MY GOD, THIS PLACE IS BEAUTIFUL

When we left the airport in Launceston (I call it Lonny for short, like the Tassies do), we had maybe an hour before the sun was really down. I didn't expect the rolling hills beauty that was placed before my eyes. The sunset had oranges and peaches in its color. Very nice.

I have wanted to go to Tasmania almost forever. Not that I researched and obsessed about it from 1988 on or the like, but I really thought this beautiful island was a place to go. It was on my “A” list in early 2006 when lisa and I started planning the itinerary for this year "away". I am not disappointed.

The following day we went to a place called Peron Dunes, about 10km down from our place in St. Helens. We were one of only three cars in the parking lot. After about a 300 meter walk through tight trails of scrub and small trees we were showcased with sand dunes in front of us. The earth beneath our feet crunched as we approached dunes, some tall, some short. Because there was no established trail, we had to leave markers so we wouldn't loose our way back. Soon it became silly to continue with shoes so we discarded our trotters and continued on knowing full well we better remember where the shoes were. More marshmallows (oops...twigs and brush) to guide us back. At any point we could have stopped and listened....nothing except the surf in the distance. Really, no planes, no buses, no cars, nothing!!! When was the last time you heard just nature? We progressed through the sand hearing the sound of crunching beneath our heals as we outweighed the sand under us. Scruunch, Scruunch, Scruunch.





Our first view of the Tasman Sea/South Pacific was wonderful. The waves weren't as high as in Coogee, but they were larger further out, somewhat like the waves on our beaches on our Atlantic coast. One big difference between here and America; I look from right to left for probably five kilometers both ways and see NOBODY. NOBODY!!! It was so serene, so placid, so calm. Only the visual of the waves breaking against the beautiful white sand and the ever present sound of those same waves. I stood there, hands at my side and enjoyed the wonder of it all. My God, this place is wonderful.