TASMANIA
- Erin Spyker
- Sep 28
- 20 min read
Updated: Oct 30
August 20th, 2025, Tribune Bay, Hornby Island
Hello and welcome to my first blogpost !
Though Tasmania was not my first adventure, it set the tone for the rest of my life. The friendships I made here are a constant reminder of everything I deserve.
It's been over 2 years since my trip to Tasmania, 2 years since I stepped onto that airplane to an island famous for its apples with a weight on my shoulders heavier than my backpack. I was leaving Melbourne behind as well as someone I believed to be the best friend I would ever have but a relationship so toxic that it had put me out like a spark from a campfire that got too close for comfort. I had completely lost my sense of belonging.
Two years of trying to find exactly how to relate all of those feelings to something more than just a thought in my head. And here I am, eating my delicious meal of pesto pasta, listening to Canada's own Blue Rodeo on the deck of my very own camper trailer. Their song "Till I am myself again" caught my attention and I sat and listened as two lyrics danced by. "I feel like a stranger in another world but at least I'm living again" and "Well, I know it's time one big step, I can't go, I'm not ready yet...".
Letting go of what no longer served me was one of the hardest things I have ever done yet it has given me so much more than everything I left behind.
That pretty much sums it up. Please enjoy and give yourself a hug.
This one goes out to Rachel.
To: The Spyker Family
Victoria, Canada
From: Here&Therin
Hobart, Tasmania
May 1-7, 2023
Hi Family,
Well here I go, on yet another adventure. This one feels quite different from the rest, after leaving behind all I knew to a city that always smells like piss, I feel as though I have no ground to stand on, a face I no longer recognize and to top it all off, a cold! However, seeing as I am the only person in my hostel room for four, I can cough and sniff to my heart's content.
I am staying at the Pickled Frog Backpackers hostel. It is a short 10 minute walk to Hobart's city center and with a bright green plastered onto the outer walls of the building, you couldn't miss it if you tried. When you first step into the hostel, you are taken straight to reception where frog figurines decorate the desk and reminders of those passing through manifests itself on the walls in the form of frog art. The kitchen is significantly cooler than the rest of the building and the decor reminds me of a snowshoeing lodge buried deep in the mountains of northern B.C but the beds are comfy, the showers are warm and there is a fire in the living room that is cared for all throughout the day. I never expected to be cold enough to have the desire to huddle around a fire whilst down unda but Tassies winters have proven to be much like the ones back home. Rain, rain and more rain.
This whole starting over thing is quite difficult, I have spent the week in my room trying my best to be invisible and gathering all the courage I have before stepping foot into the kitchen. Oh, the things I would give to be able to have a warm squishy hug. I do not feel completely hopeless, for if any place were to reintroduce me to me it would be exactly where I am now. With waterfalls to chase, mountains to climb and old growth to meet, Tasmania has provided me with a feeling of belonging. It reminds me of home.
I fill my days wandering through Hobart, gawking at the nature that surrounds and coexists within the city, dropping off resumes and finding refuge in cute cafes with a warm cup of coffee and a pen, pouring my heart out onto a piece of paper. It’s a simple life and exactly what I need right now. Living in Melbourne, I felt as though there was a constant sensation of being rushed. There was so much noise, people as far as the eye could see and no matter where I went I felt as though tensions inside my body and mind were at an all time high. Here, there is no sense of urgency, I can slow down and smell the flowers. Isn’t that what life is all about?
I think I am really going to like it here.
When I woke up this morning, there was a nagging thought in my head that everything was going to be okay. Despite my lack of job interviews and my ever-shrinking bank account, I have decided to leave it up to fate. She will decide what happens here and if I can’t find a job in two weeks I will continue on my journey and follow the sunshine to the east coast. It’s bittersweet seeing as I have fallen in love with Tassie over these short few days but the East coast is known for its backpacker crowd, something I have found to be lacking here in the winter. Maybe part of that is because I refuse to leave the safe sanctuary I have created for myself in my room.
I am going to be okay, I have gone alone before and it was beautiful.
Love, Erin
May 7-14, 2023
G'day Family,
Saturdays are for the markets. Well, one in particular, the Salamanca market. From local produce to handmade jewelry to bratwurst, over 300 vendors set up shop on the Salamanca strip from 8:30-3 every.single.week! If live music, local creatives and cobblestone streets don't make your spirits sing then I don't know what will. It does also do a great job of reminding a person they need to find some form of employment, the symphony of smells lingering in the air from the food stalls teases a stomach bored of beans on toast and pesto pasta.
