Jan 27: The Perfect Day

Groggy and still half asleep, I left the ferry unsure of which direction to head. I had booked 9 days to explore Tasmania, but consistent with my adventure to date, I had no plan whatsoever.

I decided to turn right our of Devonport, aiming for Cradle Mountain. Cradle Mountain is saddle shaped, and ends up on all kinds of Tasmanian postcards. I have been hiking in several parts of the world... and to date this is EASILY my favorite. You scramble up boulders, heaving yourself up the hill. This is the first day of a 6 day bushwalk called the overland track - which is commonly regarded as a world class hike.

And as a special bonus, when I finished my hike, there was a "wombat walk" going on where I got a chance to learn more about the wombat. Did you know a wombat has a top speed of 40km an hour (humans top out around 35), and is the only marsupial with a pouch that faces downwards so that it doesn't fill up with dirt while they dig?

I ended my day parked at the side of a placid lake in the mountains. As I stood silently, listening to the sound of the fish jump, a little wallaby snuck up beside me to have a drink at the edge of the water. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.