Traveling - Part One: Tasmania

PART ONE: Tasmania

Today I’m celebrating my one year wedding anniversary in the most unusual way - alone, on a completely different continent than my husband. I can already hear the chorus of “awww” occurring because many of you might think that Paul is the one out of town. Yes, he does travel quite a bit, but I’m the guilty culprit in this cross-continental anniversary celebration. While he is in Sydney, working hard, I’m playing just as hard in Borneo. You’re probably thinking that this is an unusual or unconventional way to celebrate your anniversary in two separate countries by choic, and for most couples, it probably is. But for us, this is our normal. Did I mention that his birthday was two days ago and I missed that as well?

The only reason we spent last July together was because we got married and it just so happened that our wedding and honeymoon fit very nicely into my travel plans. LOL. Working in schools, whether they be in the States or Australia, allow me to travel during holiday breaks and it just so happens that Australian school children are currently enjoying their 3 week Winter break. I’m enjoying mine in the much warmer, summertime climate of SE Asia. Yes, this is my 3^rd summer in a row to be traveling in SE Asia and to be honest, I’m really over it. At this point, I’ve seen what I wanted to and bought what I needed (i.e. fake purses, bootleg DVDs) all over SE Asia, but yet I’m here. Again. In case you weren’t aware, Australia is REALLY far away from well, everything. The cheapest flights were to SE Asia and since I hadn’t spent but a quick couple of days in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last summer, I decided to experience more of Malaysia and specifically Malaysia Borneo during my winter holiday. Also, I do realize that I could travel within Australia but it’s cold and expensive and neither of those characteristics are enjoyable when traveling. But, before I get too involved in writing about my experiences in Borneo, let me back up to my most recent trip: our one year anniversary trip to Tasmania.

To celebrate our 12 months of wedded bliss (well, most of it was full of bliss, but a move to the other side of the world can cause a little tension in any relationship), I booked us a trip to Tasmania. Tasmania is a state in Australia but it’s an island just south of the continent. Imagine Hawaii, but a lot closer and not tropical. Alright, so maybe Hawaii isn’t the best comparison. Anyway, most of you have probably heard of Tasmania primarily because of the infamous spinning, unintelligible, animated version from Looney Tunes. The Tasmanian Devil is an actual animal; however, it is nothing like the animated version. More on the real devils below.

With it being winter in Australia and extremely cold in Tasmania we got a great deal on this trip and we all know that I love a bargain! After a short flight from Sydney we were on our way to exploring this beautiful island with a population of 500,000. We stayed in Hobart, a maritime city and Tasmania’s largest, with a population of 250,000. Hobart is a lot like any little seaside town you might have seen or imagined (in my case) in New England. It has beautiful landscapes, Victorian style houses, fresh seafood, and a whole lotta charm. Tasmania is quite hilly and we were told that if they flattened all the hills out in Tasmania that it’d cover the same amount of area as the continent of Australia. Armed with a rental car, a sense of adventure, and a husband with great map reading skills (really, he does have good skills), we ventured all over the island visiting wineries, scenic rivers, mountains, other natural landscapes, and a hippie camp. (Wha?? The hippie camp wouldn’t be on your itinerary??) Over the course of 4 days we also ate, visited the world famous (or so we’re told) Salamanca markets, took a tour of the Cadbury chocolate factory, got in a little exercise by running along the water, and sailed on a replica of a ship built in 1800. All in all, it was a great, yet very cold, trip.

Here’s some more info on the Tasmanian Devil and their current health issue

Devil Facial Tumour Disease

What is Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) and

how does it affect Tasmanian devils?

DFTD describes a fatal condition in Tasmanian devils which is characterised by the appearance of facial cancers. The tumours or cancers are first noticed in and around the mouth as small lesions or lumps. These develop into large tumours around the face and neck and sometimes even in other parts of the body. DFTD is extremely unusual as it is only one of three recorded cancers that can spread like a contagious disease. The cancer is passed from devil to devil through biting. The live tumour cells aren’t rejected by their immune system because of a lack of genetic diversity among Tasmanian devils. DFTD affects mainly adults - males seem to be the first affected, then females - although juveniles as young as one can also be infected. When the disease is advanced Tasmanian devils may have many cancers throughout the body. Infected devils may become emaciated if the tumours interfere with teeth and feeding. Many females lose their young. Infected animals die within months of the lesions first appearing. For further information please visit the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program website:www.tassiedevil.com.au

Part Two: Borneo is coming soon!