So today we landed in Burnie, Tasmania, an island off Australia a days float from Melbourne. It was warm today, but I imagine tomorrow to be about 25 degrees worse as we will be in Melbourne. Perhaps that should be a stay on the boat day. I don't fancy 110 degrees!
Okay, so here we are in Burnie and we rented a car so we could drive along the coast. Odd that we would choose to do this, we have been coastal for nearly two weeks now. But that is what we did—stuffed 5 adults tipping the scales on the larger side of the scale for our heights into a Toyota something or other. The front folks seemed comfy but the back was miserable with knees not fitting, sunlight blaring on our bare necks and heads and hardly able to see. But we were stoic. VERY Stoic! And endured!
We drove to a cute little town called Stanley on an isthmus with 5 fishing boats, a marvelous little sea-creature museum, (can't think of the right word) but we got to hold the crabs, big buggers and a lobster...very cape-codesque mixed with Inverness and Drakes Beach, Scenic and Charming, a place to go for a month and write a book. Sadly, it appeared all the books have been written and the authors have gone home. Most of the place seemed vacant, many little ocean front holiday cabins and charming inns-hotels. It was perfectly sparkling clean and fresh and very inviting, but this is their high season and they appeared to have no visitors in town at all except those of us that ventured this way from the Cruise ship. This doesn't bode well for what we can expect in Groveland this coming summer for tourism, but that is a thought that can wait another week or so before I start to dwell in that direction.
Jack did a marvelous job in getting us from point to point. From what I counted we only had 5 or 6 mistakes and none of them really fatal even with driving on the wrong side of the road. All in all, a good day's journey.
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I have not studied wines, other than "Gallo Sacramentals," since 91-92. Once again the fascination has been stirred due to my recent subscription to "Wine Spectator (smile)." Seems as though many things in the "wine world" have changed, particularly that of much attention being given to Argentinean and Australian Wines/Wine houses.
ReplyDeleteTell Jack that we still have "Glenlivit" and/or "Grey Goose" stateside and that he should make/take some good notes on some of these (looks like it will be limited to coastal) wines while in Australia.
As for the "economic concerns of Stanley," Yosemite is Yosemite and hence shall things will remain economically viable. Victor may have to enlist tougher "portion controls," or even look at the labor side of things (gulp).
As it remains, I am sure that it was a good time to take a vacation as the deflationary curve is in steep decline and you should begin business as inflationary pressures ensue it's commencement. What with all of this talk of infrastructure, the "funny money" printed by Paulson should start to chase after materials and the demand curve will, therefore, be headed up! That simple.
As you have had some reprieve from the "Amnesia of America," once all of this "liquidity" being poured into world economies will find the demand for goods and services resurgent and the great concern of "our economic future" will be a thing of the past. We are, after all, short sighted Americans! "Hoarding" will not be remembered, I am sure.
So, enjoy the hell out of your last remaining days abroad as my economic predictions will surely come to fruition.
By the way, speaking of demand, pickup some Uranium for me while in the world's no. 1 producer as that price is going to spike, as well. I am sure Jack can BS his way through customs with a couple hundred pounds of Australian Uranium!
Happy Travels and drink some wine!
Tell Victor that the $10.00 I won off him on the Super Bowl is gaining interest daily. Lovely day her in Sydney.
ReplyDeleteLeft lane Jack