going home

After the usual packing up, I return my hired weight belt and headed into town to fill up with petrol, given that I could not do that yesterday afternoon because I didn't have a physical payment card with me and the machine would not work with anything else.

I then headed up to Reekara and the Top Shop, located in the old Reekara Primary school. The primary school closed in 1997; only eight students remained at that point in time.

The old school building had some information about the history of schools on the island, and that school itself, and now it also houses a community playroom (utilised by those who home school their early childhood offspring rather than send them to school in Currie) the Top Shop, the Lions meeting place, and a display of some of the commemorative bonnets made in remembrance of those who died in the wrecking of the Neva, which was carrying a cargo of female convicts and their children - 224 casualties in total with only 6 passengers and 9 crew surviving.

A commemorative bonnet

The Top Shop is a craft/gift shop with some quite interesting offerings, including paintings and kelp craft - 'sculptures', for want of a better description, made from dried bull kelp.  Some 3-D, others 2-D.

On my way back to the airport, I procured two wedges of particularly good brie which will do nicely as gifts and to share.

Once at the airport, I checked in my big bag and the staff member on duty deemed my little backpack too big for cabin luggage and so I removed my laptop from it and checked the backpack in also. 

Then it was across cafe, where Scott had promised me some gin tasting; fairly generous quantities were provided (perhaps intended to enhance inclination to purchase)

I was sufficiently tempted and purchased a bottle of Coastal Gin. I understand that the spirit is brewed here on the island and some of the botanicals are also sourced from the island. 

I declined the offer of recipe cards for cocktails - one included cream (with gin???) another included egg white and the third simply had too much 'stuff' to detract from the flavour of the gin.  I guess in the past I have drunk gin that would benefit from having its flavour masked, but a good gin needs little!  But for anyone who wants to  know more about these cocktails: scroll down on this page

Realising that my lunch box was in my now checked-in backpack, I made do with a gluten-free biscuit. White chocolate and Macadamia it was rather lovely but probably far too sweet for me.

The west coast of King Island

The south coast of King Island

There were some good views of King Island at the beginning of the flight and then we were above the cloud for a while and I saw little until we landed at Wynyard, depositing a number of passengers, leaving only 6 on the plane.

Only 6 of us, including the crew

Back in Launceston and in my own car, it took a little while to remember to use the clutch and change gears (I'd spent most of the week wanting to change gears at every corner - not much gear changing needed in an automatic!)

Feeling somewhat tired, I resolved to stop at Campbell Town for coffee but arrived minutes after my favourite spot had closed, so continued to Oatlands where everything was closed but the IGA managed to provide a cup of fairly ordinary black caffeinated drink from their machine - it at least had the desired effect.

I'd fixed my mind on takeaway sushi for dinner, which would be easily procured from a particular restaurant in North Hobart - which was closed so rice paper rolls from Saigon Express were substituted.

I arrived home to find, happily, that a delivery made on Monday was still on my front verandah - I'd not been impressed that my request for delivery to be delayed 'could not be intercepted' 

Luggage was transferred inside and a glass of wine poured so I could sit and relax for a little while on the back verandah admiring the wisteria in full bloom and enjoying the warmth of the evening - an hour was enough - the mosquitoes drove me inside after that.

Wisteria in full bloom

Rhododendron fragrantissimum - really excelling itself!