Snow falling.

Shopping in Karow.

Karow station. (web image)

Karow (pronounced car-ov) is one station south of Buch (book). Ben tells me his German is "nicht gut" (nikt goot, "not good") yet he seems to be getting around reasonably well. He's shopping today, buying fruit from a Vietnamese vendor at the Karow market. Hopefully the hated haircut has grown out by now and he no longer has shortish hair on top with close-cropped back and sides, the result of a visit to a local hairdresser just after arriving in Berlin. The image that immediately comes to mind is Beaker from The Muppet Show who also happens to be quite tall, if I remember correctly. There are no specific plans for new year's eve and I sent Ben an article about celebrations in Berlin. According to the article, it's the only day of the year when fireworks are permitted and there are explosions everywhere. "It's like war," said the writer.

Christmas day.

Guesthouse,
Campus Buch (web image)

Ben's the sole occupant of the Hans Gummel guesthouse in Campus Buch where a room is only €90 per week (long-term rate). The guesthouse has a shared kitchen so Ben would have some company, if anyone was staying there that is. He went for a walk yesterday and discovered that the cafeteria was closed and everything else was closed as well. He'll have a minor nose operation in mid-January and isn't permitted to fly for a few weeks afterwards.

A family member and her boyfriend sail to Tassie tonight for a one-week visit to see the sites. Visiting Ben was on the itinerary however they've still booked a night's stay in his "home town".

Christmas eve forecast.

Christmas day is looking especially bleak; 1°C to 5°C with strong winds and rain. Not a good day to be venturing out very far. By way of comparison, the forecast for NE Tas is 13°C to 21°C with slight winds and showers, probably not a good day for venturing out either. At least Ben's Berlin accommodation is substantially better than his usual Tasmanian accommodation. I'm told that most people in Germany celebrate Christmas on the 24th and absolutely everything is closed; what happens on Christmas day remains a mystery.

In other news of the day, a second-hand trailer has been purchased for the next (major) trip to Tasmania. According to the registration certificate, it's a hand-built trailer produced in 1980. It's big enough to carry a motorbike plus some luggage. The trailer is wide and it may even be possible to pitch a tent on the trailer's wooden floor. The faded tarp is a bonus because items can be stored on the trailer until more permanent accommodation is organised.

Attempted delivery.

Posted over some CT scans last Thursday and they've arrived already, although it looks like the delivery was unsuccessful. I was hoping that anyone at Pension Geissler could sign for the parcel but perhaps the designated addressee has to sign. Pain relief medications are working well and Ben has called in to see the specialist a few more times. There's one more thing to attend to before returning and that's fixing his troublesome nose once and for all.

evening update: The reason for the attempted delivery is that Ben's no longer residing at Pension Geissler. He's moved to cheaper accommodation in a guest house in Campus Berlin-Buch where he has a very large, bright room on the second floor. He's positive that this, his 21st year, is going to be a very good year.

late update:
Article Number EE750901528AU
Date/Time         21.12.11 13:53:00
Current Status  Delivered

21st birthday.

(web image)

It's Ben's 21st birthday today. The original plan was for a small gathering at Weldborough, Tasmania but that's been shelved till his return from Berlin. I know from experience that he's not big on birthday celebrations so today may be just another day. I'll send an SMS later, and wish for clear skies and plain sailing. Looking forward to the day when riding motorbikes, sailing, fishing and fossicking are more important than health concerns.

Late evening update: Ben received the birthday SMS's sent by relatives and I read the Facebook messages to him over the phone. The Hotel Geissler staff gave him a box of chocolates. It snowed in Berlin a few days ago.

Early morning messages.

Berlin is 10 hours behind Melbourne so early morning calls are happening regularly. Often the calls are brief because Ben's out and about, or sometimes he's not feeling the best. Unfortunately, my first reaction to phone calls is to worry, then take a deep breath and answer while earnestly hoping that everything is OK. Fortunately, the past few days, there have been no major concerns. This morning at around 2AM, the phone signalled that a message had arrived. I got out of bed, found the glasses and read the screen: Sry about cutting off all the time. And for waking you up just now. Sleep well.

