Silver Gypsy: Soft Skies

The evenings are gentle at the moment - with soft skies and light breezes. The days have been fine and hot. I find it interesting how much bite there is in the sun even if the temperatures are only in the mid twenties.

Since I parted company with Shannon, Ros and Andrew, I went to Devonport and Launceston. I got to a Toastmasters meeting in each place and then found an unobtrusive street to park in. By the time a meeting finishes, it is too late to go searching and cars are already parked in the suburbs. It is easy to blend in. I spent some time in Lanuceston trying to find someone to repair my camera which I dropped and broke. Actually I took a flying fall on the bitumen in the traffic in the middle of a town, scraping knees, ankles and palms, ripping my jeans and wrecking my new camera. I have left it with a camera store in Hobart and will know tomorrow if it can be fixed.

I wandered down through some lovely little towns stopping at Campbell Town, Westbury and Ross.The Solos rally is at Campbell Town so I had a quick look around. I came across Cathy who left us in Cooee and was doing some work at the rally site. Each town seems to have a drawcard of some sort.

In Westbury I followed the whole of the Silhouette trail where historical figures are featured in metal carved panels.A useful little information brochure with a map was available at each site and they were very easy to find. That is not always the case. Some of the hidden treasures of a town remain hidden, even with a map.

Ellen Nora Payne - wood carver and sculptor

The Irish Immigrants

Sir Walter Lee, wheelwright, lay preacher, state premier

Other silhouettes are of cricketer Jack Badcock (who toured England with Don Bradman), John Peyton Jones (magistrate and mayor), the Fitzpatrick sisters (innkeepers for more than 50 years), Frank Mehegan (shopkeeper, soldier and humanitarian), and Father James Hogan (priest in Westbury for more than 50 years).

One town I will definitely return to is Ross. It is a quirky, arty place with oodles of character, quaint colonial cottages and historical buildings, including an interesting bridge built and carved by convicts. As I only stopped there for coffee on the way through, I have a lot of exploring to do. I had a long chat with one of the local ladies who saw me arrive. She asked if I was the Silver Gypsy and we found plenty to talk about - past, present and future travels. Two women at the adjoining table joined our conversation and I passed a pleasant hour in their company.

I have had a couple of days with Red Hatter Zudi in Hobart. I was amazed that I could fit my van in under her carport. I think everyone in the village watched me reverse in so, after the first time, knowing that I had plenty of room, I just drove in and spoiled their sideshow. This is the third time I have spent some time with Zudi. She is a lovely fuss-free host. She invited her Red Hat Queen, Janine, for dinner one night. Janine does a little bit of solo travel and has great plans for more travel soon.

On Monday or Tuesday, I will go and spend time with Sue and John (friends, Toastmasters and fellow travellers) at Sorrell. Before then, I decided to drive to Pontville where the CMCA rally will be held in March. The rally managers, Trish and Peter, are here on yet another planning trip, along with Chris and Boorynne, Shirley and Frank and another couple who seem to be out and about most of the day. I have met Error briefly but not Eileen. We have just had a lovely guitar-accompanied happy hour with Michael (?) and Laurie who have been our musical technicians at the last couple of rallies.