The Purple Penguin

Set the alarm and packed up the evening before. The idea was to get out of Melbourne as early as we could, avoiding traffic. We managed fairly well even though Google threw a few curve balls again. We left Melbourne by a different bridge with some interesting architectural bits. We passed out of the city of Melbourne and started looking for somewhere to have breakfast, or at least a cup of coffee.

The first place we tried was small, historic, and shut. So we ended up at a very modern service station stop on the motorway where everyone was stopping. (K: and by everyone we mean everyone – the place was packed.) After that we carried on the M31, though this isn’t the motorway you are picturing if you’re British. The M31 is more of a dual carriageway. This took us pretty much all the way to our next stop at the Blazing Stump Motel and Suites. (K: Joe keeps calling it the Blazing Saddle Motel.)

As we got near the end, the smoke started to close in. By the time we checked into the hotel the area was definitely smokey. (K: we checked at the reception to make sure we weren’t in a danger area, the fires are about an hour and a half from here.) After putting our bags in the room we decided to have a look at Lake Hume which is a 10 minute drive away. So back in the car.

When we did find places to stop for the lake it painted an eerie picture as the lake level looks quite low, it really being a reservoir, you could see many of the trees which have been submerged, dead and poking up from the water, and the smoke haze surrounding them. Whether due to the smoke or something else, there was very little bird life around. So we decided to head back to the hotel room to have a light snack while we waited for the local recommended restaurant to open.

Just before 6pm we made our way to the Blazing Stump Hotel restaurant which turned out to be a new experience all in itself! The place is very large and was almost fully packed with groups, mainly families with lots and lots of children. They gave us a menu and a table number and a wave in the general direction of where the table was. Once we picked what we wanted to eat we had to go to the ‘Order Here’ bar and pay. The queue for this went past our table and was varying lengths, but never no one queuing, the entire time we were there. You then get a ticket and a buzzer for when you’re meal is ready to be collected. You have to go to the main bar (different area) to get drinks.

While all this was going on they were holding raffles for various things (K: It was member’s night and there was a ‘here’s how to join’ speech. At least I think that’s what he was saying, the place was very loud!) As we ate our meal minibusses were arriving dropping off more people – most of these were large groups! And everyone knew everyone else. Management was opening extra spaces (so the function rooms) and seating people there.

After dinner we fled to the quiet of our room. Tomorrow we’re probably having lunch/dinner at one of the local breweries in the area.