Sense of humour returning is a good sign.

Side effects!

From drug website: "It may take up to 4 weeks before your symptoms improve. Serious side effects: sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body; sudden severe headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance; Do not stop using ... suddenly."

A forum post was more colourful: "Has anyone else had any problems with ...? It really WAS making me go utterly bonkers. Seriously feeling 100% better since dropping that ****. Not as many emotional wobblies, can conduct a conversation without bursting into tears, no long sweat-ridden sleepless nights, no more wild and furious pseudo-intellectual arguments with myself."

Those first few days on new medication were rough. Somehow, while dealing with these side effects, Ben managed to travel for six hours on the Inter City Express, switch to a local train in Berlin then make his way back to the hotel. (Fortunately, they had a spare room.) Ben phoned after he got back. He was confused, very upset and unable to say more than a few jumbled words. Now, a few days later, with the dosages adjusted, he sounds and feels a bit better.

Jazz goes to the vet.

The giraffe is too tall.

Jazz had a problem with her left eye and went to the vet today. My diagnosis of an infection like conjunctivitis was plausible but incorrect, she has a scratched cornea. Fortunately the scratch is only shallow and she's been prescribed pain relief plus some ointment. With the pain relief medication I've been told to watch for side effects that can occur with some dogs. There's a follow-up appointment in a few days and I'm quietly hoping that no more treatment is needed because of the expense.

The 'problem–accurate diagnosis–fix it' scenario does happen but not always; though we can't help but hope that it will always be the case. From a very early age we gain the expectation that a visit to the doctor (or maybe an operation) will make any problem go away. However, browse around and it's not hard to find way too many descriptions of 'chronic pain no diagnosis' cases and stories of people 'bouncing around the medical system' for years. Some persist with the medicos, some experiment with alternative (even magical) therapies while others decide that the best strategy is to manage symptoms and do their best.

After many tests and investigations, the recent result of 'no neurological aetiology' is just a technical way of saying 'don't know'. The symptoms are present but the precise causes remain unclear. We're thankful for the investigations because many possibilities have been considered but the hope that there's one problem with a definite solution remains just a hope. The planned four-day hospital stay was reduced to two. I'm sure they were prepared to operate if necessary but there was no specific target and invasive explorations are too risky. Other medication to manage symptoms has been prescribed.

Last Wednesday Ben moved south to Freiburg and is staying with friends he met on the previous trip to Germany.

Evening update: The trip to Freiburg didn't go well. New medication caused worrying symptoms that resembled stroke. Ben ended up in a hospital emergency department where a CT scan was clear, no blood clots. He's travelled all the way back to Buch and staying in Hotel Geissler again.

Don't wish me good luck.

Admitted as an inpatient today. Ben's very hopeful that his health problems will be fixed once and for all. "Don't wish me good luck," he said on the phone. He doesn't like luck, it's been very unkind in many respects. He wants to get well, return to Tas, ride the bike, catch up with friends and find work. The story continues, one step at a time...

Medical chart.

Euros to AUD.
(source: http://www.x-rates.com)

Here's an important medical chart. There's a prepayment due today and hopefully the exchange rate will be at a favourable point on its (very bumpy) roller coaster.

Afternoon postscript: The chart doesn't help all that much because it shows wholesale rates, not retail. For this transaction, we'd have paid $300 less if the wholesale rate was applied. However we're only minnows in an ocean full of whales.

The focus of investigation.

The cervical spine.
(web image)

There's much to learn about how the human body works but, when it's working properly, there's little inclination to ponder. And when it's not working properly, the complexity is almost overwhelming. Some have suggested that Ben's problem might be in his head but that's not true*. The problem is below the head and above the shoulders where there's an amazing collection of highly important bones, nerves and muscles:
Spinal nerve C1 ... provides motor innervation to muscles at the base of the skull. C2 and C3 form many of the nerves of the neck, providing both sensory and motor control. These include the greater occipital nerve which provides sensation to the back of the head, the lesser occipital nerve which provides sensation to the area behind the ears... The phrenic nerve arises from nerve roots C3, C4 and C5. It innervates the diaphragm, enabling breathing.  (Wikipedia)

Symptoms of problems in this area include headaches, migraine, neck and shoulder pain, muscle spasms, allergies and asthma. All of those sound very familiar. The focus of the next investigation is a possible "developmental problem" in C2, axis. "Developmental problem" is a term that we've encountered before, twice in fact.

