There’s No Need to Rush

November 30, 2017November 27, 2017 Itching for Hitching

We often hear seniors talking about having travelled 500 kilometres in a day, falling into bed then doing it all again the next day and the day after. Not only do you miss out on seeing the sights but you miss the good spots at free camps and you run the risk of hitting wildlife that feeds at dusk and dawn. We call this roo time. Why not sleep in, have a lazy breakfast then enjoy your journey. When you’re retired, every day is a Saturday, right? What’s the rush? Continue reading There’s No Need to Rush

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Keeping Up Appearances

November 29, 2017November 27, 2017 Itching for Hitching

Why is it that young female backpackers spend an hour in the bathroom with brushes and paint pots, while the old Sheila’s barely stop to dry their hands? Continue reading Keeping Up Appearances

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Warm or cold?

November 25, 2017November 24, 2017 Itching for Hitching

Having driven down from sunny Queensland and trying to buy socks on a chilly winter morning in Cobram, Vic. I go into a sports store and ask for warm socks. “No we only have cold ones.” Says the assistant. Thankfully … Continue reading Warm or cold?

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Climate Change

October 29, 2017October 27, 2017 Itching for Hitching

One of the things that one must consider when caravanning is the constant climate change and the need to carry clothing and bedding to suit all seasons. A decent day’s drive can mean that you’ve travelled from winter to summer sometimes without realising it. Thus, on a hot night in Bowen, Qld a male voice loudly declares, “We’ve got 2 doonas, 3 blankets and all we need is a sheet!” Yeah and I’ll bet he blames his wife for the van being overweight. Continue reading Climate Change

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Ready to Go…Home

October 27, 2017October 26, 2017 Itching for Hitching

Like most RVers we uphold the rule that our toilet is not to be used for number twos except in dire circumstances. But after several months on the road I’m over listening to women moaning in the toilet each morning. Some even mutter words of encouragement to their bowels! “Come On, Come On!” they shout like Lleyton Hewitt at his pinnacle at Wimbledon. Continue reading Ready to Go…Home

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Why Women Must Learn to Tow

October 11, 2017October 8, 2017 Itching for Hitching

All it takes is a stumble and one of you can be out of action. When I suddenly found myself sitting on my ankle on a well maintained National Park pathway no one would have been more surprised than me. But a broken ankle meant that poor Woody had a three thousand kilometre drive with no assistance except for a whingeing navigator with her leg propped on a cushion. Now imagine if that had been Woody with the broken ankle and if I wasn’t able to tow the caravan. We really would have been up that proverbial creek. Someone once … Continue reading Why Women Must Learn to Tow

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Minor Medical Issues

September 24, 2017September 23, 2017 Itching for Hitching

Whenever a caravan club muster is imminent someone mentions that a little attention is needed for a Minor Medical Issue, “but don’t worry, we’ll be there.” And true to their word they are. Dodgy ticker, broken bones, torn ligaments, dicky knees, drug patches and hidden tubing from recent surgery, fuzzy heads, blurry eyes, overactive thyroids, bladders and guts. Around camp grounds across the country seniors are hopping and bopping on walking frames and driving their wheelchairs and scooters up ramps into their homes away from home. As my old aunt always says “It doesn’t matter where you die… it’s someone … Continue reading Minor Medical Issues

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Caravanning, how do I get started?

September 22, 2017September 13, 2017 Itching for Hitching

You’ve decided to go caravanning but you don’t know where to start. Whether the car or the van comes first is as confusing as ‘The Chicken and the Egg’. Here are a few pointers that we’ve learnt the hard way. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of retailers and manufacturers and do your research. Hit the online caravanning forums, subscribe to a few caravanning magazines and eventually it will all make sense. Above all enjoy yourself, this is a lifestyle choice, it can be an adventure and it is fun. Decide what type of van suits your needs The best … Continue reading Caravanning, how do I get started?

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Memories

September 1, 2017August 31, 2017 Itching for Hitching

A trip shouldn’t end when you return home. A friend of ours once said “I spent $100,000 on overseas travel and I don’t remember $80,000 of it!” It is for this reason that I began a journal on our first caravanning trip and have continued to do so. That journal becomes a private blog as we travel for family and friends to know where we are. The photos become a DVD when we get home, not for boring our friends to death but to cheer us up on a cold night. Random snippets from these blogs end up here on … Continue reading Memories

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The Case For Flying Home

August 31, 2017August 25, 2017 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