Hobart and shopping at Salamanca Markets

1 February

As I had the weekend off from working at Irish, I decided to make the most of it and head down to Hobart. Very few Launcestions seem to like Hobart but I've concluded that it's because Hobart is the only place mentioned when Tassie appears on Australian broadcasting.  

The cheapest way to get down there other than via car is by coach.  Tassieline provide a great service between the two cities.  I paid 38$ each way which for a 2hr45min journey seemed pretty reasonable.  Upon arrival into Hobart, I attempted to find my hostel.  Not so easy without a decent map and even google maps decided to have an 'off' day.  Eventually I arrived 45 mins later at YHA.  This was the first time I'd stayed in one of these as they were normally pretty expensive.  The place was pretty smart as hostels go and very centrally located with the Marina a short walk away and trusty woolworths only a block up the road.  My only gripe was the size of the kitchen.  Far too small for a hostel of that size.

2 and 3 February

The girls in my room were all off on a tour that day so I had an early wake up call.  This didn't bother me in the slightest as the sun was shining and Hobart was looking beautiful.  I first wandered down to the Marina (Victoria docks) to look at the yachts as this is the finishing point for the famous Sydney to Hobart race held on Boxing Day every year.  Apparently the bay itself is the deepest in the Southern Hemisphere. Unfortunately there were no large yachts but there was another cruiseliner similar to the one I saw in Sydney docked in the harbour.  

My first stop of the weekend was the Salamanca Markets.  These world famous markets are held every Saturday and attract thousands of local and international visitors every year.  The first market started in 1972 with merely a dozen stalls and now this number has risen to over 300.  The smallholders sell anything from art and craft to fruit & veg and even handmade jewellery.  If you ever get the chance to visit this part of the world then a trip to these markets is a MUST.  I certainly wish I'd been able to buy some gifts there but I settled for a punnit of cherries and some Tassie fudge.

Although Hobart isn't a large city, there is still so much to see.  Therefore the best way to see everything is via the red double decker bus tours.  For 25$ you receive a bus pass valid for 3 days meaning you can hop on and hop off as much as you like.  The best stop to get on is at the tourist information centre.  From there the bus takes you around Battery Point, up to Sandy Bay via the oldest casino in Australia, up to Cascade Brewery with lovely views of Mount Wellington, through the CBD out to old Hobart Gaol finishing at The Royal Botanical Gardens.  I found it a lot to cover in one day so made the most of the 3 day pass and used it for a 2nd day to have lunch at the Botanical gardens; a perfect spot for a picnic!