* I did ask if the recent MRI of the head showed any large empty spaces but was told there's a perfectly formed brain in there.

Up in the air.

Juggling.
(web image)

Ben will be admitted on Tuesday and stay in hospital for about four days. The specialist has identified a possible problem in the cervical spine and plans to do a CT scan but we're not sure what else. There's hope that the cause of the painful symptoms may finally be isolated. Prepayment is required immediately with the final cost depending on what additional tests, procedures and follow-ups have to be done. How to cover the eventual cost is a big worry, especially if something significant has to be done. There's a limit to what one person can do. And when another person, who should be helping, delays, makes excuses or offers to "pay half" then won't, that makes the situation more difficult than it needs to be. We've been let down before and it's happening again.

The Australian Patient.

The English Patient
(web image)

The Australian patient is slightly less patient than his English counterpart. The next appointment has been brought forward to tomorrow 12 noon. It's not really a matter of patience since waiting two weeks is much the same as sitting in a taxi at traffic lights; the meter is still running and, in this case, accommodation comes at a cost of €37 per night. The trial medication is, at best, providing relief for symptoms and there are some days when Ben would rather be home.


Sunrise in Berlin Buch today was at 7.54am and sunset is at 3.55pm! That's one hour and twelve minutes less daylight than the deepest depths of a NE Tasmanian winter and sounds rather depressing.

Two weeks until next appointment.

Roller coaster highs
and lows (web image).

SMS: We don't know. We know there is a problem and we will try to help... 2 weeks until next appointment, trialing pain killers. Mri didn't show anything.

Ben's also feeling sick in the stomach after receiving the bill for two appointments and various diagnostic tests, including a costly MRI of upper neck and head. I don't feel too good either but that's what savings (and loans) are for. On a positive note, he's thinking of heading 580km south west to visit some friends in Frieberg and then return to Berlin for the next appointment.

And in other news of the day... The Transport Accident Commission has covered the cost of that expensive Tas Ambulance bill from earlier this year. Roberts Real Estate in St Helens tell me that a number of people have inspected the rental property in Pyengana, the one Ben likes. No doubt they're keen to see an application lodged quickly.

I'm a bit of a mess but I'm still alive!

SMS: He listened to my brief story, asked alot of questions, did a muscle and an emg muscle test. He's taking my films to a conference. "Im a bit of a mess but im still alive!" made him smile. 1pm tmr next app. He said ppl complain abt waiting 1 week in germany... 

Specialist appointment.

Long corridors,
Helios (2010)

Today at 11am Berlin time (9pm our time), Ben has an appointment with Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Georg Hagemann, Chief Physician at HELIOS Hospital Berlin-Buch. The doctor lists many areas of expertise and we trust that he will be able to diagnose the problem(s) and provide treatment options. The best case result would be a clear diagnosis and some form of treatment, available immediately. The worst case would be an "I don't know" (though, in our experience, doctors rarely make that admission). The next to worst would be a referral to someone who wasn't available. Much depends on what happens today.

Late night update: First appointment went well, "Doc was great". Some tests done and another appointment at 1pm tomorrow. Sounds like a positive start.

Except for the kebab.

SMS's: I did too much yesterday and hurt myself! Resting today, bought a kebab, gna eat it so slowly savour each bite... don't worry im trying to spend as little as possible except for the kebab.

im a bit up and down but thats normal. Tell mum im doing well... Btw when is the appointment?

No snow yet. I hope doc helps. I get a bit confused but just meds.

Tryin to do my best.

