Discovering Van Diemen's Land and Us

I'm back. Three days of bliss behind me.

I had the most wonderful time. Truly wonderful. One of the best weekends I've ever had.

We arrived on Friday morning after a flawless flight, picked up our hire car and arrived in Hobart to sunshine and surprising warmth. We drove into North Hobart in search of good coffee and found it pretty quickly. We kept pinching ourselves that we were here. In Tasmania. With each other. For three whole days. It felt quite surreal.

Checking into our hotel, the receptionist told us we had to go to MONA, after being the 100th person to tell us that we had to do it, it became our first stop. We headed up to the winery/brewery/restaurant/art gallery and weren't disappointed. It is an incredible place and it's a must-see if you're ever in Hobart. The art wasn't really our cup of tea, but the architecture of the building that houses the art is mind-blowing. We walked around and soaked in the grandure of the whole place.

We then settled into a sunny spot in the wine bar for lunch and kept pinching ourselves again at where we were and how lucky we felt. Unfortunately, the menu was filled all types of delicious things I couldn't eat like terrine, salami and soft cheese. I joked the whole weekend that Tasmania was the island of delicious things I couldn't eat.

Lunch in the sun.

Pinot for him, mineral water for me.

After lunch, we headed to the cellar door so Skip could do some wine tasting. Don't feel too bad for me, cause just sitting there and soaking in the view was pretty spesh.

After quick trip back into town for a bevvy near the waterfront and some people watching. The weather was gorgeous. We then went home for a rest to gear up for dinner. Before we got there though, we took a wrong turn and literally ended up in the bush. I kid you not. A wrong turn in Hobart's CDB and 10 minutes later we were in the bush! I loved that! Ten minutes on a Friday in Sydney peak hour and you'd be lucky to be 100 metres up the road. Dinner was sensational. Think scallops, abalone, bouillabaise, all so good!

Saturday, after a lazy lie-in, we wandered round Salamanca Markets, Battery Point and headed up Mount Wellington, where we saw – SNOW! We were so excited, even if was just piddly little amount, it was still snow. We both fell in love with Battery Point and dreamt of what it'd be like to live there.

Seriously, how gorgeous are these homes?

Snow!

That night, we huddled into a little wine bar in Battery Point. Skip sipped red wine, I sipped mineral water and we talked. We listened to a jazz trio. We just enjoyed being together, chatting, not having to be anywhere, that day or the next. It's so long since we could just be together and enjoy each other's company without being 'mum' or 'dad'.  Just being us, not having to look at the clock to get back to a babysitter or worry about being tired the next day. Worry about schedules and what the kids need. Just enjoy each other's company.

We then headed down to Salamanca and found another wine and tapas bar where we ate delicious food, listened to some more live music and giggled at the couple next to us who were obviously on a blind date.

After a super long lie-in on Sunday morning, we headed to Meadowbank Estate for lunch. We used to live in Meadowbank in Sydney and drank Meadowbank Pinot Noir, so it was a must for us. Thankfully, the scenery was spectacular, we had a sunny table looking over vineyards down green hills to the river. The food was incredible. Tasmanian mussles and lamb. A verjuice and soda. Super yum!

We then ambled up the road to Richmond for a meander. Skip lived here as a kid and it's such a gorgeous, historic spot.

We then headed back for afternoon tea at Battery Point and then an afternoon siesta. Luxury to the max.

Meadobank Estate vineyards.

I didn't expect blossoms and blue skies in August, especially in Tassie.

Richmond on a sunny Sunday arvo.

That night we had fish and chips from the harbourfront and an early night in front of Underbelly.

It was so indulgent and lovely and wonderful to be able to eat, drink, relax. So different from everyday life. The best bits? Just being with Skip. Just the two of us. Laughing until there were tears. Talking about our lives without being interrupted. Remembering what it was like before kids. Reminding ourselves why we embarked on this whole marriage, kids thing in the first place. Just being us. That was so, so special. I tried to soak in every moment, so in the coming months when we're all tired, over it and wondering what the hell we're doing (and I know there will be plenty of those times) I could remember these moments. These moments of pure bliss. The whole weekend we kept saying to each other over and over: "I'm having such a good time!" And it really was. One of the best weekends of my life.

The only downside? Was that physically I wasn't great. Heavily pregnant and I'm really, really swollen – hands, feet, ankles face. It was painful and cumbersome, no matter how I tried to ignore it.

This morning,  packing up to leave was terribly sad. I couldn't help but wish it was Friday morning and we could do it all over again. I was afraid to speak unless I cried. It was hard to say goodbye to the weekend, goodbye to Hobart and goodbye to Skip, who's staying on for work. Knowing that we wouldn't get an opportunity like this again for a long, long, long time. 

I got myself to the airport. At security checkpoint, they made me take my boots off. I burst into tears, a combination of knowing I would struggle to take them off and they'd be almost impossible to squeeze back on my swollen feet, being cumbersomely pregnant as well as the emotion of going home. I sat there at Hobart airport on my own, sobbing, struggling to put my shoes on and carry my heavy bag. People shuffled embarrassed past me.

I pulled myself together and got home without a hitch. It was so good to see and squeeze the girls. I had missed them.

That's the end of that little chapter. Onto the next...

My poor attempt at trying to take a photo of us.