Bob and I arrived early in Hobart, after a very pleasant evening in Ross, with dinner at the pub and more than a few cleanising ales (or pints of Guiness in this case) for Bob. The Motel, although looking from the outside as though it was trying a bit too hard, was great and very quiet.

Our room/apartment in Hobart wasn't ready, so we left the car there and wandered the kilometre or so to Salamanca Place where we had a good lunch in Drifters Internet Cafe (photos of Errol Fynn everywhere), of smoked salmon on bagels (Bob) and sandwiches (Me). The coffee wasn't bad either!

The Motel (Woolmer's Inn on Sandy Bay Rd) looked really good fromt he outside, although it failed to live up to expectations once we were inside. It was 25 years old, and very, very tired. The hot water was hot, but that was about it. In a rare Tasmanian heatwave (apparently the only three day stretch of weather over 30 degrees C in 30 years or something), the rooms were stiffling hot.

The most spectacular electical storm on Friday evening cut off the transmitters for SBS TV during the news and caused havoc most everywhere.

Saturday was a quietish day, Bob riding with the Tridents over the course in the morning, and going to registration and checking his bike in the afternoon. The weather was very humid and an unpleasant surprise for we inlandlubbers. I didn't get out for a run (again!), being busy in the morning, and finding it too disruptive in the afternoon.

A quiet meal of pasta for Bob and Soup for me before a better sleep than the previous night when we had no fan nor airflow in the room.

Hobart International Triathlon

It wasn't too early a start for the Tri on Sunday, and the water was relatively warm for Tasmania and the swim at Constitution Dock.

The tight bike course was 8 laps of a technical city route, with many U-turns and hill climbs. Having completed in the inaugural Hobart Triathlon in 2005, I positioned myself on the base of the sharp, short climb up Willmot Street, where I remember many people coming a cropper the previous years. With an out and back U-turn before hand, I was likely to see many people clearly as the passed three times each lap, and travelled fairly slowly up the ascent.

Before long, I struck up a conversation with a very genial race Marshall, Frances and we enjoyed each others complany between my calls of support to Bob and the other Canberrans as they rode past. After I assessed that Bob had completed his 8 laps, I made my way down to transition, a large shed on the pier, and positioned myself near the exit to the run where I knew one had to pass twice each lap.

It was a good location, and I saw Bob and his cute, choppy little running style easily as he made up ground on many other stronger runners and swimmers. It was difficult to tell what age groups others were in, But I cheered as loudly as I could.

At the end of the race, Bob was third in his last hurrah for the 55-59 age group. It was all very confusing, as he raced in the 60-64 age group in Canberra a few weeks ago (and was better in Hobart). There was widespread confusion, as we know of at least one other fellow, a few months older than Bob who was on the podium for the 60-64's!

We raced back to the motel, showered, and prepared to visit our friends Alan and Penny at their beach house for lunch.

The car wouldn't open electrically and was as dead as a dodo when we tried to start. Plans were reluctantly cancelled and we joined the other Canberra old folks for fish on the wharf before watching the elites race in the afternoon.

A frustrating morning spent ringing around the Subaru dealerships, roadside assistance, Automobile club and back again eventually got us started, although underway far too late. We are both looking forward to our holiday on the West Coast, and I am anxious to run this afternoon when we visit my mother at Murdunna. My feet are itching and the standard summer weather of Tasmania (cool and low to lower 20's) has returned.