Tasmanian Trucks

Tasmania has all the normal car brands like we have, just a slightly different mix.  That doesn't interest me nearly as much as...

... the plethora of offroad vehicles.  Driving here basically means you're on bitumen sometimes, and a lot of times on gravel, mud, floodplain, water crossings without bridges, etc.  The number of Toyota Landcruisers (big ones and the old small ones), Range Rovers (and plenty of Defender 90's), Mitusbish Pajero's, all equipped with massive balloon tires, roofline air intakes to facilitate fording water, winches, roof racks, petrol and water ration jugs, apparently well used animal/brush guards and bush lights just has me totally enthralled.  There's definitely a relationship between the number and muddy-ness of the offroaders and the fact that I haven't seen an ATM or anything beyond dial up internet and totally spotty cell reception.  And I get the sense that they aren't all on fashion parade, looks like many of them have been muddy from 1983 to present without much break.

Our bus driver lady today, who was rotund, cheerful and probably about 40, had to navigate a massive hole, mostly in reverse, while turning around in a small space with a concrete block sitting around to limit maneuvering options.  After about the 2/3rd mark on navigating time, some guy yelled from the back "oh, oh,careful the concrete block is right there!"

In twangy Tassie accent she yells back "I can see the concrete block Mr. Blockhead, and I may be a lady driver, but I'm a Tassie lady driver and this isn't my first mud bog.  If you want to come up here and show the rest of the bus how you can pull out of here, you're welcome to try!"

Some guy who knows her locally yelled from the back "No back seat driving for Patricia (said with an r at the end)".

Perfect!