Come to Tasmania!

My journey started with a single step, into Simon’s car and on to Ballarat train station to get the 10:17 to Melbourne. Then I got the 109 tram to Port Melbourne and then... nothing, as I couldn’t check in to get on the boat until about 5PM

Spirit of Tasmania II:Judgment Day

I dragged myself and my bag to look for a lunch serving venue and found ‘The Local’, an odd name for a pub that is about 10,000 miles from home. I had a pie and a pint and then set about doing nothing until 5.

After checking in I had to wait until 6 before I could go through security to board the vessel. There was a TV with the Australian version of Deal or No Deal on, which is rubbish. There’s just no connection with the contestant and they fly through the numbers like they have a gun pointed to their head. No tension building, no banker (just a number on top of the screen, rather than a number Noel Edmunds thinks of as he talks to himself) plus one of the prizes is a Peugeot.

So, clearing security I boarded the Spirit of Tasmania II : Cruise Control. Most of the decks are reserved for cabins, cars and trucks, but there are entertainment facilities (although these are reduced at this time of year) the only deck worth being on was 7, with the cinema showing Thor and a couple of bars, plus the souvenir shop.

Oh, and the arcade was closed.

There are two restaurants I could see, one looked a bit posh and the other didn't, but they were both for the wealthy as even the buffet one cost $25 for one plate! I went for that ‘deal’ and piled as much on that plate as I could without looking like Oliver Twist with an all you can eat gruel ticket and the rest is digestive history.

As I ate, the ‘what to do if we hit an iceberg’ video came on. In short there are slides, life jackets and life boats and all the other things that could have prevented every news channel banging on about the Titanic the past few days. The reassuring thing is if a boat has an engine failure it’s not a big deal compared to a plane suffering the same problem, plus a plane doesn’t have views of Melbourne at this angle,

Unless something is very wrong.

I watched Thor, then slept in my ‘ocean recliner’ at the stern which offered an ocean view at night, which isn’t too different to the view from the Euro Star when it’s under the Channel.

I awoke a few hours later to the sound of a loudspeaker telling me I could get off the ship at 6.30, great. But first a few pictures.

And now I’m sitting here waiting for my hire car so my Tassie adventure can begin.

Update: Here she is...

The Kia Grand Carnival! That's a bit wordy, so I will call her The Aztec, as AZT are on the plate. Sorted, now Aztec... Roll out!