There is a mountain that towers over Hobart, Mt. Wellington they call it. From the top, the views are unparalleled and the hills are endless. I saw it for the first time today and, as I watched life march on below me, it started to snow! It’s funny the way snow brings out the child within, as the snow fell I watched as people of all ages chase snowflakes with their tongue and make snow angels in the dusting on the road. It reminded me of the snow days we would have in Edmonton. Luckily here, we won't be getting all bundled up just to have to go pee!
I am starting to remember that I am good company.
I went to the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) and it was one of the craziest museums I have ever experienced. With most of its exhibits underground, MONA unapologetically displays provocative and experimental art, leaving me with more questions than answers. The grounds of MONA is a whole other experience in itself, there are several bars, a winery, brewery and many restaurants to explore once you are finished with the art. There is a trampoline, a room of mirrors and several bean bags set up begging for you to put your feet up and enjoy the view. So that’s what I did.
You guys should be proud of me, I know I am. This evening I dipped my toe outside of my comfort zone and dared myself out of my room this week and I did not break. There is a group of French people living in the hostel and one of them has repeatedly asked if I wanted to join them for a drink and tonight I agreed to one. We played pool, ring of fire and shared many laughs. I went to bed with the biggest smile on my face, it is nights like these I remember why I love solo travel so much, each person you meet offers some new and unique opportunity.
Life works in funny ways, it has a tendency to give you exactly what you need without even knowing it. I am just so lucky. I have however decided to go to the Gold Coast at the end of the week and arranged for a trial shift at a Brunch restaurant.
With love,
Erin
May 14-21, 2023
Hi Family,
Well, here I am sitting at the airport about to board my flight to the Gold Coast. I didn’t expect it to be so damn hard. My stomach is doing backflips and I can’t tell if it is telling me “don’t go” or if it is a hangover coming on from last night.
It was a group of people’s last night in Tassie so we gathered the troops and told Hobart to buckle up! My night was spent on the dance floor and on the back of an electric scooter with my arms wrapped around a Frenchman's waist, cruising through the empty streets believing we could fly. When we arrived back at the frog, we sat in the living room with all those left standing, we played games and watched the sun come up from the front steps. It was an incredible end to an incredible place. Thank you for everything Tasmania, you have reminded me what it feels like to be myself.
_
Well, less than 24 hours in surfers paradise and I have booked a flight back to Tassie, 2 weeks in the hostel and arranged for an interview with someone who reached out the second I left. Typical.
To Mom & Dad, thank you for always being there when the phone would ring. These past few weeks have been full of “I'm on the brink of a breakdown” phone calls but without your voice on the other end of the line, I would probably still be locked in my room. My time on the Gold Coast has taught me once again to always trust my gut. The night I arrived, I was woken in the middle of the night by the police searching for someone who was allegedly booked to stay in my same room, it poured rain the whole time, the Oilers got eliminated from the playoffs and my room smelt like a middle school boys locker room. When I arrived at the airport, I was told that I had only bought checked baggage for one of my two flights so I was forced to purchase more baggage only for my bag to be overweight. I went straight to the bathroom and put on as many layers as I could to bring the weight of my bag down. It was a successful mission.
On my second flight (Melbourne-Hobart), I sat surrounded by babies and thought to myself “Could this trip get any worse?!” but to my surprise, not a single one cried. The year and a half baby who sat next to me quickly became my friend and the flight was filled with peek a boo, funny faces and the art of fist bumping. His parents were kind enough to drive me all the way to the frog and I was greeted with a very warm welcome. Life is beautiful. _
Since being back I have spent a lot of time with Mt. Wellington. I spend hours getting lost in the woods, dancing my way along the trail and admiring the waterfalls hidden in the wilderness. Nature is good for the soul.
Despite my joy of being back in Tasmania I still feel incredibly lost. During my days, I am filled with contentment about where I am but once the sun goes down and I am left to my own devices, the darkness of the night poisons my brain and lets myself fall deeper and deeper into a hole I won't make it out of alone. Sometimes it feels like I am crawling in my skin, like something is so badly trying to claw its way out but there it will stay. I don't know how to get this thing outside of me. I am so scared and I am all alone. I miss you, Family.
All my love,
Erin
May 21-28 , 2023
Hello Family,
This week has brought tremendous confusion.
I have thought a lot about going home, doing my farm work for a second year visa and buying a bike and going to Kyrgyzstan but last night I dreamt of my returning to Canada and was miserable, all I wanted to do was come back to exactly where I am. I guess I am going to stay. What never fails to ease my mind is a hike up Mt. Wellington. Being in the woods fills me with immense joy, it brings me a type of happiness I have not felt in a very long time. Seeing the way nature flourishes all around inspires me to find what makes my soul sing and never let it go.
