It was back on the road again this morning. Unlike our previous days on the road, we didn’t have to contend with rain but instead had a thick mist that made driving such a pleasure (insert sarcasm). If my hands weren’t an indication of just how cold it was, the lack of visibility outside was. I was having flashbacks of watching Twilight with my then teenage son, and waiting for some ridiculous looking vampire to jump out of the mist.
With Miss Daisy back at the wheel, my normally cautious driving technique was thrown into steroid overdrive due to the mist. I got hubby to snap a photo, but it seriously doesn’t do the reality justice. Strangely enough, not far into the journey it just disappeared and the skies opened up to a beautiful blue.
Our first destination today was Deloraine, around a 40 minute drive. Deloraine had been recommended by a friend and I had expected something like Richmond or Ross. Although quite a sweet town, I didn’t find it had the same appeal as the other two. We strolled the river (me hoping to see a platypus, epic failure BTW), walked the Main Street (lots of things closed) then jumped back into the heated car.
Our next stop was Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm Cafe, a short 10 minute drive from Deloraine town centre. This place must be a popular haunt for the locals, as many of the tables were reserved and people were constantly coming and going. This was definitely a winner for a pit stop and I was glad we hadn’t eaten morning tea in Deloraine. Seated close to the log fire (considered bribing the grandmother and her two grandkids in front of it to move), I ordered my hot (extra hot) raspberry hot chocolate. This definitely didn’t disappoint. Given that it had been a whole two hours since breakfast, I couldn’t possibly go past a light snack. Opting for the sticky date pudding, I was presented with a masterpiece that had me considering if I would be able to fit in all of the other planned food stops for the day. I guess a visit to Ashgrove Cheese would now be out of the question.
Delicious food aside, I did experience a near ‘total humiliation’ experience when using the bathroom. Don’t fear, I’m not going to share a poop story. Thinking I had locked the toilet door, I pulled down my thermal pants (well and truly needed on this freezing day), and started relieving myself of the extra large cup of tea I had consumed before heading off this morning. I really need to reconsider how much fluid I intake on a road trip, especially as the bladder is starting to reach old age.
As I pondered the fabulous decision I had made stopping at this place (kudos to me), the toilet door started to slowly swing open. As if in sync, the door continued to open, footsteps could be heard walking down the hallway and I had to make the split decision to attempt to stop mid pee or risk scaring other patrons. Deciding that a reconnaissance mission might be to reach over and push the door shut, I was sorely disappointed by the lack of length in my arms. It appears that it isn’t only my legs that are vertically challenged. With no other option, one had to pray that the pelvic floor had recovered enough from childbirth (it was 24 years ago so I am guessing odds were reasonable) to enable me to hold what was left inside, lock the now fully open door and return to given activity. Urgent note to self: develop OCD obsession with locking public toilet doors in future. Hell, may as well implement the obsession at home so that it consolidates in my brain and risk of flashing privates is lessoned!
Having successfully just missed total humiliation (yes plan worked), we were back in the car to our next stop, Sheffield. As I drove, I wondered how on earth I was going to fit in the next ‘food’ must do, the bakery. I had watched a TV program that had ranted and raved about the bakery in Sheffield and how amazing their pies and cakes were. Not one to let 40 minutes between eating stop me, I was presented with the problem of choosing the pie. My heart was telling me go for the scallop pie, but my brain was opting for the venison Guinness pie. If only my heart had of reminded me of poor little Bambi playing in the fields, I would have been saved the highly disappointing experience. Let’s just say that I won’t be eating another Bambi pie any time soon. I was so looking forward to this bakery and both hubby and I were disappointed. We’ve been to so many marvellous bakeries across Tassie but this wasn’t one of them. We were even more disappointed when other lunch options later on came up (next pit stop).
Bakery aside, Sheffield is a very picturesque town. Known for being the city of murals, you can’t turn without seeing a wall with a unique painting. The backdrop of Mount Roland makes it even more picturesque. It wasn’t just the murals and mountains catching the eye during our visit. A shop display of what appeared to be naked Barbies pole dancing caused a ‘what the’ moment, as did the Christmas decorations.
Our next stop would have made the perfect lunch stop (stick kicking myself with my short legs), House of Anvers Chocolate Factory. Walking past the cafe, some amazing looking meals were being delivered to the lucky guests. Unfortunately for me, I was way too full from eating poor old Bambi to fit in the hot chocolate I had been planning on having.
Instead we wandered the garden and visited the tasting centre. Tight arse Tanya loves free taste testing and even with COVID, they were giving little (yes very, very small) bags of slithered chocolates. Now if I blinked I would have missed them being consumed, but it was enough to make me purchase something. Hubby opted for a bottle of the chocolate beer (hoping it is better than the chocolate wine we had in Japan) and I got a bag of snowdrops that had been recommended as to die for.
An unplanned stop this afternoon was Buttons Brewing in Ulverstone. Hubby loves his craft beers and on a recommendation we added it to the itinerary. Now who said this slightly ASD planner can’t make last minute changes? Since I was designated driver, I got the joy of having a soda water while hubby tried a four glass taster. Of course I needed to add some food to the visit so I ordered the chipotle chicken wings. This was probably a really silly idea for two reasons. One, hubby doesn’t like chicken wings so I would either have to eat them all myself or face the fact that it was going to be a waste of money. Two, I was still quite full from poor old Bambi so it was definitely going to be a waste of money. I managed six of the dozen or so that were delivered before surrendering defeat.
Taking the coast drive, we then headed down to Penguin. Strangely enough, Penguin appears to have an obsession with, you guessed it, penguins. No matter which direction you looked, you couldn’t miss a picture, form or shape of a penguin. A lovely beachside town, we visited the tourist must dos, the Big Penguin and the City Library Book Exchange, aka a replica police phone box, which I now know Dr Who named the TARDIS. Being a complete non spacey nerd, I thought it was a blue phone box. Hubby, in very nerd like fashion, explained the whole TARDIS bit and I walked away slightly more nerdy.
Arriving at our accomodation in Burnie, we decided on an easy night in with some take away chips and gravy (yes we are all class). In all honesty, it was so cold outside that the thought of finding somewhere more flash was in the too hard basket. Time will tell what our new accomodation has to offer as its freebies. At the moment it is offering a room that is reminiscent of a refrigerator. The heater has been cranked (seems to be doing very little) and although I called shotgun on the hot water bottle, a certain someone has claimed it. I don’t think it is his colour and he should really hand it over!
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