince - the chef asked how I wanted it, as rissoles or a saucy thing. My answer was I really hate rissoles and would like it as a saucy mince, meaning like spag bol. After half an hour I asked what are you doing?....making rissoles he says isn't that what you wanted. And he wonders why I say his hearing is getting worse or never listens to his wife, lucky he is so loveable. Someone else had a great night's sleep, me ...I am sore on my shoulders and hips and not many hours in the land of slumber on a board like mattress also with a fridge that made abominable noises throughout the night. Lovely surroundings but errchhhh not at all happy with that
accommodation, thank goodness only one night. No internet or phone reception cept they said if you stand near the church. Needed to get a message to allay any fears of our abduction and so stood near the church around the church and way past the church....no go. Wally suggested just put the message in and let it go if it does and low and behold it eventually did and we were nowhere near the church but no other access available. Heading to Strathgordon for the next three nights and definitely no internet or phones so if you hear news reports of us missing do not panic till at least Thursday when we arrive in civilisation. Xxx