Lakes Entrance to Melbourne with a detour back in time

The Mourning Coach followed the hearse
conveyeing the bereaved family
There was room under the box seat
for a child's coffin
to save the expense of a hearse 

Friday 21 June

It was raining again; I was so glad I had used the whole of the previous day for outdoor activities. After checking out, I detoured to the fish shop tto purchase some delicious looking, outrageously fresh, orange roughy - came in last night, filleted this morning. 

A plash of colour in the park

Then I hit the road, travelling West. The Princess Highway between Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale is a section I'd not driven before. I stopped for petrol (under 180c/l - which was my current rule for myself.

Some double standards
in the rules for teachers

The man filling up his car at the pump next to me was wearing shorts and thongs and I commented that his attire was a bit tropical given that the temperature still hadn't reached double digits and we responded that he used to work in the Pilbara in 48 degrees while being required to wear head to tow high vis, so he now enjoys being cold!  I can semi-understand that but each to their own.

The old church in Gippstown
had a stained class window.
reminiscent of the one I had
at Bicheno

A schoolroom of days gone by

I stopped in Stratford for a few items from the supermarket; it's so easier than diverting and navigating through towns which are substantially by-passed by the highway. As I headed across the park for a comfort stop, there was a flock of very brightly coloured parrots in a tree; a very nice splash of colour against the grey of a rainy day. It had still not yet reached double digits.

Church at old Gippstown

I noticed some lovely old buildings as I drove through Sale and noted the last of the autumn colors on some of the trees as I was coming through Traralgon.  Somewhere before those towns, the rain eased and the sun tried to come out. Shortly after Traralgon, I did of course note the coal fired power stations belching out an exceeding large amount of whatever it is they are putting into the atmosphere!

The Gippstown Omnibus

Old Gippstown was excellent but I shall need to come back and spend at least half a day there. I didn't have anywhere nearing enough time if I was to get to  Melbourne before peak traffic on the Friday!

1927 Buick - first driven by the funeral director

I was a little amused by a small group of schoolchildren who were looking at graves near the church as I approached.  They had questions (because any random adult must know stuff to share!) Some questions were good, some observations good, some questions simply reflective of their lack of preparedness to read or the concept of the young about 'old people'!  I was quite enjoying them but they were summonsed very soon after my arrival!

The dressmaker's shop -
Sarah Carter was an enterprising young woman
driven to necessity by widowhood

The last hour or so of traffic into Melbourne was a little bit stressful;  the multi-laned traffic was getting quite heavy. 

It was lovely to finally get to Nina's and delightful to properly meet her and Taji. While I had briefly met them on the day I arrived in Melbourne, Nina wasn't well and I was in pain and it was only a passing visit where we chatted on the street, because she didn't want to infect me. To be able, at last, to sit down and have a cup of tea, a glass if wine and a long chat. While Nina and Taji had their six o'clock appointment, I got to know their other house guest, Jordan, as we together searched the kitchen for veggies and equipment started to prepare dinner.

A lovely camellia on the bush at Old Gippstown

 

Dinner that night was absolutely superb: the fish could not have been better! I cooked it gently on both sides in butter, then covered it for a little bit to let it semi-fry - semi-steam to make sure it was cooked through but not overcooked and it was stunningly delicious - no doubt as much (or more) to do with its freshness as my cooking of it! We did some good stir fried vegetables to go with it, even if I did forget to add the oyster mushrooms so quickly cooked them separately at the last minute in the rest of the butter in one of the fish frying pans.

After dinner, Nina and I sat and talked much later than probably was good for either of us but it was just so nice to finally spend time together face to face.