Drouin East to Lara via a lunch date

Gum flower on the way to
The Kevin Hoffman Walk
My self-catered breakfast this morning was a lot more restrained than yesterday's provided scrambled eggs and bacon etc.  Accomodation arrangements for the night finally made, not quite as originally anticipated, but satisfactory. I headed off around 10, needing to go via an ATM to procure cash to pay for the night's accommodation.  It would have been easier if Maps had told me to stop in good time rather than subsequently deciding I should go round in circles.

It's the first time I have used either of my current cards to withdraw cash, it took a bit to figure out!

Then I was on my way - to meet Susan for lunch. She had promised me a healthy food place that didn't use additives, and I was hopeful that I could find some choices without too much challenge.

The Yarra River at the bottom of Ablington Street


I made very good time from Drouin East to Susan's place in Alphington - I suburb of which I had never heard!  I allowed Maps to take me via toll roads and the journey was really easy - although I still dislike massive trucks that tailgate.  If I can't see their number plate, they are WAY TOO CLOSE!  

It was an absolute delight to see Susan again and to see her newly built house, into which they only moved last weekend are are still settling in.

I was glad that Susan drove us to lunch, she is far more accustomed to the chaos of Melbourne traffic than I am - and to finding a self-made parking space.

Traffic jam and rain - the delights of
Melbourne driving

The cafe was delightful; she is obviously a regular and introduced me to the owner.  I was delighted to find that he was familiar with low FODMAP diets.  Knowing the Susan usually orders a soup for lunch, he went off to check the ingredients in the soups and returned to advise me that the Green Thai soup was safe for me.  Thank you, order sorted.  And it was superbly delicious.  Susan and I had a lovely time catching up. 








After we had finished lunch, she inquired as to whether visiting a nearby dress shop might be of interest to me.  I did indicate that it would not be high on my list of priorities and she counter offered a little walk by the river just down the street from her house.  It was most kind of her as walking any distance is not easy for her.  

On the Kevin Hoffman walk


We did enjoy the short walk, and I suggested subsequent precautions about her shoes as there were roped off areas with signs about Phytophthora having been detected and I am sure she did not want to take any risks with her newly and beautifully landscaped garden.

On the Kevin Hoffman walk






I said my farewells and headed off, hoping, in vain, to avoid awful traffic.  I quietly cursed Maps at one stage for failing to tell me to veer left to stay on the route, and ended up doing a complicated u-turn involving service roads.  

On the Kevin Hoffman walk



Maps took me a rather strange route, via almost standstill traffic near the zoo, to avoid a road closure on the M1, but then took me back to the Westgate Bridge, again in very slow traffic, and the confusing directions in relation to that.  Stay right to stay on the correct road; now stay left to stay on the correct road - all within the space of a couple of heartbeats and with 5 solid lanes of nose to tail traffic.  I was most relieved to hear the instruction 'continue on the M1 for 41km'

On the Kevin Hoffman walk



I reached my destination somewhat later than expected, but that was ok with my hostess, who had not long been home.  I checked out my room, installed some perishable food in her fridge and took myself off for a walk along the Kevin Hoffman walk.  It would have been easier if the 'shortcut' had provided a shorter route, but I took a wrong turning.  I finally found the walk and was delighted with some of the flowers along the way.

On the Kevin Hoffman walk



I returned to my accomodation for the night, by which time it was dark, and prepared my dinner (a quick reheat of leftovers) and my hostess joined me to eat her dinner, and we chatted for quite some time;  she showed me her Indian textiles - a most enjoyable pass time, before I retired relatively early.

On the Kevin Hoffman walk

On the Kevin Hoffman walk

On the Kevin Hoffman Walk


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