Hobart City at a glance.

Before I came here, I have tried to find as much information as I can about Hobart city. Partly because I was actually planning to come here to study as well together with Mark. Apart knowing that the whole place was built on a hilly surrounding, as it is very secluded from the mainland, I really have no idea what Hobart has to offer.

All I think about is that -- Hobart must be a very backward "town"

Laid back it might be, but Hobart is certainly not left behind in many things.

After being here for just one day, I have already fell deeply in love with this place. Of course, my love for Melbourne will not be moved, but Hobart itself has so much to offer as well.

It is hard to describe in one phrase why I change my view about Hobart.

Perhaps it is the picturasque setting of the city, whereby the hills that overlook the beautiful Derwent River as well as the majestic Tasman Bridge.

Or perhaps it might be the old buildings that is still preserved nicely as ever, dotting around the city. It could just as well the locals that called themselves Tassie, being so friendly that moved me greatly.

But all in all, Hobart has take my heart away.

Never in my life I would imagine to be able to be apart of a beautiful place like this, abeit just for one week.

And for now, I will not have to imagine the happiness felt when waking up to the great river view everyday, because I am in one now. Haha...

At Mount Wellington, Highest Point in South Hobart

From Utas, it didn't take too long for us to reach Mount Wellington - Just approximately 30 minutes from Sandy Bay Road.

It is an uphill climb all the way to the Pinnacle Point - The highest point in Mt. Wellington.

Fortunately Mark has forwarned me to bring more clothes here, because true enough, this place is freezingly cold! It has been long time since I experience cold temperature like this, easily less than 3 degree celcius me think. Even a brief moment sticking my fingers outside to take picture, caused the numbness.

Apparently during the old days, snow can built up very high even before the cold mid winter time. But these days, there aren't really thick snow around anymore. Since it is still early winter, there are just some frost building up on the stone and along the wooden pathway.

The original purpsoe of building the road up here, was for Telstra communication tower. But now this place has been one of the well known Hobart tourist spot.

The metro city bus has regular service coming up here, from the city. So, it is not really too isolately from town.

Evening view here, is really breath taking. We managed to stay till sometime before sunset and took these nice pictures.

Few days later, we came here again and found this place dotted with so much snow around. I was wanting so much to play snow ball fight there. However, the wind on that day was so so so strong, so much so the rubbish in our cars was blown away just after we open the car door.

First home cooked lunch!

Just got back from the local market. Kih kih kih, wanna guess what's for our lunch today???

Guess what is Mark unwrapping there?


Grr~


SNAP! It looks like a fish!

Yes it is, just barely arriving here for one day, Mark already bought one big fat 3.7kg Atlantic Salmon for me to eat. Though it's name Atlantic Salmon, it is really being grown here at Tasmania. Price wise, not so cheap. We paid like AUD$50 or so for it.

Poor fish!!! It died tragically and yet got cut dreadfully into many pieces with a blunt knife. SNIFF!!

You will be surprise to find quite a number of good "Fast Food" sushi joint around here, mainly because they get to serve the very fresh salmon and tuna sushi of course.

And we got ourselves these sauces for our own sashimi session

I was very much wanting to enlarge this pic for you to tell our reader how tasty the sashimi is, but I think twice and rather not. It is quite gruesome since we are not very good at cutting the pieces, so things look rather slimy...

Ah... what a weird fusion, Salmon sashimi, Pasta with basil pesto.

There is a reason why Utas fee is so cheap

I mean, look at this place, everything is so organized here. Great scenery, good education, old prestigeous school. Why would a great place like this charge a fee so cheap???

But of course -- The hilly surrounding.

If you think studying around Cameron Highlands is bad, then this whole place is much much worst. To walk from one building to another, there is just too much slope and stair case to tackle.

Apparently one asian student was trying to convinced his father to get him a car without success. Thus for one semester, he decided to invite his parent over for a holiday, and join him for class on one of the day. Next thing is that, the father agrees with the whole idea of getting car with no second thoughts.

There is just too much hills around here to my liking. Then again, if you have a car it would be much better. I am having an impression that break pad business here must be soaring like nothing. Most of the time, the slope around will be of more than 30 degree inclination. I just cannot imagine myself having to walk up these hills on an exceptionally cold day.

Perhaps at then I shall be cursing wondering why on earth I choose to live like this? I wouldn't know. But for now, I kinda like this whole hilly set up with no commitment to it.

Arriving at Tasmania

My heart beats faster, as the plane decended to Hobart city. It is just 4.30pm but the sky seemed as dark as 7.30pm in KL city. I can see from the window that it has been raining.

"Hmmm... it must be cold outside now" I struddered.

But I am very excited to be here, and I know Mark will be waiting out there somewhere for me.

I miss him... its been 3 months I've not seen him. I cannot help but wonder if he has been well. Somehow I know he will be, because he is always the fighter.

From Melbourne Tullamarine, I bid my brother farewell and got onto Jetstar, took a 1 hour flight to Hobart airport. It feels just like how it is for us Malaysian to take the Airasia. At it best, the air hostess was trying to offer us portable video/audio entertainment device as an inflight entertainment, with a small fee. I actually thought it was not a bad idea.

Ah... as I approached arrival hall, I searched high and low for the bus driver that Mark promised will bring me to the place where he stay. And then I spotted this familiar figure sitting at one site of the corner.

It is Mark! I quickly smiled and walked to him. He squeezed one cheeky face as he realised I came. We had a quick peck with our lips together and got my bags.

Hmmm... he seemed alright. I thought myself.

And so, we begin to our journey back to the Utas hostel here. Yawn...