Treasurable Memories from Tasmania

  

It was almost time to book the cab. The last few moments before leaving home were crucial. If we had forgotten to pack something essential, this was the time to grab it and cram it into our overstuffed bags. Within our minds, we ran through the list of things we needed for our trip and recalled whether we had taken them. Once satisfied, we booked the cab, slung our bags and waited outside our apartment. 

      

The Uber cab driver seemed clueless about the route to Central Station, one of the most prominent spots in Sydney. We wouldn't have reached the station on time, had Subha, my husband not followed the directions in Google Map. After reaching the station, we didn't have to wait long for the train. We were hungry by the time we boarded the train and settled in our seats. So, we waited eagerly for the pantry to open. Once it did, we were happy to find it had the option of an Indian meal. Comprising of rice, dal with boiled beans and butter chicken with a brownish gravy, it was surprisingly tasty. After dinner Phutphuti shut her eyes and tried to sleep. Subha and me got glasses of rose wine from the pantry. We watched the dark silhouettes of shops and establishments sweep by outside the window while sipping on the wine, resting our feet on the foot rest which could be raised. However, none of us could slip into a deep slumber. The chairs, which could be slanted back by the press of a lever, were no match for a bed. The sleeper coaches had already been full when our booking was made. Although we couldn't sleep, we felt rejuvenated reclining in our chairs and imagining the wonderful experiences awaiting us the next day. Finally, we saw the sky lighten and the darkness dissolve into the colours of the rising sun; the dark masses looming over the railway track gaining their distinctiveness. The train was running one hour late. It was a matter of concern as there was only a two hour and fifteen minutes gap between it's scheduled arrival time in Melbourne and the cut-off time for boarding the ship at Geelong port. It would take more than an hour to travel from Melbourne to Geelong. Now, with the train running late, the gap had shrunk and we were apprehensive that if the train delayed further, we would miss the ship.

On reaching Melbourne, we rushed to the Taxi stand - Subha had checked the directions beforehand to avoid any delay. It was a tense ride to the Geelong port since the watch was fast ticking towards the cutoff time for boarding. On reaching the port, we saw the ship Spirit of Tasmania at once. It was huge and white, with many levels. It had parking space for those travelling to Tasmania with their cars. The area around the ship was barricaded and we craned our necks looking for the entrance for passengers like us - those without cars. On spotting a sort of a gate, we asked the cab driver to stop, paid and hurried towards it as fast as our heavy luggage would permit. It was only when we had come close to the gate that we saw the words "Only for Staff' written on it. In a panic, we turned around and saw that our cab was still waiting for us. We shouted through the gate, asking the two men inside about the way to the gate for passengers. One of them explained and we rushed to the cab as fast as we could and jumped inside. On reaching the correct entrance, we got down again and after walking a few more meters, we finally arrived at the check in point. Our hearts filled with gratitude for the cab driver who had waited for us when we got down for the first time instead of driving away to get more passengers. If we had to walk all the way from the Staff gate to the passengers' entrance, we might have missed the cut-off time. 

     

We had never sailed on a ship before. Boarding the ship was like alighting on a cloud - an experience that had only been in my dreams so long. We took the lift and found our way to the cabin. It was a tiny room with two narrow bunker beds facing each other. There was just enough gap between them to walk up to the window. The room had an attached washroom with the basic facilities. We sensed movement beneath our feet and understood that our ship had departed from the port. We looked out of the window, soothing our eyes in the blue expanse of water which seemed to rinse our sight off all the coarseness it had been subjected to through the years. The chicken sandwiches we had wolfed down in the train left no trace like a handful of grains sunk in the Pacific ocean surrounding us. After keeping our luggage and freshening ourselves, we took the lift to the ship's restaurant. Before indulging our taste buds, we wanted to feel the caress of the sea breeze. So, we nipped to the deck and were instantly smacked by the chilly winds. Shivering, we hurried into the refuge of our jackets and zipped them up to our chin. It was the first time we were having to put on warm clothes since mid November. White, feathery sprays trailed the ship and the land we had set out from diminished into a crease. The breeze enhanced our appetite and we walked away from the deck to step inside the restaurant.



There were no complementary meals. However, the prices were reasonable. The delicious food items were arranged in trays that were laid out in the manner of a buffet. But there was a difference. Unlike buffets, we did not have to pay for all the items. We were charged only for the ones we had taken on our plate. We piled our plates with hash browns, croissants and bacon. It was an altogether different experience crunching on the delicacies while letting our eyes swim across the waters of the ocean and imagining its calm blue surface roofing a world populated by a mind boggling variety of fishes and other aquatic creatures.

                               

Back in the cabin, I sprawled on the bed and read books, my leisure perfected by the comforting motion of the ship. I had brought two books -  Anima, a collection of poems by my friend Nabina Das and Kinnarer Bhayankar, a collection of four Bengali science fiction-horror novellas by Ronen Ghosh. Phutphuti spread out her drawing book, took out her pencils and crayons from her bag and drew pictures. Drawn by the mesmerizing ocean, we left our cabin again and wandered across the deck, climbing up and down the many levels of the ship. At lunch, we chomped on chicken lollipops, savored fried squids and long, finely-cut chips along with sips of white wine. There were mouthwatering deserts, too, in the form of soft velvety pastries and a thick brown chocolaty drink.   

