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Overland Track: A Journey Through the Tasmanian Wilderness

Record a story about wilderness and travel...

By Sinovita Published 2 years ago 4 min read
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"When you go out there you don't get away from it all, you get back to it all. You come home to what's important. You come home to yourself."

-Peter Dombrovskis

Return to yourself, return to the original intention, this is my favorite sentence printed on the Overland Track roadmap. Six days and five nights, 65 kilometers, one person traveled through the Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park in the Tasmanian wilderness, giving myself a challenge to my 30s. Walking all the way down, at the end of Narcissus Pier, in retrospect, it was completely unexpected and full of emotion. It's like at the end of every trip, when you think you're grabbing something you don't normally feel, and you end up having nothing to say. More, it is just a kind of tranquility after spending a few days with nature, and a satisfaction after a successful challenge. After all, I still have to return to life. Those mountains and forests cannot share my troubles, they can only teach me to be strong and make me more determined on the long road of life.

Why Overland Track? Landing in the heart of Tasmania on my first trip to Australia is by no means an easy trip. Perhaps because of Tasmania's wilderness temperament, OT is named as one of the top ten hiking routes in the world, because of the yearning for the magical land of Australia since childhood, or it may just be because of its own mystery in the far southern hemisphere. Fortunately, I had the experience of hiking in the wilderness of northern Sweden before, and this time the weather was too good to be normal, so I finished the whole journey smoothly. And because the hiking in the peak season must be reserved in advance, basically as long as you follow the official recommended itinerary, you will always encounter few but stable companions along the way, even if you walk alone, it is relatively safe.

The first day of the journey will start with the delay of the Tasmania cruise ship. After a rare delay of a few hours for an overnight cruise from Melbourne, it is inevitable to miss the bus from Devonport to Cradle Mountain National Park. Because of the delay in the morning, the original plan to reach the top of Cradle Mountain can only choose to skip. At the start of Ronny Creek, after a lot of entanglement, in order to pursue the classic angle of Cradle Mountain, I decided to turn to Dove Lake to start the atypical Overland Track starting point. Although the tourists in Pigeon Lake are a little crowded, such a beautiful scenery should not be missed, and after enjoying the beautiful scenery, there is indeed more motivation to start the next climb. That section is known as the most difficult climbing section of the whole line. In order to climb up Marion's Lookout, both hands and feet are used.

A night in the Tasmanian moor, I was half asleep until dawn. The morning sun disappeared for a long time, and the morning fog became the protagonist of the changes. I was enjoying the sight of Barn Bluff looming out of the window while preparing breakfast. In the next few days, preparing breakfast became the most pleasant time of the day, with oatmeal and instant coffee and a lot of morning light to enjoy. Before departure, I also encountered a Wallaby, basking in the sun, completely ignoring the people coming and going on the plank road.

Then I took a dip in Windermere lake. The cool water temperature with the warmth of the sun just relieved the fatigue of the past few days. Since then, Windermere has become my favorite. I must recommend people who go to OT in the future, don't miss this place. In addition, Windermere has some of the best campsites on the line, especially the ones facing the Barn Bluff Plains. Most of the campsites on the OT line are neat wooden platforms. Although it is a bit hard to lie down, it is indeed a lot more convenient, and it is also a good protection for the surrounding vegetation.

In a blink of an eye, the journey was almost over. After the next stop, Windy Ridge, there is a smooth road leading to Narcissus Pier. Some people will choose to skip Windy Ridge Hut and go directly to the pier, where they will spend the last night before the ferry, while others will take a leisurely journey from Narcissus Pier made his final walk along the shores of Lake St. Clair. As far as I am concerned, although there were countless plans before the trip, including the idea of a hidden branch all the way to Pine Valley, after weighing all the parties, I finally decided to follow the official suggested pace.

Some experiences will only accompany you silently, encouraging you when you are vulnerable, and giving you direction when you are confused. I believe that this trip to Overland Track will give me such support. People cannot live in their own rhythm of life forever. In addition to the beautiful scenery, I felt these unexpected beauty before the threshold of 30 years old. Isn't it the biggest gain of this trip? After all, the road map in the hut is also printed with John Muir's famous quote: In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.

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About the Creator

Sinovita

This is Sinovita! I have been freelance writing for more than 10 years. I love traveling and writing. I feel writing is a natural record of true feelings after serious life, and life is always a better script than a movie.

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