Hobart, Tasmania (Australia)

The summer of 2009 turned out to be a winter for me. It was an internship opportunity that made me take a flight to Tasmania. I got an offer to work on a research project in the Marine laboratories, CSIRO, in Hobart. Here I would take the opportunity to share some of the experiences of to my short stay at the Tasmanian island.

Salamanca Market Place:

One of the attractions of Hobart is the Salamanca market place. Every Saturday morning this place is filled with stalls by merchants from different parts in Tasmania. Fresh vegetables, new clothes, second hand books, tourist souvenirs, CDs, antiques, food—everything is in there. There are also road shows which are great to watch. On Saturday morning, the place gets crowded with local residents and tourists.

During my stay in Hobart, I went to the Salamanca market place every week except for one or two occasions. It is a good place to walk around. The foods there are really “yummy”. My personal favorite was "chicken satay," and "chicken curry" (not the Indian style curry). I also tried some of the pies and the donuts (or doughnuts). I didn’t buy anything from there but it's a good place to get souvenirs. I really enjoyed walking around the place, amidst all unknown people, with diversified cultural background.

Peppermint Bay—The ultimate Tasman experience:

Hobart is an island state in Australia and there are a lot of opportunities to go out on a cruise. Going out on a cruise is a must if you are travelling to Hobart. I decided to go out on a cruise on a fine Saturday morning. I got a ticket for a cruise to the Peppermint Bay. It was a really nice experience to take the cruise. It was a scenic drive, just south of Hobart. The guided cruise provides sort of a connection with the Tasmanian lifestyle, history and wildlife. We were lucky enough to see a couple of sea-eagle. Underwater camera footage of the underwater surface was a treat to the eye.


Bonorong Wildlife center:

To go to Australia, and not see any Kangaroo would not have been good at all. Unfortunately, Kangaroos are not very common in Tasmania. Wallabies are the breed that’s native to Tasmania, but I didn't get to see any Wallabies near the place I lived. I was eager to experience the wildlife in Australia, the likes of Kangaroo, Koala and yeah, the Tasmanian devils (now that’s native to Tasmania). I asked my project supervisor about some wildlife center and he referred the “Bonorong Wildlife Center.” He not only referred it but agreed to take me there. It was on a Saturday morning that we went there. As we went a little bit uphill we saw a few Wallabies. Finally, I did see some Kangaroos, a Koala, and some Tasmanian devils as we entered the wildlife park. There were also a few other animals in there, but for me, the major attractions were these. It was an awesome experience.

Sight scene around Hobart:

Hobart is a city which sits at the foot of mount Wellington, and on the banks of the Derwent river. The city is amazingly diverse and has a stunning beauty. The suburb of Battery Point lets one have a glimpse of the historic grand mansions and some tiny mansions. The views from the top of mount Wellington have a lot in offering for the photographers. These views are something that cannot be missed (but don’t go there on a foggy day).