      

      

     

It was 8 PM when the ship anchored at Davenport, Tasmania. Subha had booked a self-driven car. Before getting into the car, we took a last glance at the Spirit of Tasmania, which stood majestically, adorned with lights, against the darkening waters of the ocean. It was just a five minutes drive to the lodge. We had been informed there would be no staff at the lodge as it was Christmas Eve. The lodge consisted of a series of cottages. The key would be kept below the mat. We had asked for a few chicken sandwiches to be kept for dinner. The room was spic and span. There was a double bed, a single bed, a table, a chair and a cupboard. The sandwiches awaited us on the table. Inside the cupboard, there were plates, bowls, cutlery, cloth napkins and sachets of tea and coffee. We had bought a medium sized pizza from the ship guessing the sandwiches wouldn't be enough to douse our hunger. There was also an electric kettle. It was relaxing to have a hot cup of coffee after the long and eventful journey. We soon fell asleep.



The next day, before Nirjhorini woke up, we needed to arrange the gifts from 'Santa'. I fished out a safety pin from my purse. Subha used it to pin her socks to the curtain. The gifts were Toffees, stickers, a coloring book, a picture book and a card. We needed something to scribble Santa's message but were not carrying a pen. Though the hotel didn't have any staff on Christmas Day, we were aware there were other guests in other cottages. Subha knocked on the door of the cottage next to ours and to our delight, the guests not only lent us a pen, but also gifted a couple of candies. While the Toffees, candies and stickers could be tucked inside the sock, the two books and card had to be kept below it. After waking up and brushing her teeth, Nirjhorini hurried to the curtains and reached for the socks. We unfastened the safety pin and she buried her fingers into the socks, pulling out the candies, Toffees and stickers and smiling widely. Then her eyes fell on the coloring book and the picture book and her smile got wider. We put her presents in our luggage and got ready for out trip to Hobert.

      

We got into the rented car again and Subha started driving. The road was, as smooth as ever, making way for us like an inviting silk carpet. On either side, green fields gazed up at the clear blue sky spotted with a few cottony clouds here and there. Trees of medium height flanked cozy cottages with sloping roofs. As we entered the city of Hobert, we came across a magnificent lake, where different shades of blue had mingled to form a splendid palette for the eyes. The green bank was pocketed by tiny blue pools of water - same color as the lake. Overlooking the lake were the hills, with swathes of greenery and clusters of buildings. 

     

      

      

I was awed by the size and the grandeur of the hotel Subha had booked for our stay at Hobert. It seemed we had arrived at a huge palace, all decked up for Christmas. We took the lift to our room on the eighteenth floor and on entering it, we stood wonderstruck, just staring out of the glass wall facing the sea. We spent the evening, soaking in the beauty of the scene outside, the sights, the colours, the shades brimming in the cask of our senses. The water was striated with ripples, specked with yachts, and surrounded on three sides by the sloping land where trees and houses shared space harmoniously. We watched the sky and water change from blue to purple and orange. In Sydney, the sun sets at 8:30 PM in December. Here, at 9:40 PM, it descended on the horizon - a blazing semicircle - dappling the sky and the waters with orange and they glowed like the flames of fire till darkness drew everything under its thick veil.

     

The next morning, we trotted to the hotel dining area to enjoy the complementary breakfast. There were well-fried sausages, slices of bacon, scrumptious hash browns and fresh fruits as well. After the meal, we strolled in the compound overlooking the sea, skirted around the trees and shrubs, musing over their similarities or dissimilarities with the ones in India. We halted near the fountains to observe the white sprays and lazed about in the lawn till it was time to leave the hotel. Ensuring that we were not leaving behind any part of our belongings in the hotel room, we got into the car again. This time we set out for the Hobert airport from where we had to take the flight back to Sydney. We stopped twice on our way - the first time at Mt. Wellington, the second time at a Malaysian restaurant to have lunch.

      

     

As we approached Mt Wellington, the road got jammed with traffic just like it happens in India. Mt. Wellington was the highest point in the area in and around Hobert. There were steps to climb up and down the slopes. The place with teeming with tourists. We took the steps to arrive at the vantage point and gazed down. Blue ribbon like water bodies snaked through the land. Strips of land jutted into the water. The house making up the city of Hobert looked like white shingles on the sea shore, interspersed with drapes of dark green vegetation. Beyond all these, grey-blue ranges lay like folds of kerchief, the furthest one blending with the sky.

We drove to Hobert airport in the haze of our dream holiday, under the magical cloudless sky, through the smooth rainbow like bends of the flawless roads, past quaint cottages of fairytale charm and the sunshine gold tipped foliage. We handed over the rented car at a designed parking area before entering the airport and in another three hours comprising of the checking, waiting and flying time, we saw the city of Sydney glittering below us, its brightly illuminated high-rises like jewels lined up along the dark waves of the ocean.