Month: February 2019

Caravanning Hints, When Things Just Go Wrong12 Comments

Oh, oh, oh

Itching for Hitching

Nov 2018 We service our van annually and after the last service we arrived home particularly tired and gave up trying to reverse park the van straight in the back yard. This morning we paid the price for being lackadaisical (now there’s a word I’ll bet you haven’t heard in a while). We forgot to lift one back leg that was close to the fence. As we drove away, the by then dragging leg jammed tight on the steepest part of the driveway. Bearing in mind that the van was on quite a slope Woody jacked the van up with … Continue reading Oh, oh, oh

Caravan Clubs, Caravanning HintsLeave a comment

An open mind for the open road

Itching for Hitching

We recently celebrated a caravanning mate’s birthday and the conversation turned to the importance of caravan clubs. Even if you’ve camped before there is so much to learn about caravanning and club members are experienced teachers. For anyone who has sailed there is a similarity to yachting. A steep learning curve, a high regard for safety, always keeping an eye out for the weather and a simple life in a very small space, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Coffs Harbour, NSW. As in yachting, there’s a lot to learn about caravanning. Don’t be afraid to ask for … Continue reading An open mind for the open road

Point of Interest, WA2 Comments

Hysterical Societies

Itching for Hitching

I do like a good museum and often you’ll find stories that really explain the culture of a region. One of my favourites is the Katherine Museum and the story of its flying doctor. Another is Cooktown with its impressive collection from each era of its past including Captain Cook’s unexpected layover here when the Endeavour was holed on the Great Barrier Reef. Port Hedland Historical Society too, has a ripper little museum and it is there that I read this story: “Local aviator Len Taplin was once stuck in Broome and, desperate to get back to Hedland to keep … Continue reading Hysterical Societies

Vic, Wildlife8 Comments

Gang Gang Cockatoos

Itching for Hitching

Feb 2019, Skipworth Reserve, Jamieson, Vic It’s always exciting to see an unusual bird and even better to get a chance to photograph them. I find Black Cockatoos elusive and always flying too high. Last year I had my first glimpse of a pair of Major Mitchell Cockatoos near Bourke, but it was only fleeting. These cheeky guys however visited us on two nights to feast on what looked like a Hawthorn bush. They were near enough to distinguish their dark grey plumage and distinctive red heads but not close enough for a clear image. Continue reading Gang Gang Cockatoos

The Characters You Meet9 Comments

Farewell to a Good Mate

Itching for Hitching

This life of retirement has meant that we have made a lot of new friends in our new found pursuits. The obvious fact is that we won’t be lucky enough to know them for a whole lifetime. Perhaps that is why seniors laugh a lot. They are laughing at the ups, the downs and the inevitabilities. Today we say farewell to a very dear mate, whom we were lucky to meet when we joined our caravan club. A mate who possessed the quintessential laid-back dry Aussie humour that this culture is known for. A man who deserved a gold medal … Continue reading Farewell to a Good Mate