We made sure that we were up and showered by 8am today, as we needed to get on the road sooner than we had the day before. We had some tea/coffee, then Nick drove us in his ute to Hobart so we could have breakfast and look at the Salamanca markets. We parked a little way off, and walked into the market precinct, choosing Barcelona as a place to have breakfast. I once again had eggs benedict, and Christian had a 'big breakfast'. They had a long wait on the coffees, so Sarah went elsewhere to get hers. Our breakfast came out extremely quickly, and was very good. The milkshakes that the boys had ordered, however, failed to appear, and we cancelled them as we paid the bill and moved on.
Nick went off to do some chores, and the three of us wandered through the fairly impressive and interesting markets, trying some wasabi cherries, chilli non-alcoholic ginger beer, and some of us tried some mead. Christian bought some ginger beer and some postcards, but otherwise we were happy to just look and sample. Nick rejoined us, and we made our way down the other side of the markets, and into a vintage car display, which was pretty cool. Sarah found a Morris Minor like the one that Nick had bought her, and asked some of the guys for advice on doing it up.
We walked back to the car, and drove back to Richmond, changing clothes and swapping stuff before heading back out again to Nick's farm to the north-east of Richmond. We drove in to the main house, and stopped to have a look at the Morris. It really does need a lot of work. We then got back in the ute and four-wheel-drove down the steep grassy slope in search of the sheep. We found a small clump of them and kept driving to the river. Nick got out his fishing rod in the hope of snagging some trout. He failed. Christian had a go, and caught a log, or something else heavy that swallowed the lure and hook. Oops. We had a small wander and I spent the whole time looking out for snakes, as Nick and Sarah had told me (perhaps as a joke) that there were a lot in the grass.
We drove on, back up the other side of the hill, and found the rest of the sheep, huddling together under the shade of a huge tree. They wandered off, and Nick tried to herd them back under the tree but failed. We had a look at the sandstone quarries, and at the shed for working the sandstone, at the tree plantations for pulp, and then at the shearing shed. The wool from the prize ram was super soft, and quite oily.
We drove on, stopping at the bushland gardens nearby, where Nick wanted to show us the 'dinosaur'. It was gone. The gardens were a display of native plants, and some locally sculpted artwork in metal. Some were very clever. We drove on back to Richmond, via Sorell, where we bought some barbecue chicken and salad for dinner.
Back at the house, we relaxed for a while, and then Sarah's and Nick's friend Margaret came around for dinner. We had a lavish chicken, wrap, and salad dinner, Sarah forced me to eat some more strawberries, ice cream, and ice magic, and then it was time to go. We said goodbye to Nick, and Sarah drove us the short distance to the airport. I was sorry to leave Tasmania, as it had made its mark on me. I was also sorry to leave Sarah - it had been great to see her.
At the airport, we went through security, had a look at some souvenirs, and boarded the flight quite quickly. The flight itself was uneventful, and we arrived at Melbourne after 10pm. Despite Christian's doubt, we found the Ibis easily, were given our key, went into the room, had showers, and got into bed as quickly as we could. I texted Sue to organise the next day, but we were soon asleep in the air conditioning.
Nick went off to do some chores, and the three of us wandered through the fairly impressive and interesting markets, trying some wasabi cherries, chilli non-alcoholic ginger beer, and some of us tried some mead. Christian bought some ginger beer and some postcards, but otherwise we were happy to just look and sample. Nick rejoined us, and we made our way down the other side of the markets, and into a vintage car display, which was pretty cool. Sarah found a Morris Minor like the one that Nick had bought her, and asked some of the guys for advice on doing it up.
We walked back to the car, and drove back to Richmond, changing clothes and swapping stuff before heading back out again to Nick's farm to the north-east of Richmond. We drove in to the main house, and stopped to have a look at the Morris. It really does need a lot of work. We then got back in the ute and four-wheel-drove down the steep grassy slope in search of the sheep. We found a small clump of them and kept driving to the river. Nick got out his fishing rod in the hope of snagging some trout. He failed. Christian had a go, and caught a log, or something else heavy that swallowed the lure and hook. Oops. We had a small wander and I spent the whole time looking out for snakes, as Nick and Sarah had told me (perhaps as a joke) that there were a lot in the grass.
We drove on, back up the other side of the hill, and found the rest of the sheep, huddling together under the shade of a huge tree. They wandered off, and Nick tried to herd them back under the tree but failed. We had a look at the sandstone quarries, and at the shed for working the sandstone, at the tree plantations for pulp, and then at the shearing shed. The wool from the prize ram was super soft, and quite oily.
We drove on, stopping at the bushland gardens nearby, where Nick wanted to show us the 'dinosaur'. It was gone. The gardens were a display of native plants, and some locally sculpted artwork in metal. Some were very clever. We drove on back to Richmond, via Sorell, where we bought some barbecue chicken and salad for dinner.
Back at the house, we relaxed for a while, and then Sarah's and Nick's friend Margaret came around for dinner. We had a lavish chicken, wrap, and salad dinner, Sarah forced me to eat some more strawberries, ice cream, and ice magic, and then it was time to go. We said goodbye to Nick, and Sarah drove us the short distance to the airport. I was sorry to leave Tasmania, as it had made its mark on me. I was also sorry to leave Sarah - it had been great to see her.
At the airport, we went through security, had a look at some souvenirs, and boarded the flight quite quickly. The flight itself was uneventful, and we arrived at Melbourne after 10pm. Despite Christian's doubt, we found the Ibis easily, were given our key, went into the room, had showers, and got into bed as quickly as we could. I texted Sue to organise the next day, but we were soon asleep in the air conditioning.
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