Under Down Under
“Welcome to JetStar Airlines...wait, wait, wait! Let me guess! Hmm, you must be Scott and Lynn?”
“Well, yeah...how did you know? Are we late?”
“Oh, no. Our flight to Tasmania this evening only has 22 passengers.”
“Really? Why is it so empty?
“Don’t you know? Nobody goes to Tasmania.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, there’s nothing interesting down there. Anytime someone asks about flying to Tasmania, I tell them not to waste their money….I mean….not that you are wasting your money, (uncomfortable pause), but you’d be much better off flying to Melbourne.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, at least there’s some nightlife in Melbourne. We (pointing to the other gate-agents) can all fly to Tasmania for free, and none of us has ever gone.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Everyone knows Tasmania is full of Westies.”
“Really? What’s a Westy?”
“Oh, you know, someone who doesn’t even brush their hair.”
“You mean, like this?” Lynn holds up a strand of matted hair.
“Oh, no honey, much worse than that. And they just wear any old thing, and don’t care how they look.”
Looking down at the same clothes we have been wearing nearly every day for the past seven months, we ask, “You mean, like this?”
“Well, umm, sorta, but worse even. Okay, your flight will be boarding at Gate C4. I hope you find something to do down there. Maybe next time you can fly with us to the Gold Coast!”
Stumbling off to our gate, we look at each other, unsure of what just happened. Did the airline gate-agent just tell us we are wasting our money? Did he just say Tasmania is boring and horrible?
Well, we are here to report that Tasmania is not boring and horrible, and that we did not waste our money. In fact, Tasmania is just about the most beautiful and amazing place we have ever been.
The gate-agent did get one thing right however. Nobody goes to Tasmania. The beaches are postcard-perfect, and shockingly deserted. The mountain trails are gorgeous, and are totally empty. The most beautiful waterfall we have ever seen sits 10-minutes from a major highway, and yet no one is there. Twenty percent of the island is UNESCO protected wilderness. Major national parks have little or no road access. Tassie is pristine, wild, amazing, and uninhabited. Shunned by even the Australians themselves, Tasmania is one of the best-kept secrets in the world.
We still laugh about our misguided gate-agent. He is missing out on one of the world’s great gems right in his own backyard. He did do us a favor though. After all, its not every day you find out you are a Westy.
Enjoy the Eastern Tasmania Photo Gallery.
“Well, yeah...how did you know? Are we late?”
“Oh, no. Our flight to Tasmania this evening only has 22 passengers.”
“Really? Why is it so empty?
“Don’t you know? Nobody goes to Tasmania.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, there’s nothing interesting down there. Anytime someone asks about flying to Tasmania, I tell them not to waste their money….I mean….not that you are wasting your money, (uncomfortable pause), but you’d be much better off flying to Melbourne.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, at least there’s some nightlife in Melbourne. We (pointing to the other gate-agents) can all fly to Tasmania for free, and none of us has ever gone.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Everyone knows Tasmania is full of Westies.”
“Really? What’s a Westy?”
“Oh, you know, someone who doesn’t even brush their hair.”
“You mean, like this?” Lynn holds up a strand of matted hair.
“Oh, no honey, much worse than that. And they just wear any old thing, and don’t care how they look.”
Looking down at the same clothes we have been wearing nearly every day for the past seven months, we ask, “You mean, like this?”
“Well, umm, sorta, but worse even. Okay, your flight will be boarding at Gate C4. I hope you find something to do down there. Maybe next time you can fly with us to the Gold Coast!”
Stumbling off to our gate, we look at each other, unsure of what just happened. Did the airline gate-agent just tell us we are wasting our money? Did he just say Tasmania is boring and horrible?
Well, we are here to report that Tasmania is not boring and horrible, and that we did not waste our money. In fact, Tasmania is just about the most beautiful and amazing place we have ever been.
The gate-agent did get one thing right however. Nobody goes to Tasmania. The beaches are postcard-perfect, and shockingly deserted. The mountain trails are gorgeous, and are totally empty. The most beautiful waterfall we have ever seen sits 10-minutes from a major highway, and yet no one is there. Twenty percent of the island is UNESCO protected wilderness. Major national parks have little or no road access. Tassie is pristine, wild, amazing, and uninhabited. Shunned by even the Australians themselves, Tasmania is one of the best-kept secrets in the world.
We still laugh about our misguided gate-agent. He is missing out on one of the world’s great gems right in his own backyard. He did do us a favor though. After all, its not every day you find out you are a Westy.
Enjoy the Eastern Tasmania Photo Gallery.
posted by Scott and Lynn at 11:03 PM
Hey guys, Gareth here (Nicole Smith's husband). I've been checking in at your site every month or so, following your progress and living vicariously through your adventures. Sounds like you've been having a very exciting time, and fantastic photographs! Keep up the great blogging work, and sorry to have not written sooner.
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