Friday, April 8th

We're back from Hobart and I'm hard at work, making sure all the grass is mowed before we get away next weekend.  The mower was in for service and only came back last night.  Forgetting about Easter, I booked it in ages ago and then had to do without it during the long weekend.  

While in  Hobart, we took Nera to the top of Mt Wellington to see the panorama of Hobart.  It was a beautiful day and Nera couldn't believe how cold it was at the top of the mountain. It was surprising how many people were on the summit, all shivering in the freezing wind.  I parked between two other cars similar to mine, and there were another four or five in the carpark.  Is it a Mitsubishi Owners' Rally, I wondered, then realised they were all hire cars.  Apparently, we're in the midst of a tourist boom here in Tassie, driven by an influx from China.  Of course, all tourist providers are making hay while the sun shines and the Mitsubishi ASX is the hire car of choice.  (Good choice, too).

There was a tiny ship tied up at Macquarie Wharf and, as we drove down the narrow winding road from the mountain, it gradually got bigger and bigger and we realised it was a cruise ship.  The big red funnel identified it as the Carnival Legend on one of its last voyages before its return to the US in a few days.  Later, we saw a bus load of passengers from the ship wandering around Richmond, desperately buying Made in China Tasmanian souvenirs.

Great news from Nera.  She has passed her English Language pre-requisite for gaining Australian Nursing registration.  This whole process is a con.  Instead of sitting the test at the local University, Nera had to travel to Melbourne, pay accommodation and a stiff fee with no guarantee she would pass.  She met people there who were sitting for the third or fourth time, having to pay the full fee each time.  The system has been privatised and there is a built-in incentive for the providers to fail the candidate the first time around, knowing that they will have to come back with another few hundred dollars if they want to work in Australia.  This whole system of private colleges with contracts to 'train' overseas workers needs a shake-up.  The fees are exorbitant and students are being ripped off all over the country.  

Nera is now looking at her options and I think she will choose to study full-time for a better recognised qualification.  That will mean a move to Hobart or Melbourne and good luck to them.