Week 3 – Day 1 – Hobart

It was sooo cold last night in Hobart town. Dale and I both had to sleep in our clothes with our big winter socks on. But we did get to snuggle lots!

We had bookings for a tour of the Cadbury Factory and also the Cascade Brewery. I will let Dale tell you all about the Cascade Brewery.

The Cadbury factory was great. The best thing was the free chocolate and also the shop at the end, so the best two things really. The factory is very aware of safety. You have to take all your jewellery off, the only things you are allowed to wear is a plain wedding band and a medic alert bracelet if you need one. Everybody has to wear a hair net, including the guys. Sorry everybody no cameras are allowed so no photos of Dale for you all to laugh at. No samples along the way either but we did get a free “Favourites” sample as we finished. We had lunch in the cafeteria at the factory and then headed off to the brewery.

As I said, I will let Dale fill you in on that experience later.

Tonight we are staying with Dale’s brother and sister in law down at Seven Mile Beach. We had dinner with them and also Dale’s sister and brother in law tonight. No surf n turf but the chicken schnitzel with cream peppercorn sauce was very nice.

Tomorrow we are going to go to Salamanca Markets for what will probably be most of the day before we head to Dale’s sisters place for a family dinner tomorrow night with Dale’s dad and partner.

I hope you enjoy Dale’s telling of our experience at the brewery.

Ciao for now.

E
Hi All. This is me (Dale).

I was really looking forward to doing the Cascade Brewery Tour today and we rocked up at the time that we had to, paid our $20 each and it all went down hill from there. Enid touched on how OH&S savvy Cadbury’s are – and le me tell you, it was the most OH&S conscious place that I have ever walked into. They oozed OH&S and it was plastered on every wall. It was mandatory to hold onto the hand-rail when walking up or down stairs to the point that you would not receive your freebies if you didn’t.Â

Cascade on the other hand was pathetic to say the least. During the safety induction the computer was playing up so the guide just stopped the brief with a joke about the computer needing a rest or something – and safety was never discussed again. They issued PPE (high vis vests and safety glasses) but at no stage did the guide ever tell anyone to put them on.

That aside, the fact that during winter production reduces and everyone knocks off after lunch was the most disappointing thing – particularly as we did the 1300 tour – so we basically paid $20 bucks to see a bunch of static machinery, some big bags containing hops and barley and some big stainless steel maturing vats – NOTHING !!!!

Also, I have never been into any working area (let alone a factory that produces a food-stuff) that was so filthy dirty, old, decrepit and BORING. And that seemed to be the general concensus from the other tour participants that I spoke with after.

So, my opinion of the Cascade Brewery Tour …. Crap and a waste of time and money. We would have been better to save the $40 and spend it on drinks at dinner tonight.

Oh yeah, I’ve just seen the forecast for the next three days, Saturday 10 degrees, Sunday 7 degrees and Monday 7 degrees – bloody cold !

Cheers

DÂ Â Â