Hotel Geissler, Berlin
(web image)

SMS's received in the early hours: Hi pa, test msg. Hope your doin well. Im still alive and kickin. Hows the search for accommodation goin? I do okay in the hotel room, painful when i venture out. Tryin to do my best.... hotel geissler only avail till this sat. Ill keep looking will update and check emails.

Late Wednesday update via email: Hotel geissler is available I booked til next wed and I can probably book longer. I'm functioning well , german air is good but food is too tempting.

Potato cake sandwiches.

Myrtle Park, Tasmania

On the way back to Launceston airport I stopped at Myrtle Park for lunch. When asked about vegetarian food options, the shopkeeper wasn't sure what to offer but, after some discussion, was happy to make two toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches for which he charged $5. As I paid, the shopkeeper remembered something. "My mates a vegetarian," he said. "He eats potato cake sandwiches." Next time I'll order one.


Postscript: Sincere thanks to the blog reader from Germany who contacted me through Facebook and offered to help Ben find accommodation.

Ben's in Berlin.

Ben left Launceston yesterday and, after an arduous 33 hour trip via Melbourne and London, arrived in Berlin at about 2pm (their time). He looked pretty tired even before the flight began and travelled with the aid of a recently-prescribed muscle relaxant that relieves symptoms but makes him look drowsy. He's staying at Pension Geissler, a single room bed-sit above a restaurant in Panketal, a suburb of Berlin. It's walking distance from the Helios Hospital in Berlin-Buch where he'll see a specialist in a few weeks time.

Helios Klinikum, Berlin Buch

He doesn't plan to stay in the bed-sit for long because it's expensive compared to other places. It was booked so that, on arrival, he had somewhere definite to go. In terms of the medical problems, the hope is that the specialist can make a definite diagnosis and propose a solution. Maybe it's a long shot but the situation was becoming hopeless and something had to be done. And rather than wait six months till a specialist in Tas could see him, the German specialist told us that he was away next week but could make an appointment for the following week. This is Ben's second visit to Berlin-Buch (pronounced 'book', by the way), having had an operation there in October 2010.

So, Ben's not in Tassie but I am... and that feels very strange.

If any blog readers in Germany can help with finding suitable accommodation, please let me know by posting a comment. (Comments are moderated and won't appear on the blog).

Little Plains Drifter.

(web image)

There's been plenty of behind-the-scenes activity these last few days which, among other things, has resulted in your blog author making a hastily planned fly/drive trip to Tasmania. Today I captured this remarkable footage of an impressive high-altitude camp site and its sole occupant. If you watch carefully, you can see the clothes line. And if you're wondering what he's holding, it's a tasty egg and salad sandwich from the Scottsdale Bakery. The campsite was packed up today because Ben's moving elsewhere for a while.

A leap of faith?

SMS received 4:33pm: Late Jan. One way would be good but price isn't much different. I should be OK on clothes. Here it comes dad, the final frontier. Let's see how our story concludes...

Place to stay?

Campsites have become increasingly remote with fewer and now no facilities at all. It's a long ride to a shower or a laundry and there's always a risk when leaving expensive camping gear on site. The room at Weldborough has been useful but mostly for storage. The house itself, while comfortable, doesn't have basic facilities like a shower or proper toilet and the owner smokes quite alot. Ben's spotted a place near Pyengana that he could rent. The timber house is sited a few hundred metres off the main highway and on a southerly slope, above the valley floor where the cold air and smoke usually sits. It's in the state forest with just one house nearby. The pics look reasonable but most rooms have carpet which could be a concern and there are no photos of bedrooms, bathroom or laundry. It's still worth considering and Ben will make an appointment to inspect the property next week.
Ben's in St Helen's today and buying some prescription medicine to help relieve his symptoms. Only six weeks ago he was feeling invincible; running along bush tracks and attending taekwondo training. And before that he was sailing, fossicking and fishing. Let's hope the problems can be sorted out soon and he can become invincible again.

Air is fresher after rain.



