Some snow

It rained most of last night and at times VERY heavy – the noise was loud, and we could hear constant dripping – not sure where that was! Gran was concerned that we might get stuck in mud – but that wasn’t a problem.
After breakfast, ablutions and packing up the van we were off heading for North Norfolk. This would be our longest drive of the trip.
First, we got a coffee down by the wharf and it was pretty good – we’ve learned to indicate to the barista how much water to put in the small cup.
The first part of the drive was essentially going backwards for a bit – the route to Queenstown - and it was only 40km and that took us over an hour – the road surface was great, but winding up and up and up, tight corners and bends. We might have stopped in Queenstown to see the huge mine hole, but it was off the road and it was 4 degrees outside!!!
Then the road became more downhill and some straight periods – near Dermont Bridge (town) we saw fresh snow on some high peaks. We stopped at Dermont Bridge pub – we could have free camped there over night and were pleased that we had decided not to. The pub was constructed out of huge timber beams – it reminded us of a similar restaurant we ate at in the Yosemite in California. We arrived just before the crowd – they had a huge fire going and as people arrived for lunch they would stand and warm up in from of it. Lots of camper vans and motor bikers – all on the road like us.
From here the road got easier to drive and began reducing elevation. We went through an area of hydro generation – some areas of lakes dammed, constructed of rock and metal walls and huge pipes running down hills.
And suddenly the green started to turn to drought brown and we were back in the drought-stricken Hobart area. We made our way to North Norfolk, got a coffee just before the café closed at 4 and found our motor camp. This camp is huge, not flash, but it will do for us on our last night (it will be cold). The camp is full and there has to be over 100 vans, trailers, trucks – all sorts.
Tomorrow we will pick up the car, return the van and drive to the Huon Valley.
(Robyn) I have been invited to say a few things regarding how I have found our vanning time. To start with the thought of it really didn’t excite me at all and the word excite still isn’t there about it but parts of it I have really enjoyed and yes, I could do it again. I don’t think our having Covid in such confined space added to our tolerance or enjoyment. Luckily, we have had a light dose each. God knows what it would have been like if we’d been really incapacitated. Knew we weren’t too bad as we were tolerating coffee each day. Trev has done an amazing job driving and emptying the loo cannister. He only has one more of that to do. Also, as from tomorrow he can have his own space and I can have mine. Next part of the trip awaits.
(Trevor) I am pleased that we did this – Tasmania is suited for this form of tourist travel, of that I have no doubt - we saw motor homes everywhere we stopped – the Coles Bay Park had the full sign up as did Strahan last night – this park is too, but we think there are some permanents here. Campers at Bay of Fires, in the carpark at the Platypuses. I have never driven a small truck for more than a few minutes, so learning how it handled, its width took a few days – and on most roads the edge was 12 inches from the inside tyre and the centreline the same – we always pulled over when we had traffic behind us and got a few toots.
There were new routines to learn – the van, campsite, learning to move around inside and where you had put anything. I particularly love learning or trying new things or solving problems.
I think we got on pretty well, seeing that we were very confined – still talking!
Would I do it again? – not sure, not in NZ – we have seen most of the country and doing it in a van doesn’t add anything. If we were avid mountain bikers, I can see that would work.もっと詳しく