trek... thanks! hey, is there a good bus/train system in Melbourne then? Here in CA our public transportation is a joke. Really bad... I was so amazed in Europe at how easy it was to get around! Also easy to get around in New York...one of the few states that has a good system that I know of...

If Tasmania is pretty small, I may opt to rent scooters... that's what I do in Hawaii and I just love it... it's like riding a bike but cheating! LOL

thanks again for all the input! We are getting serious about planning now so we can get everything set up and know what the $$$ will be!