It snowed overnight. Just to prove that this wasn't a coincidence it snowed in the morning as well. I was entranced, I rarely see snow living as I do in a more habitable part of the planet. There was snow piled up on my correspondents car and the sight of it was so exciting that I briefly forgot how freaking cold it was.
But this led to an urgent consultation. Our journey today would take us down to Lake Pedder which was at the end of a long, winding road completely surrounded by wilderness (although Forestry Tasmania are doing their best to rectify that) and while Pedder itself was low enough that snow was unlikely to be an issue there it would be quite easy for the road to be cut. Our holiday was coming to an end, my correspondent and I reflected on the reaction that our co-workers would have if they were informed that we were stuck in the wilderness and unable to return to work on Monday. There were smiles, there were sniggers, there was outright laughter. Unfortunately my correspondent remembered she had children and dogs (for the sake of the children I shan't mention which she remembered first) and we decided that if the weather was iffy we should forgo Lake Pedder.
To get the latest news I contacted our accommodation at Lake Pedder. It will be fine they assured us, absolutely no problem at all. Please come and spend money. We decided to go and spend money. Along the way my correspondent mentioned Mount Field. The retired diplomat and I exchanged "here we go again" glances. Another place of beauty coincidentally ringed by bushwalks to take you into those parts of the wilderness that you obviously shouldn't be going because if you should be there would a road wouldn't there?
So we stopped at Mount Field. The weather and the need to get to Lake Pedder meant that we couldn't do any long bushwalks but my correspondent chivvied both of us into doing a reasonably brief walk along a creek to yet another waterfall. We could see water fall simply by looking out the car windows but apparently that wasn't good enough for my correspondent. So we went, we walked, we got wet. We saw the waterfall which was very pretty, it certainly wasn't short of water and headed back along the creek to our starting point. Along the way we came across some steps that led up to a steeper higher walk. My correspondent stopped and looked at us hopefully. The retired diplomat diplomatically retired. I realised this was my line in the sand moment. It was pissing rain and the visitors centre wasn't that far away.
"Have fun," I said and followed the retired diplomat along the path that led to warmth and comfort. As always whenever I was near any sort of flowing water (including bathtaps) I kept an eye out for a platypus. Not that I expected to see one. They are rare and retiring.
"Platypus!" shouted the retired diplomat. I thought she was joking. I stared but couldn't see it. Was this it? My chance to see a platypus gone? No, the retired diplomat pelted down the path at a speed quite dangerous for someone traversing a water sodden bushwalking track in high heeled boots, keeping pace with the platypus until she found a spot where I could look out over the water as well. And I saw it, just for a few seconds but a definite platypus making its way into its burrow beside the creek.
Have I ever mentioned how awesome the retired diplomat is? Her intelligence and charisma almost obscure her charm and good looks. The truth is I would never have seen the platypus without her eagle eye (my own eyes are more of the mole variety) and to see a platypus in the wild is something a bit special. I texted my correspondent a little (ok a lot) smugly to inform her. She hid her disappointment well and very kindly didn't point out that she had seen one just going for a walk in the bush near her home, she even took video of it which I didn't have the opportunity to do. You're just going to have to take my word for it. I floated back to the visitors centre on Cloud 9 and once there expiated the gods by purchasing a fuzzy stuffed platypus toy to take home with me (like I wasn't going to do that anyway).
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