Sunday 8th February Day 1 20150208

Welcome, dear reader, to yet another episode of my blog. After a time away, I’ve come back. As a little background, in case you hadn’t caught up, I now have a motorcycle, SUZI (V-strom 650) and am having some adventures with her. The last one saw me coming off her near Coally Station, being triaged and then taken by ambulance to Tibooburra, flown to Adelaide via Moomba with the RFDS, diagnosed with four broken ribs and then going back up to Coally Station, rescuing SUZI, having her undergo medical (well, mechanical) treatment and then me undergoing three eye surgeries within three weeks – not related to my “off”, I hasten to add. Well, SUZI is back in shipshape (more correctly motorcycle shape) and so am I. I now have to have reading glasses (I can read without any difficulty with them) and am getting driving glasses – but the polaroid version isn’t in yet, so I don’t have them with me. To celebrate, we’re off on a holiday together. Only a little one, to re-establish the relationship and get used to each other again. So it was a little state that was targeted – Tasmania. Today, Sunday 8th February, we left home at just after 6 a.m. SUZI did her usual performance of rebuking me for not being able to pack everything for eight days in just the panniers, the tank bag and an Andy Strapz A bag. I thought I was good in just using two A bagz, rather than a large Top Sack which I had last time. After getting some money out of an ATM in the main street of Werribee (no problem at 6:10), she showed her dislike by bottoming out when ridden hard over the speed bumps. I retaliated by leaning forward and we were both happy. Well, that is until we came of the Westgate Bridge. I planned to turn left into Todd Road and then come around into Williamstown Road, which simply leads to the Tasmanian ferry terminal at Station Pier. I turned left to be confronted with “Todd Road closed” signs. This led to slow turns and then a very slow U-turn so I could use other roads to get to Williamstown Road. My E.T.A. was supposed to be 6:40. I ended up arriving just before 7. Of course, there was a jam waiting to go onto the ferry. From one line we broke up into four, for quarantine and shipboard assessment. Through there and the drive was right out to the end of the pier and another U-turn. Not good with a full load and reacquainting myself with SUZI’s handling under such conditions. As we waited to be loaded, I ended up with a pair of motorcyclists just behind me – both from Melbourne. Ten minutes of inching forward (can someone help me with the metric equivalent?) and we reached the loading ramp – to be carelessly thrust aside to wait with yet another group of motorcyclists. We all resigned ourselves to a long wait, got helmets, gloves and jackets off, only to be told (once we all divested) to quickly go onboard. We all started and proceeded under direction – to have to stop almost as soon as we were on, stop the bikes sideways, take keys out but not lock the steering and wait for the bikes to be lashed down (no, not sado-masochistic fare but for the good of the bikes). Naturally all those who moved away quickly had to return to back their bikes up or move them over so they were central between the lashing points. By the time I was able to leave, taking jacket, helmet and valuables with me, it was nearly 7:30. I wandered up and finally settled on a place at the rear of Deck 7, found a comfortable seat and started to read the papers. But all my gear was occupying a lot of space, so when some of the others I had briefly met (you form an association immediately with people you don’t know, on motorcycles) I asked and ended up storing my gear behind them, for security. Then I chatted to people sitting near me. They were a couple from Mareeba, in the Atherton Tablelands. He was a retired bus operator (on the Gold Coast) and they were planning on spending a few months in Tasmania. They had a motorhome. Now it was nearing 9, so I went out to take some photos of Melbourne, as we were leaving. While doing so I struck up the acquaintance of a chap who was going to tour Tasmania is a converted Mazda Bongo van. I ended up running into him at different places on the ship and also on the garage deck 5 as I was preparing to leave. Then it was back inside and a chance to try to do all the puzzles. Okay with some but not with others. I gifted the papers on – luckily, as they only collected seven to sell at the shop and they quickly ran out. They went to a couple from Benalla, a lady from Mitre10 and her signwriter husband. They ended up sitting with us as a group most of the day. I went to wander the ship and find everything but got hungry. I bought a bag of popcorn and nearly needed resuscitation myself - $7 for what would be $3 at a supermarket! But I ate it as I wandered. Soon we were going through the heads and I was chatting with another couple from Queensland – he was a retired cartographer, so we chatted about maps as Pt Nepean and Indented Heads passed by. I went in and ended up chatting to a retired Frenchman who had worked for AirLiquide in Australia for five years. He and his wife were touring with friends they had met and were planning on spending at least two weeks in Tasmania. He and his Australian friend (a retired maths/science teacher) were both most interesting. I went back to the lounge and there was musical bingo on. Both the other couples participated – the compare was a lively entertainer. I had a meat pie for lunch (that was reasonable - $4) and then moved around, taking photos of the other Spirit of Tasmania (2). The afternoon went quickly (the Queensland couple won a cheese pack which they shared with us) and very soon it was after 6 and Tasmania (Devonport) was coming into sight. At 6:30, Deck 3 was asked to have drivers go down and not long after, Deck 5. While preparing, I found SUZI and her load were the topic of conversation of most of those on bikes during the voyage – some even took photos! After waiting, we found we were to unstrap the bikes, so we did and soon we were off … to another wait as we emerged into Devonport. I had set the SatNav and Spotty, so I went off following the directions given. I should have realised something was amiss when it told me there was well over 250 kilometres to Bridport. As time went on, I realised I was going via Launceston, which made the journey just under three hours! I turned up the first road to go back, so I would pass through Exeter and over the Batman Bridge (these Tasmanians must love superheroes!). However it made me very late, so I had to ring the Youth Hostel. Murray understood and urged me to be cautious rather than quick. I was, and saw quite a few dead pademelons on the roadside (and I could smell them too). With judicious use of the throttle (and the gearbox), I arrived at the Hostel about 9:20. I introduced myself, unpacked, got some tea (noodles and biscuits, not in the one dish though) and got other things ready. Most of the other guests (6) are from RMIT doing an assignment on wooden furniture (they are doing degrees in furniture design). At least one other is a Japanese gentleman from Osaka. I got things ready in my room (nominally sharing, but there’s only me), switched Spotty off, set up the computer and wrote my blog after checking emails. Then it was to bed for a very late night (11:45) and hopefully a deep and refreshing sleep.