(web image)

Ben spent the night camped in persistent rain near Little Plains lookout. It's fair to say that he's been feeling 'pretty ordinary' (euphamism for 'miserable') for a while. Recurrent headaches and neckpain are wearing him down. We're even contemplating jumping back onto the 'doctor–referral–specialist–diagnostic imaging–pathology–specialist again–don't like specialist–ask around and research–back to doctor–another specialist–more investigation–eventually something good might happen' merry-go-round. Looks promising from a distance but it's not all that 'merry' when you're on it!

Postscript: ABC news story a few days later, Man with cancer waits over a year for a test. That merry-go-round is well and truly broken!

Ambulance bill.

Unexpectedly a bill just arrived in the mail. It's for Ambulance Services used on 7th March when Ben was transported less than 1km from the accident scene in Quail St to St Helen's District Hospital. The amount due is $765!  A phone call to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), who issued the bill, was referred to Ambulance Tasmania who would have referred us to the Motor Accidents Insurance Board (MAIB) except for the fact that the bike was registered in Victoria so we were referred instead to the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) where an initial claim was lodged. Ben will not have to pay anything because, eventually, after paperwork is completed and certified, TAC will pay DHHS who will pay Ambulance Tasmania.

Spiral creations.

Two items of jewelry arrived in the post today; a gold ring with a topaz gemstone and a silver pendant also featuring a topaz gemstone. The stones were found by Ben in the rivers of the north east, cut by Lambert Industries in Thailand and then crafted into jewelry by Spiral Creations in St Helens on the east coast. The pieces are now proudly worn by their new owners. (The photo is a bit fuzzy, it's surprisingly difficult to photograph jewelry.)

Health is such a puzzle.

Berlin, October 2010.

Ben's back in the north-east and settling in gradually. Health is such a puzzle because there are so many possibilities and it's difficult to find conclusive evidence. Experts work within their specialty and it's rare that any admit that they simply don't know. Thus far, the expected gains of each medical intervention have always been accompanied by unexpected consequences. He lost faith in experts some time ago and managed as well as possible. The trip to the mainland was a setback in some ways, now he's looking for experts again.

It's warm today, 28°C in Derby and 29°C in St Helens.

Friendly Beaches.

Ben's camped at Friendly Beaches near Bicheno and thinks it will take some time to get back to where he was one month ago, healthwise that is.

Small part causes big problems.

The little Honda is running well and very economically too. The bike swap happened just in time because the Ducati needed $450 of repairs today with more maintenance booked in a month's time. The various problems of the past few weeks were probably due a failing electrical part in the ignition which stopped working completely yesterday. In the end, the two-cylinder bike was only running on one cylinder which made for an interesting ride to Brad the Bike Boy's workshop in Oakleigh. It's a little surprising that, in a state as small as Tasmania, the bike (and Ben) have managed to travel 20,000km in the last six months but that's why the steering and suspension are worn and need further work.

While watching the mechanic for over three hours, it was obvious that there was no way I could have diagnosed and fixed that problem by myself. Sometimes it's necessary to get help, even though it costs. Finding people with the right expertise (and attitude) is not a simple matter and, in the case of the unhealthy motorbike, it was a combination of some online research, asking around and a good dose of luck. For now, the red Ducati can power along quite nicely; at unknown speed since the speedo isn't fixed yet. If you find that you can't fix something yourself, it's worthwhile to keep searching for those with the skills and knowledge who can help.

Ben's in Tassie.

We swapped bikes on Wednesday, trading the repaired VTR 250 for the recently-problematic Ducati. The word 'swap' sounds delightfully simple yet the actual logistics involved trailer hire, a solo attempt at riding a bike up a ramp that resulted in another dent in the tank and a sore back, followed by a 500+km round trip to Lima East and back. By the time I arrived late in the afternoon, Ben was packed and ready leave the farm immediately. We had dinner in the Lakeside Hotel at Bonnie Doon and, in darkness, just after Yarck, he turned east towards Alexandra while I continued south towards home. He stayed near Lake Eildon that night and spent Thursday night camped off a bush track near Warburton.

