Cradle Mountain-Lake Saint Clair National Park Travel Page by Shar ...

Jan. 8, 2005.

I have been extremely lucky with the weather (& the travels & the job, etc, etc...) for 5 years now.
I had expected nothing less when I was about to head for Cradle Mountain, despite the fact many warned about the ever-changing weather of this area.
At times, I can believe blindly or as some like to call it, have faith.

Many told me I'd be lucky if I get to see the peak of Cradle Mountain. One only gets to see it for less than 60 days a year. Not that it's important for me to see the peak. But, oh well, I've always like to be one of those rare few ;-) & in some ways, that feels like tempting fate, I suppose.
So, off I went on the 28th.
It was not good prognosis even when I reached the "base camp", hehe, just joking, the information center.
It didn't take long b4 I heard the bad news. Snowing, dizzling, whatever you can think of... that's what they said!
But, I hang on to the fact that weather is ever-changing here.
Anyway, what more can I do? I was already there. I don't fancy waiting 5 hours b4 the coach comes & picks me up & returns to Devonport without making a little effort. Furthermore, I've my raincoat! Though I hate walking in the rain! Especially heavy rain. I had done that in Huang Shan, China before. Trust me, it's no fun & bloody dangerous & foolish. Yet, sometimes, I'm simply living my life as such!

Off I took the shutter in the park to Dove Lake. I was going to have that walk regardless.
& to tell you the truth, I wasn't expecting the cold. I was dressed in layers, but not enough. Yet, I knew from past experiences that when I put on that raincoat & started walking, I'd be feeling hot! So, trusting experiences from the past, I ventured ahead. Sometimes, I marvel at my own resilience & foolishness. Well, only sometimes ;-)

As usual, I was lucky!
Got to see the peak, the rain stopped (although it did drizzle a bit but not enough to stop me from taking many pictures & enjoying my walk in the "clouds" or was it rain? ;-)) & I completed my walk in longer than the time specified as I was enjoying it too much to hurry & the journey is more important than the destination afterall (in this case, it's a circuit, so one ended up where one started!).

Eternal sunshine... hmmm, I like that phrase.