Category: Caravanning Hints

Caravanning Hints6 Comments

The Etiquette of Caravanning

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A friend of ours may laugh at this because she calls us ‘trailer trash’ but there are rules and niceties to be observed if we’re all going to live harmoniously on the road. Say g’day. If someone walks past acknowledge them. Say “g’day, nice day, how are you, good morning”, anything to break the ice. You never know you may become great mates or need to help each other one day. Respect each other’s space. Campsites aren’t as big as backyards so don’t encroach on your neighbour. Our friends recently paid top dollar for their favourite beachfront site only to … Continue reading The Etiquette of Caravanning

Caravanning Hints17 Comments

Caravanning stuff – the things you may not think of

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Keep a checklist of what has to be done when you set off each day, learn the routine by heart and check each other’s jobs, just like on a plane “Doors armed and cross checked”. It may seem pedantic but the last thing that you need is the caravan bouncing off the hitch when you’re cruising down the highway or the awning breaking because it wasn’t properly secured. If you don’t have a self tuning aerial use the AntennaMate app to tune your TV to the local channels. Carry a chargeable drill for setting your legs, much quicker than doing … Continue reading Caravanning stuff – the things you may not think of

Caravanning Hints16 Comments

Vanning Essentials – The Inside Stuff

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Friends of ours recently bought a new caravan, which had me thinking about what one needs other than the basics listed in Caravanning, how do I get started? You know the sort of things that one really doesn’t think about, the day to day ‘setting up a holiday house’ type of stuff. Being the ‘inside things’ I like to think of them as the ‘Pink Stuff’ as they are usually the domain of us women. Caravanning readers out there, is there anything that I’ve missed that you can’t live without? Bedding Carry a full spare set of linen for the … Continue reading Vanning Essentials – The Inside Stuff

Caravanning Hints10 Comments

Quarantine

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Knowing what foodstuffs can be taken across state borders can be extremely confusing. To protect the aquaculture industry in Tasmania one must avoid importing certain uncooked fish as well as fruit and vegetables. And don’t be surprised to see sniffer dogs at entry points ensuring that you’ve done the right thing. We have found the South Australian border control to be friendly and helpful and officers are happy to give out brochures on what items can and can’t be imported. I’m sure that most caravanners have a story like ours about Western Australian quarantine checks which can be can be … Continue reading Quarantine

Caravanning Hints6 Comments

Route Planning

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For those new to retirement and caravanning trip planning the where to go and when to go must be baffling. It’s hard enough to come to terms with the fact that you now have all the time in the world. At least until a debilitating illness takes hold of you! Let alone trying to understand why southern caravanners are more interested in northern weather patterns and cyclones on the TV weather report than how tomorrow’s weather will affect their golf game. To put it simply, there’s an exodus north in the southern winter not only to ease the aches and … Continue reading Route Planning

Caravanning Hints3 Comments

Universal Water Ski Signing

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This morning as I’m guiding Woody and the Jeep back onto the hitch for the thousandth time and when I convey in female hand signals that he’s an umpteenth to the left out and just needs to roll gently forward an inch and move back to the right, in frustration I ask him if he follows my signals … which are: 3 fingers waving backwards (and thumb pointing to left or right as needed) = keep coming 2 fingers waving backwards = getting closer 1 finger waving backwards (like calling a kitten) = real close, go slow   He stares … Continue reading Universal Water Ski Signing

Caravanning Hints4 Comments

Can you smell gas?

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We’re camped at Ayson’s Reserve near Elmore in Victoria and our mate Dee reckons that she can smell gas. We spend 15 minutes walking around their van sniffing in hatches, on our knees under the van and pouring soapy water over the gas connections. Sure enough, bubbles appear around the upright connector between the two gas bottles and we can now clearly see that the nut has a small crack in it. Daz is able to stop the leak and repair it temporarily until we can get into town and get it fixed. That old soapy water trick never fails. Continue reading Can you smell gas?