■ Spring snow at Mt. Wellington
I visited at the end of October, which is spring in this hemisphere. The sun was already strong in Sydney, to the point that I was walking around in short sleeves. But the moment I set foot in Tasmania, everything changed. I had heard it could be cold, but I didn’t think much of it as it was already October. Yet it was ten degrees colder there than in Sydney—so chilly that I couldn’t get by without my UNIQLO technical clothing layers.
Driving up the winding road leading from Hobart to the top of Mt. Wellington felt like stepping into another world. A fierce wind lashed my cheeks and roared in my ears. As I started leaning into the gale to try to keep from being knocked over, I saw something fluffy and white being carried by the wind. Snow!
I never thought I’d see snow in Australia, especially so close to summer, so along with my shock, I felt a kind of pleasant warmth spread through my chest. Standing on top of a mountain with snow swirling around me felt surreal, and even though I’m usually sensitive to the cold, I couldn’t help but cry out with delight at the sight.
Unfortunately, the bad weather that day socked in the view with thick clouds, so I wasn’t able to see anything. Still, the experience of being almost completely blinded in a white world of wind and snow gave me a completely different sense of being enveloped in nature that is permanently etched in my mind. I was reminded yet again that part of Tasmania’s charm comes from being at the mercy of nature.
■ Rabbits and baby goats at my friend’s house
In the latter half of my trip, I visited my friend who lives in Tasmania at her quiet home set a bit apart from the city, with a spacious garden that was quite memorable. The minute I stepped into it, dozens of rabbits caught my eye. And as I walked deeper in, there were adorable baby goats frolicking around as well!
I’d never seen baby goats up close or been able to touch them, so I couldn’t help but get excited. They didn’t even mind being picked up—they were actually sweet and cuddly. One tried to bite my hair when I was holding it, which caused me to burst out laughing. My heart just melted at their innocence.
They all had incredibly unique names—cocoa, mocha, black… and I learned that they had all been named after coffee. Just calling out their names felt like reading a café menu out loud. And their little faces charmed me to no end.
In Tasmania, spending time alongside animals and in nature is a normal part of everyday life. My friend also encouraged me to stop into a café at a nearby farmhouse, famous for its delicious hot chocolate. Which of course I had to order. I’d actually never had hot chocolate in Japan, but I figured I should experience something new being abroad. Sipping it while relaxing and enjoying the scenery felt like a luxury I never could have enjoyed in the city.
Traveling allows you to quiet yourself enough to hear the voice of nature. The wind and snow on Mt. Wellington, playing with the animals at my friend’s house… they’re not flashy experiences by any means, but they quietly became lodged deep in my heart. My trip to Tasmania certainly put me in touch with the richness and abundance of nature. In my next post, I’ll write about a bakery from "Kiki’s Delivery Service"!
