Thursday, March 31, 2016

Palos Verdes Peninsula Walk in Southern California

Tasmania, Australia video, 2016 trip

Enjoy my photos of Tasmania, Australia. First I trekked the Overland Track, then bicycled the East Coast and inland to Launceston. My final thrill was hiking the newly opened Three Capes Track on the very southern tip. The people were so friendly, the country beautiful and the food good. I couldn't have asked for a better trip!

Tasmania, Australia Sketchbook 2014

Enjoy my sketches of my recent six-week trip to Tasmania, Australia. I landed in Hobart, took a bus to Launceston, then on to Cradle Mountain the next day to start the Overland Track. It is a 50 mile wilderness trek. Carrying all my food, cookware, stove with fuel, sleeping bag, double wall tent, wet weather gear,  because it can pour rain for days on end. There are no roads, but there are huts where one can cook, eat inside and possibly sleep if there is enough room. On a permit system 50 people are admitted daily, but the huts sleep 8 to 20 people. Oh, and about toilets. These are "long drop toilets", where wastes drops into canisters and become compost. Every year the canisters are flown out to a sewage treatment plant. But Bring Your Own TP!

In Hobart, the capital I enjoyed their free historical museum.



The first day was the hardest, 6 miles in 6 hours. Up hill. With a full pack of about 40 pounds. But a beautiful blue sky. Saw my first wombat.


At once a community forms, with people getting to know each other, exchanging names, where they were from, how many days the planned to be on the trail. It was so social and fun.