I have made some good friends upon my re arrival to Tasmania, two British girls named Hetty and Sophie. I think you guys would like them, Hetty is always humming and Sophie speaks of her homemade cookies as if they are holy. We have been doing a lot together lately, over these past few days we've visited Hobart's botanical gardens, the Bonorong animal sanctuary where we met Tasmanian Devils and we are now on our way to Bruny island but first stop, coffee!
Bruny is beautiful, with rugged coastlines, white sandy beaches & excellent company, what more could one ask for?! We visited the second oldest lighthouse in Australia, several beaches and the island's most famous viewpoint, The Neck. The neck is an isthmus of land connecting the northern and southern parts of the island. If you walk up the stairway to the top, you will be rewarded with jaw dropping 360deg views.
When we got back to the hostel, we were alerted to a house party hosted by an old resident of the frog. We decided to get dominos for dinner, we played ring of fire with the hostel crew and off we went! It was so much fun, I packed my waterproof camera and let me tell you it was a hit!
The family that I am lucky enough to be a part of over here reminds me of my privilege everyday. Leaving Melbourne has turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. Coming back to Tas is a close second.
Can you believe next week I'll be 22?
Talk to you then,
Erin
May 29- June 5, 2023
How silly of me to think I was going to be alone on my birthday. Here I am, the weekend of my 21st birthday at the Bay of Fires with 4 new friends, Kate, Hetty, Sophie and Johnny. This place has been on my list for ages and it blows any expectation out of the water. Our campsite is a short walk down to the beach and the evening sun turns the sea a dreamy blue and illuminates the rocks red as if they are on fire. It is indescribable. We set up our tents, explored the beach, climbed on rocks and jumped into the ocean as the sun went down. When we retreated back to camp, we huddled around the fire and enjoyed a gourmet meal of pesto pasta.
As the evening shifted to night and the night teased the light of morning, there we sat, sharing stories, singing songs and eating from a bag of mushrooms left to us from someone passing through the hostel. This was admittedly not our greatest idea.
I spent my first night in a Swag (small pop up ground tent) and I woke up in the middle of the night in a panic and tried to claw my way out. Happy Birthday Erin, you have been gifted claustrophobia. When morning came, the sun was just beginning to peak out above the horizon and we sat lined up on the beach nursing hot tea, watching yet another day begin. Before I knew it, I was being summoned to camp where everyone exploded into the singing of Happy Birthday and I stood there awkwardly trying not to cry. They bought me a cake and even took the time to write me a card. This is the type of love I deserve, I am beyond grateful for this place each and everyday.
Every birthday I spend away from my twin, it feels like there is something missing. I can't seem to fully revel in the beauty of yet another year here on our little blue planet because my womb mate isn't here to ring it in with me.
When we got back to the frog we majorly chilled out before embarking on the journey to woolies before spending the rest of the evening with skip bo, pesto pasta and a hostel wide movie night. Strangers and familiars hunkered down on the couch and as the night went on, more and more people would trickle in and as I watched the couches get fuller and fuller, my heart warmed.
In this last week and a half, I have taught almost the whole hostel how to play Skip Bo! Yesterday, I came into the common area to find a group sitting in front of the fire with their very own game, laughing and creating memories of their own. It was a proud moment for me.
Hobart has shown us its dark side as it welcomes the Dark Mofo Festival. Storefronts glow an eerie red, upturned crosses stand tall and an installation of light and sound can be found in the harbor. The Spectra sends beams of light up 15km into the sky with space between each spotlight on the ground for visitors to walk through freely. The idea behind Dark Mofo is to celebrate the coming winter whilst highlighting all that clash. Such as day and night and life and death. In these next two weeks, the hostel will be packed and events of all sorts will be held in Hobart such as the winter feast that is set up down on Salamanca, open Thursday-Sunday and hosts over 70 local artists showing off all that Tasmania has to offer from food and drink to fresh produce. Step inside the dining hall and you are greeted with a glowing red from the crosses hung decorating the ceiling, outside there is live music and fire pits to huddle around while you enjoy mulled wine and warm pie. There is a Divine comedy, a night mass and a nude swim held at sunrise after the longest night of the year in honor of the sun herself.
That isn’t even all the crazy that will happen over the next two weeks. It sounds like I better buckle up.
I'll see you on the other side,
Erin
June 6-13
Spykers,
I believe that I am long overdue for introductions so without further ado, here is the family I have made for myself over here on this Island. We have Hetty, Kate and Sophie from the UK, Ellen from Ireland and Emily from New Jersey. They allow me to believe I can fly.
