Travel Guides and Stories

Having lived in Sydney for a long time and facing a return to an even more bustling and lively city - Beijing, I desperately wanted to find a place far from worldly distractions to settle my mind. That's why Tasmania became my top choice. Tasmania is Australia's only island state, formerly known as Van Diemen's Land, located 240 kilometers southeast of mainland Australia. This triangular-shaped island covers 90,758 square kilometers, making it the smallest state by area. With a population of 493,000 (as of 2007), its capital is Hobart. Tasmania is Australia's best-preserved natural ecosystem, known as the "Natural State" and often called "Australia's New Zealand." Bruny Island, in particular, is nicknamed the "Apple Isle." Tasmania is characterized by its beautiful scenery and simple culture. Geographically isolated as an island, it has large undeveloped natural areas, with about 40% of the state officially designated as national parks, nature reserves, or World Heritage sites.

If the Sydney Opera House represents a milestone in Australian architecture, then Tasmania stands as Australia's most primitive and ancient historical witness. Here you'll find the world-renowned Salamanca Market (one of the world's four great markets), Australia's oldest brewery, its oldest prison (Port Arthur), and its oldest Catholic church (St. John's Church). The 19th-century European architecture is magnificent and grand, while the garden layouts reveal British royal style. Port Arthur, surrounded by water on three sides and covered in green grass, makes it hard for first-time visitors to imagine this resort-like place was once a prison. Port Arthur also became the foundation for Australia's gun control laws. Another historical witness is undoubtedly Ross Town. While Port Arthur displays royal grandeur, Ross Town chronicles the evolution of civilian life, with English-style cottages and wooden houses everywhere - though seeing Walls ice cream and Nestlé products in their freezers seems somewhat incongruous. But perhaps Tasmania's most distinctive feature is its islanders. When we visited an unknown resident's home on Bruny Island with a local guide, the hosts welcomed us so warmly that our initial awkwardness immediately vanished. The male host happily showed us around his estate, introducing each crop in detail, with various vegetables and fruits filling the courtyard. The hostess served her homemade jams and fruit wines. As we enjoyed the sweet-and-sour jam with vanilla ice cream and fragrant fruit wine, colorful robins and butterflies occasionally joined our gathering. We spent the entire afternoon in the open courtyard, savoring Tasmanian delicacies, breathing fresh air, experiencing the warm and simple local customs, with laughter constantly filling the air. This trip to Tasmania helped me bid farewell to Sydney's crowding and noise, and escape big city pollution. It settled my mind and washed away the restlessness that big cities bring. Moreover, it helped me forget my fatigue, recharge, and return to the crowded metropolis with renewed spirit.