Month: August 2017

Caravanning Hints2 Comments

The Case For Flying Home

Itching for Hitching

Sometimes we are needed at home. A special family birthday, a wedding or a birth. The best way to solve this dilemma is to grab a cheap flight home and do what has to be done. Remembering of course to pack the things that you may need, silly things like a hairdryer or your favourite pillow that you can’t sleep without. And medication…don’t forget your medication, you won’t be any use to anyone if you arrive dead. Afterwards when obligations have been fulfilled you’ll find yourself wondering what the hell happened “was I really home last weekend? Sleeping in our … Continue reading The Case For Flying Home

The Characters You Meet14 Comments

Tit for Tat

Itching for Hitching

The chap next door seems so nice and we’ve shared jokes as we’ve pottered about all arvo, so we invite he and his wife to join our group for happy hour. His wife a sweet looking senior quickly morphed into a most depressing, loud mouthed master of one up manship and the conversation went something like this: “Oh, you read Lee Child, he’s light. I read history, Ken Follett.” We suppress a giggle. And she hits us with a left hook. “A recent death in your family?” she asks. Instead of treading gently and with respect she wades in with: … Continue reading Tit for Tat

NSW, Point of Interest5 Comments

Bangalow Markets

Itching for Hitching

We decide to take our mates up to Bangalow in the hills behind Byron Bay, NSW and we stumble upon the Bangalow Market. Hundreds of cars are parked on the old Showgrounds and a few penned cows look on in wonder. There are blokes in skirts, dreadlocks in abundance and a stall holder breastfeeding her baby. There’s a fellow who is coaxing the most exquisite music out of a beat up old upright piano. A young couple sweat over two large pans of paella and a woman parades homemade knickers in front of an undie stall. There are spaced out … Continue reading Bangalow Markets

Caravanning Hints7 Comments

Prepare to be Changed

Itching for Hitching

If you’ve never experienced a long caravan trip, be prepared to be changed. You will never again be the same. If you are fortunate enough to have more than one adventure you will suffer mild post trip depression on returning home. A feeling that see saws between enjoyment of being back home and longing for the stimulation and simplicity of life on the road. If you are an urban person you will be shocked to see the extravagance and pretention of city life through your ‘new’ eyes. Not to mention the traffic; where the hell have they all come from? … Continue reading Prepare to be Changed

Caravanning Hints9 Comments

How Long is Too Long to Be Away?

Itching for Hitching

Some grey nomads choose to sell the house and hit the road for as long as their old bodies will hold out. Others like ourselves choose to have a little bolt hole somewhere to call home and return to from time to time. Somewhere with no lawns to mow and small easily maintained gardens. For those like us in the southern states the summer time is certainly the best time to be enjoyed close to home. When we’re I find that by the three month mark home starts to call. My brain begins to suffer from sightseeing overload. Please! No … Continue reading How Long is Too Long to Be Away?

Caravanning Hints12 Comments

Packing for the road

Itching for Hitching

During a trip countdown – I find that I have lists everywhere. An ongoing spreadsheet on the computer and handwritten lists around the house. Ticking off washing, ironing, shopping, loading the van, cleaning the house. If the trip entails a few days of long drives at the outset to get us to warmer weather then I may cook a larger meal and freeze half for the van so that we’ve got a warming bowl of soup, spaghetti or curry after a long drive. I’ve also found that freezing half a cake (sliced) will stop us from pigging out when it … Continue reading Packing for the road