Hiking Freycinet National Park: Christmas in Hobart

I have never been trekking before or on any overnight camping trip that involved carrying everything in a pack and hiking from campsite to campsite. Like most things, the idea struck me at work one day, while I was feeling run down and tired with all things technological, electronic and modern. I had probably also tired of barking dogs, public transport and the general crowds of people who always seem to be in your way whenever you need to get anywhere quickly.

I used to be a sailor--a tall ship sailor. But constant moving and the process of growing up has put me away from that lifestyle and form of escape. It was time I came up with a new escapist hobby. After all, I'm already used to rationing showers and eating less than gourmet style food. So with no experience--and my husband with about as much experience as me, aside from both of us knowing about the outdoors from Scouts or summer camps--we hatched a plan to hike for 6 days and 5 nights in Freycinet National Park in Tasmania.

It would rejuvenate us as well as get me far away from the depressing holidays. That is, if we lived to tell the tale. After months of research on the park, and hours spent researching trekking gear and trekking meal plans and how to treat snake bites, Christmas Day arrived. We had booked our flights to Hobart and our buses to the park and had our park passes safely packed with all our gear. It was time for two "green" hikers to set off.

I had never been to Tasmania before and I fell in love with Hobart the moment I saw it. It could be the harbour front, alive with fishing boats, sailing yachts and tall ships that had me hooked.

I surprised myself with eating a fresh fish fry from one of the many fish and chip places along the water--Fish Frenzy happened to be along to the docks where many floating fish and chip shops make their berth. I must say, when I eat fish, I manage to pick well.

I had to remind myself that would probably be the last decent meal for a few days, because the next day--after visiting Hobart's famous Saturday morning Salamanca Market--we'd be heading off to Freycinet via the Tassielink bus system.

As with most holidays in Australia, Christmas Day brought and emptiness to Hobart that would be gone on our return on New Years Eve. The streets were empty, save mostly tourists like ourselves.

It was a low key Christmas in a beautiful little city found on the River Derwent. But it was the next 6 days that tested me, my husband and my newly acquired gear.