Kate has pitched the idea that we all join her on her road trip across Australia and back over to the West coast at the end of the month! So far, Ellen, Hetts, Sophie and I are all on board on the condition that we start the trip from Sydney so we can pick up some of Hetty and Sophie's friends from back home to join us on this crazy adventure. Emily is still on the fence.
I have gotten a job at a hotel bar that sees a maximum of 10 people per night, it bores me to tears. They have told me my pants are too short and informed me of the fact that I am not allowed to drink water behind the bar because god forbid our minimal customers see that we staff are only human. Do not worry though, for I have found pockets of joy in delivering room service meals, bathroom breaks and long division.
In the mornings, I work the continental breakfast shift. I clock in at 7:30 to set up a beautiful spread of fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, all sorts of meats and cheeses, yogurt, sausages, pancakes, cereal, endless coffee, 3 kinds of juice and any type of tea you could imagine. As guests filter in and out, I pour them their coffee and encourage them to find the beauty in all this rain while I yearn for the leftover hashbowns left on their plate. By 11:30, the guests are gone to start their day and we begin to tidy. The hotel's idea of tidying is dumping all the leftover food into the bin, when I questioned this practice I was met with an excuse about contamination and the safety of the staff all the while guests mindlessly pick and choose as they please. It makes me sick. That is not all that this company does to make my alarms sound, mass amounts of pens are individually wrapped in plastic, we have to throw out every cloth we use after cleaning a surface and all leftover banquet food is met with the same fate as the breakfast. They advertise to their guests that they are taking steps towards making the company greener by giving them the option to have their rooms cleaned without toxic chemicals while rewarding their decision in the form of a single-use plastic drink coupon card. It is so hard to come to work everyday and being faced with the reality that these things are not just happening here, this is one hotel among a sea of greenwashing scams. By clocking in everyday I feel as though I am giving them permission to continue doing what they are doing and it reminds me of how powerless I really am. If I weren't so broke and leaving in 2 weeks I would look elsewhere for work.
Though my job is less than ideal, it makes it all the more worth it when I turn that last corner on my walk home and see that bright green hostel with all my friends sitting out on the porch waiting for me to come home. We have gotten into the habit of cooking and eating together, it is so nice. We fill the kitchen with laughter, music, aromas of far away lands and suddenly the kitchen that was once the coldest place in the hostel is full of warmth. The kitchen doesn’t make cooking particularly easy though, most of the stovetop elements are broken, the knives are dull and some days the island in the middle gets bumped off the wooden blocks it is so precariously balanced on but it feels like home.
This weekend we paid a visit to Dark Park, a Dark Mofo venue serving as a hub for live music and local art. On the weekends you are invited to write your fears down and deliver them to a giant platypus that will be paraded around town and burnt at a later date. It was such a cool experience! Who woulda thought that Tasmania would bring me great new friends and a festival as unique as this one. Life is crazy. On Saturday night, I experienced my first Dark Mofo party. The Hanging garden, a venue down the road from the frog was hosting an event featuring a DJ from Melbourne, smores and overpriced drinks in an outdoor cathedral of sorts. Pretty much everyone at the hostel went and we took over the dance floor. From what I can remember, it was an absolute blast!
Love,
Erin
June 14-21
Howdy partners,
This week was a birthday heavy week! We celebrated another year of Emily and Hetty along with a few others from the hostel. We went on an adventure to what was advertised as a wild swimming hole but by the time we arrived, it was pretty much all dried up but we took a dip in the water that remained and let me tell you it was a shock to the system! We perched on rocks, shared many laughs and practiced the art of being while reveling in the beauty of this wonderful place. On the weekend, there was a house birthday party with a theme of anything but a cup. There were salt and pepper shakers, coffee pots and even a bowling pin. It’s fair to say that for one night, the kitchen at the frog was stripped of cooking wear.
This week Dark Mofo came to a close so naturally, what seemed like all of Hobart took to the streets to parade the giant platypus back to Dark park where it was set on fire, releasing our fears and freeing us from ourselves. All the excitement of the evening took us back to the kitchen where we cooked up three kinds of curry and had a family movie night.
We promised ourselves that we would wake up the next morning to watch the sun come up from the top of Mt. Wellington so we set our alarms and crawled out of the bed just to be surprised with a completely fogged out view. We couldn't see anything! Instead of going back to bed, we visited Ellen at the cafe she works at and had the most delicious muffins. All in all it was a pretty great morning.
