Last night I heard all the animals whilst I was in the tent. So in tune with them all and the sounds, the rustling and noises, even heard a Tasmanian devil calling out in the night.
Today walking along the road presented it’s own new environment as the roads create an open space where you get the chance to spot animals easier including Kookaburras, some Lizards, Echidnas, Wallabies. Having seen so many snakes, mainly the White Lipped Black Snake I was beginning to think bundles of sticks were snakes and casually wandered along past a snake before looking back and seeing these ancient evil reptilian eyes following me, a bloody brazen poisonous Copperhead Snake stretched out eyeballing me, gave me chills down my spine.
Chatted with a human being for the first time in a week. The first people I’d seen, a family from Hobart on way to a picnic with their two young daughters. I saw them again an hour or so later along the dusty Florentine Road. Was nice to talk to people once more. They offered me a lift. I had to decline so they gave me some water and fruit for the journey. Nice to interact with people again.
Then as I was at the beginning of hiking up a steep hill I was stopped by Leonardo and Kayla in their van, we chatted as they offered me a lift, once again I refused and told them what I was doing. Leonardo instantly hands me a huge bag of dried fruits and nuts and tells me to take a few handfuls. We chat some more and they say they have heaps of water as if they knew that for the past half hour on the hottest day of my adventure I'd been scouring ponds and looking for any water to use for my lunch. They jumped out of the car and pulled open their boot, in which they had 70 litres of water, amazing timing and a great mood lifter.
A few hours later when I had paused for a moment to admire a collection of about 30 bee hives on the side of the road, a guy pulls over with his kid in the back and offers me a lift which I decline. 50 meters down the road he stops again and as I near him, he holds out a litre bottle of frozen water "fancy some frozen water mate?", haha, amazing "cheers mate" I respond as he drives off into the distance.
Wow, I’m humbled by the generosity I’ve received today, truly awesome and makes me proud to come from this spot in the world.
Have done about 36km so far and just hit the wall. Shattered. People in Tasmania are awesome.
Thanks for reading my journey - Taz
