AUSTRALIA - DAY EIGHT - The Day 8 Road to Hobart

Previous Blogs: Day 1 Portland & Honolulu | Day 2 Oahu | Day 3+4 Melbourne | Day 5 Williamstown | Day 6 Launceston | Day 7 Cradle Mountain | Day 8 Road to Hobart | Day 9 Port Arthur | Day 10 Apollo Beach | Day 11 Port Fairy | Day12+13 Southern Ports | Day 14 Kangaroo Island | Day 15 Kangaroo Island | Day 16 Kangaroo Island | Day 17 Adelaide | Day 18 Adelaide | Day 19 Adelaide Hills | Day 20+21 Uluru | Day 22+23 Alice Springs | Day 24 Darwin | Day 25 Darwin | Day 26+27 Port Douglas | Day 28 Daintree | Day 29+30 Gold Coast | Day 31+32 Brisbane | Day 33 Brisbane | Day 34-36 Hawaii

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Tasmania was first discovered by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642.  Australia was a penal colony for England originally.  Tasmania was in turn, a penal colony for Australia.  The worst of the worst were sent here.  There are historic Gaols (Jails) throughout the state.  

Time to head South from Cradle Mountain to Hobart. It's about 130 miles depending which road you take, we like the back roads so I guess we drove a bit further than that.

We've had good luck with car rental so far. This time we got a free upgrade from the compact we booked to a Toyota RAV4 All Wheel Drive SUV.

Wendy finally fixed the turn signal issue, she tied a piece of plastic around the wiper signal so we would feel it before we hit it, and that would remind us that the turn signal was on the other side.

Tasmania's landscape varies considerably as you drive South, so this is what I call the sights of Tasmania, no explanation needed.

And so after seven hours on the road looking at amazing landscapes, we finally arrived in Hobart to our Best Western Hotel (~Left~ view from our room).

If you ever watched the TV series Whale Wars, Hobart is where they (Sea Sheppard) sailed out of to attack the Japanese whalers in Antarctica.

And finally...

You know how in the States when you order a mushroom burger, you are expecting a juicy beef patty topped by a gorgeous mushroom sauce and probably some Swiss cheese thrown in...

Nope, not in Hobart. A mushroom burger is just that. A mushroom on a burger bun!!!

Having said that, it was actually quite delicious!

This entire country eats nothing but bacon.  Chicken has bacon on it.  Fish has bacon on it.  Fresh strawberries have bacon sprinkled over them.  Avocado is served with bacon.  Hummus is served with bacon.  Cesar Salad is served with bacon (and a poached egg??).  Quinoa and Bacon anyone??

While the vast majority of you might think "AWESOME" - I'm not really a bacon kinda girl. Even processed turkey bacon....um.... no. 

I will either gain 15 pounds from eating nothing but carbs and french fries OR will lose 15 pounds because I can't find anything without bacon.  Shall we start a pool?