It was after 2pm on Friday when Ben got a phone call from the Spirit of Tasmania telling him that there'd been a cancellation for that night. At the time, he'd got as far as Warragul and was riding south hoping to find a nice beach. At 4.30pm Tess and I were at Station Pier when he rode in, tired and grubby after contending with strong northerly winds and a low-powered, heavily loaded motorbike. Twenty minutes later a huge thunderstorm broke over the city and rain bucketed down. With the bike safely sheltered, we retired to D'lish Fish for a meal.

At 6.15pm he said bye, got on the bike and rode away as if he was already somewhere else. Ben returns to Tassie, and so does the VTR 250 in circumstances that couldn't be imagined back in May. The red Ducati sits in the Doublecheck Auto and Bike Repair shop. Will the bike ever return to Tasmania? Stay tuned.

Late night postscript: SMS received from Vietnam. air pretty bad in Saigon... can't wait to get home... stay in room with air conditioner all day all night... pretty hot. It's such a good thing that Ben didn't go.

Unlike Icarus.

Back on the mainland Ben enjoyed the warmer climate after the winter cold of Tas. He caught up with one of his mates in Melbourne and then headed up to our house at Lima East, near Swanpool in NE Victoria. Perhaps it was the occasional hot days, the initial ride in traffic fumes, dust in the air, rye grass growing green and tall at the farm, or some other unknown cause but, after a while, breathing deteriorated, pain returned and sleep became difficult, just as it was a year ago. Adding to the woes, the mostly-reliable motorbike had fuel problems; refusing to start and leaving him with no transport. Days wore on becoming increasingly uncomfortable and any feelings of wellness vanished. It seemed that nine months of gains had been undone in just a few weeks. There was no choice but to abandon the overseas trip and other plans made when in good health.

SMS: The wind blows one way and I freak out, changes direction and I feel better... Sorry about panicking sometimes. Call me Dr Jeckyl or Mr Hyde depending on the day. I've learnt alot from this trip. I'm happy and capable in Tas so I'll stay there and be weird (but happy). Burnt my wings a bit being overly unnecessarily ambitious. But unlike Icarus my fall will be soft. I'll see a doc once I'm there maybe I'll sort this thing out for certain but no rush....

The plans weren't all that ambitious but he just wasn't well enough. Unable to stay in Melbourne, the final choice was to go back to Tassie however the boat was fully booked till the 8th November with no room for a motorbike and no cabins or seats available. After phoning each day, checking for cancellations, a bunk in a shared cabin and a vehicle space became available. Ben's heading back to Tassie on the boat this Saturday. Life goes on and the story continues...

Ben's no longer in Tassie.

Ben's no longer in Tassie and thus the story concludes with this, the final post.

Station Pier. 12 October 2011, 7am.

Two hundred and sixty days.

Scanning the horizon.

Ben's been in Tassie for two hundred and sixty days. Today he rides a fully-loaded bike from Launceston to Devonport, boards the boat and sails overnight back to Melbourne. The bike couldn't carry all his belongings; there are items left behind in Weldborough, stored in a spare room thanks to the generosity of one of the locals. So, did he find clean air? The answer is 'yes', however Tasmanians frequently spoil it with wood smoke. Did his health improve? That's a clear 'yes', the difference between a year ago and now is wonderful to see. What happens next? Ben will stay at "the farm", near Benalla, and then accompany mum on a trip to Vietnam. That's as far as the event horizon goes and timeframes are uncertain. Will Ben return to Tasmania? Maybe. It's certainly a great place but he tells me that there are other great places to be discovered.

Taekwondo training.

Ben returned to collect the ATM card from Weldborough with only $14 of loose change in his pocket, just enough to buy fuel. Fortunately, the card had arrived while the pin number, sent separately, is due in a few days. He attended taekwondo training* at Longford yesterday and will attend another session at Bridport tonight, followed by a 50km ride up and over The Sideling to the new campsite at Myrtle Park where he's paid to stay for a week. Ben reports that the training is fun and a good way to improve fitness.

