| ody"> | | | | voyage from hell and back. |
| When I left readers in Part Two of this odyssey | | | | Tasmania is the land of the Tasmanian devil, a vicious |
| around New Zealand and Australia, I was talking | | | | little rodent that eats carrion. The agricultural riches |
| about the zealous fruit police and canines in Zed. The | | | | seen in New Zealand were again in evidence on the |
| best way to see both countries is by a combination | | | | island. Rich farmland produces apples, potatoes and |
| of ship and bus tour. The cruise that we took can be | | | | grapes. A man from upstate New York said |
| replicated by similar cruises on Holland America, Royal | | | | Tasmania and New Zealand were just like where he |
| Caribbean, and Princess. | | | | came from, the land of appleknockers, hicks, and |
| As we left Zed's Picton headed across the Tasman | | | | hayseeds. |
| Sea, we gathered our thoughts about New Zealand. | | | | Our first stop in Tasmania was the city of Hobart |
| Much of the country is pastoral, orderly, and quite | | | | where we stayed overnight. The city has a very |
| pleasing to the eye. Traveling around by bus, you see | | | | attractive waterfront area lined with sidewalk cafes |
| tidy houses, huge herds of sheep and cattle, timber | | | | and restaurants, and a big Antarctic exhibit building. It |
| farms, very well utilized land, kiwi plots, wineries, | | | | has a pedestrian street in the shopping area, and late |
| graceful coves, brilliant flowers, fruit stands with the | | | | in afternoon it's loaded with school kids just like the |
| most glorious, juicy, crispy, and crunchy apples and | | | | malls in the States. The countryside outside of town |
| pears-everywhere a prosperous looking, lush and | | | | is comely and bus visits in and outside of town are |
| lavish countryside and a sturdy yeomanry. Or | | | | well worthwhile. |
| perhaps to be politically correct we should say | | | | We departed from Hobart at 5:00 a.m. and arrived in |
| yeofolks or yeoguys. | | | | Port Arthur at noon for a five hour visit. We took a |
| Even the dogs seem unusually happy and friendly. | | | | tender ashore. Port Arthur is a great historical site |
| One big, lovable honey-colored golden retriever | | | | but also a disturbing place to visit because of its |
| insisted on clambering aboard the bus with us, and I | | | | melancholy past. |
| think he would be in the States with me now, by my | | | | In the 1780's England started transporting its criminal |
| side, if his mistress hadn't dragged him away. An | | | | element to Australia. Port Arthur started as a timber |
| American urban pit bull would become seriously | | | | station in 1830 and during the 1830's it began serving |
| dysfunctional and neurotic in Zed as would his master. | | | | as a penal colony, often for Australia's harder cases. |
| Oddities showed up: we saw deer and ostrich | | | | It was closed down as a prison in 1877 and over |
| farming. The people were very wary of betting the | | | | time became a tourist attraction. |
| family farm on sheep alone. Prices for lamb meat and | | | | It sits in beautiful bay; it's a very attractive, sylvan |
| wool products have had a tendency to dip | | | | place with green fields. On the slopes around the bay |
| precariously and often. One sees horses wearing | | | | are the old brick buildings, some restored and some |
| blankets in the blazing sun to protect them from the | | | | merely ruins. You see the old prison cell blocks, the |
| powerful rays of the sun which get through the very | | | | chapel, a house for a lone political prisoner, little |
| thin ozone layer in that part of the world. Small | | | | cottages for officials, the governor's house, and a |
| children wear desert type hats which have long | | | | number of other buildings which serviced the |
| hoods on the sides and the back to protect them | | | | community. |
| from the murderous sun. | | | | It resembles a college campus that no longer is in |
| The people seemed to be drifting away from their | | | | use-a beauty of a place, but a beauty with an edge |
| British customs and traditions, forging their own | | | | to it, because over ten thousand inmates had been |
| identity distinct from Britain's or America's, sort of a | | | | confined there over the years. Tranquil, well kept up |
| neo-Asian blend of various strands including | | | | with lawns cut, bushes trimmed, it's a delight to the |
| Polynesian, and an Anglo-Saxon Orientalism. The | | | | eye. |
| people were far more aware of Asian trends and | | | | There's an exhibit building that depicts life in the penal |
| economic realities than the American tourists were. | | | | colony. One small cellblock was for the worst |
| They were more attuned to the economic headlines | | | | offenders, where they were subjected to |
| coming out of Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Beijing than | | | | psychological punishment in a dehumanizing, |
| they were of financial news of New York and | | | | demeaning atmosphere. In the so-called "Separate |
| London. | | | | Prison" prisoners wore hoods and their keepers wore |
| One night at a bar on the ship crossing the Tasman | | | | horrific masks at times and an order of silence was |
| Sea, I was talking to a retired Aussie naval officer | | | | imposed. Some of the horrific masks can be seen in |
| from Darwin on the northern tip of Australia. He | | | | the museum on the grounds. |
| expressed very genuine fears about mainland China's | | | | On April 28, 1996, in this of all places, a deranged |
| long-term expansionary ambitions and said there was | | | | man went on a killing rampage in the town and in the |
| a real fear in Australia among many about China as a | | | | surrounding area; he ended up murdering thirty-five |
| military threat as well as an economic one. | | | | people. It's almost a fitting place for a mad gunman |
| I was ready to dismiss his misgivings as the result of | | | | to choose for a modern desecration, a former |
| the scotch he was imbibing until a retired officer from | | | | hard-time prison, because no matter what the |
| the Kiwi forces seconded his opinions and said that | | | | present beauty of the place, it has a haunted feeling |
| there was also a faction in New Zealand that saw | | | | of the ghosts of prisoners. None ever escaped from |
| China's one billion and growing population as a bona | | | | the prison and lived; bodies would be found later in |
| fide threat. Incidentally both countries have tightened | | | | the woods. The forlorn boys' prison and graveyard |
| their immigration policies considerably. Even though | | | | sits accusingly on a little island out in the harbor. |
| both could sustain larger populations, they have no | | | | After the visit most tourists feel more somber and |
| intention of doing so. | | | | reflective because through the guides and museum |
| Both New Zealanders and Aussies go completely mad | | | | and the "Port Arthur Experience" they come to |
| over rugby, cricket, and soccer-football and love to | | | | realize how tragic were the lives of the inmates. It is |
| gamble. The electronic poker machines you see in all | | | | difficult to imagine such a peaceful and relaxing place |
| the pubs are called pokies. | | | | having such a sad past. You will find an outstanding |
| Our ship took off from Picton in New Zealand for | | | | website for the site at portarthur.org. |
| Tasmania, the island off the southeastern tip of | | | | Our last stop in Tasmania was Devonport on the |
| Australia. The three days on the Tasman Sea | | | | island's north coast. It has interesting tourist |
| exposed us to very rough swells with much pitching | | | | attractions including a narrow gauge railroad, a |
| and heaving, rocking and rolling, tossing and turning | | | | maritime museum, and an aborigine center. Ferries |
| and considerable barfing by most of the passengers | | | | take off from here for Melbourne, Australia, though |
| and a goodly number of the crew. It was to have | | | | we stayed aboard our cruise ship for the trip to one |
| been a placid, restful interlude in a busy schedule of | | | | of the Down Under's largest cities. |
| sightseeing, but it turned out to be for many, the | | | | |