Till next time,
Erin
June 22-29
This time next week, we will be down 4 froglets as our next adventure to Perth begins. I have decided to meet the gang after they arrive in Sydney so I have an extra few weeks to make money before setting off. Emily has decided to sit out the road trip as she has been presented with an opportunity to learn how to sail! Despite my sadness at not having her in Perth, I am so excited for this chapter of her life and I have no doubt that we will see each other again. For now though we will enjoy these next few weeks together.
Having to come to terms with the fact that our time at the frog is coming to an end is a hard pill to swallow, it has been an experience unlike any other. Meeting everyone that I have has changed my life, they have shown incredible kindness and have given me room to grow and flourish. This hostel has provided me with shelter from a storm. For here I have experienced yet another wintering, a cold and bitter season where I could not see 2 feet in front of me but it too has passed and the flowers that have grown after the snows melted are among the most beautiful I have seen. That is not to say I don’t still get those familiar flurries, today I wished for a shell I could disappear into. I longed to be a fly on the wall, for no matter where I go my skin crawls and nothing feels safe, not even my two hands. The eyes in the hall, the kitchen and the bathroom mirror suffocate me.
Big hugs,
Erin
June 30- July 6
Hi family,
Well, then there were two. Kate, Ellen, Soph and Hetts set off to Sydney leaving Emily and I to start a chapter of our own. For the girls' send off, the hostel rallied its troops and we had a huge family dinner consisting of everything needed for the best burritos we've had in weeks! It was perfect. With just over a week left here at the frog I am feeling everything. But the one emotion that stands out the most is love. For the place, for the people and for myself.
Today Emily and I spent like we were made of money. Our spree started in Salimanca on a mission to find the perfect postcards to send to friends and family back home, as we were purchasing these post cards, the lottery game caught our eye, "Somebody's gotta win” we thought. And we did, a whole $8! Being the responsible adults we are, we put that money aside for a load of laundry but later got spent on chocolate. Riding that high, we dared ourselves to step foot into local artisan shops, were easily persuaded into a bar via a some very cleaver advertising ( a sign on the street that read "$10 cocktails"), bought international stamps and made our way to the brewery.
When we arrived back at the frog, we took a power nap before making our way into the common area to find our friends Luca, Max, Sara and Basille making boxed wine Sangria. It wasn’t too bad if you can believe it! Our day ended with Emily, Luca and I talking about how incredible life has been to us and it is just the beginning, how will the rest of our lives look? As if almost on cue, Basile came to find us for no other reason than to say goodnight and hope for a wonderful day tomorrow. Being genuinely excited about the next day to come is a sensation I have not experienced in a long time and not one I want to lose ever again.
There is no word big enough to describe my love for this place.
Ciao for now,
Erin
p.s. Dad, I introduced the gang to peanut butter and broccoli, they were weary at first but came around in the end.
July 7-14
Hello!
Well, this was my last week in Tassie. For real this time. A week full of adventures. Emily, Luca, Ellie and I woke up early with hopes of finding platypus along the river and grabbing a coffee but the platypus were still sleeping and the coffee shop closed. We then all piled in the car and spent a day exploring the beauty within Freycinet National Park where we saw the world renowned Wineglass bay. We explored honeymoon bay, Coles bay and the lighthouse. We climbed on rocks, begged the sea to show us whales and played a fun game of charades whilst the wind howled and sky teased of rain. Later that evening, Em and I set out in search of the southern lights but we weren't so lucky.
My friend and roomie, Sara and I decided that it would be a great idea to turn our dorm room into a blanket fort. I don't know why we didn't do it sooner! We took a kettle from the kitchen, the guitar from the living room that never got any action and turned our room into the ultimate cozy space where we hosted tea parties and jam sessions. The cleaning lady, Jojo, took one glance at what was going on in room 4 and left us to our devices. She told us that the mess was our own and moved on.
On my last day, I packed, did so much laundry and then set off to Woolies. I should have coordinated a group trip with Sara and Luca because we all went within the same hour and ran into one another either upon our arrivals or departures. It was so funny. We then took a walk through Sandy bay and did some house hunting, stopped somewhere for a takeaway coffee, pet some dogs and then went back home. Once Emily came back from work, we had one last group meal, sat by the fire and spent 45 minutes deciding on a movie to watch just to land on shark tale.
The next morning, everyone woke up early to go have one last go at finding platypus but to our surprise we found none. I'm beginning to think everyone who claims to have seen one is gaslighting me.
I then had a very hard goodbye and a weepy bus ride to the airport. Thank you for everything Tasmania, here's to the next adventure!
See you when I see you.
Love,
Here&therin
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