* It's a while ago now but, for a few years up to age 13, our traveller (and his sister) used to attend taekwondo training every week, mostly with Tigers Taekwondo club. They worked through the gradings achieving 'red belt' level (one below black belt), took part in state competitions and were members of the Victorian state team for national championships held on the Gold Coast. That was before virtual sports like computer games consumed the spare time.

ADF

Initial interview today 11.30, the first of several steps. The outcome could be one of three possibilities: proceed to next step; come back in 12 months; or the applicant is unsuitable due to aptitude, medical or other reasons.

Afternoon update: The result of the four hour interview is 'proceed to next step' which is a fitness test involving running, push ups and sit ups. Training may be needed to get to the required level of fitness.

Camped tonight at Myrtle Park. Ben's campsite has two neighbours: one is a highly-decorated (presumably medals and not tattoos) former navy diver who likes to tell stories, the other is a drunkard who claims to have a million dollars that will fortuitously come his way in the new year.

The compass pictured, like all compasses, points north. Ben's contemplating a return to the mainland sometime; perhaps a stay at Benalla and then travels further north into warmer climates.

Tess in Tas.

Fashion.

Food.

Folks,
Doug & dog,
two of the locals.

The three-night visit, flying in and out of Launceston, went well. Accommodation at the Weldborough Hotel was comfortable (and economical) with one night spent in a hotel room and two in the miner's cottage. Tess got plenty of driving practice on the winding roads between Launceston, Weldborough and St Helens. We had many meals at the hotel and also ate at the Pub in the Paddock, Holy Cow Cafe (both at Pyengana) and the Blue Boat in St Helens. Local beverages like beers and ciders were sampled. Visits to local sites included St Columba Falls, Lottah and the Blue Tier (via a very rough road, our fault for driving around the "Road Closed" sign), St Helens and the Bay of Fires where the fishing was fun but unsuccessful. She met some of the interesting individuals who live in the small town of Weldborough. The "red back" work boots turned out to be a very good purchase and brought a sense of fashionable style that's lacking in Tas.

Ben shopped in Launceston today and now has an extra-long sleeping bag that he can actually fit into and a new tent that's slightly larger than the damaged tent. Replacing the stolen and damaged gear cost over $1000, good quality camping  gear isn't cheap. Lesson learned and he has to be more careful about camping in remote locations. The plan is to stay somewhere near Launceston tonight, perhaps 30km away at Myrtle Park where facilities are good and camping costs a mere $3 per night. He's got an employment/career interview tomorrow in Launceston.

Hoods robbin!

The campsite.

The small campsite in the forest at Maa Mon Chin picnic ground has been raided. The Denali sleeping bag and expensive sleeping mats have been stolen. The two-person tent has been deliberately damaged. By an unfortunate coincidence, the ATM card was misplaced a few days ago and there's limited cash till a replacement card arrives. There have been many helpful people in Tas and this is the first unpleasant incident although a scan of the local papers demonstrates that it's not all sweetness and light down there. There are sketchy details of a suspect but not enough detail to make a report. In the meantime, the Paddy Pallin shop in Launceston is open today and they'll allow Ben to purchase using my card details.

update: Purchased two sleeping mats from the bargain bin. Camped the night near Moorina however the old sleeping bags aren't warm enough so back to Launceston tomorrow for the final day of the "40% off sale" at Paddy Pallin.

Visitors return to the mainland.

Sibling at the Sideling
on a fine morning.

Uncut gemstones.

Leaning on trees in
the Myrtle forest.

Spotting platypus at
the new campsite.

Local house, Weldborough.

Bowman outside
the kitchen.

Enthroned on the front porch.

Wall decorations.

Hand-carved furniture.

Cafe meal;
steak, chicken, veg pie.

Dairy cows on
the road, Pyengana.

Cheesy rider,
Weldborough.

Sunset on the Blue Tier.

Breakfast at the
miners hut.

Lego Mindstorms,
walking machine.

Learning to fish,
Bay of Fires.

Fishing, Bay of Fires.

Using the mobile,
Little Plains lookout.

Testing the running shoes.

Servicing the Ducati
in a thunderstorm.

At Ironhouse Brewery.