Category: Hobbies

Hobbies, The Pubs4 Comments

An app addiction

Itching for Hitching

During what a caravanning friend of mine refers to as ‘the quiet time’ I’ve been playing with a rather cute app called Pin365 and logging all the pubs that we’ve had a beer in on our caravanning adventures. Just the caravanning trips, not the casual Sunday lunches around Melbourne and not the places that we’ve visited by ships and planes and without our van Priscilla. Of course, the trouble with computers and statistics is that they always seem to disagree with the old ‘gut feel’ method. Thus, in this enlightened state two things have become blindingly obvious, firstly there are … Continue reading An app addiction

Hobbies5 Comments

Garlic hangers or too long on the NSW north coast

Itching for Hitching

As long as I can remember, if you’d have mentioned sewing, knitting or crafts to me I probably would have vomited. My poor Mother went to her grave disappointed that I’d never shown an interest in those pursuits that she enjoyed so much. And yet a couple of years ago contentedly putting our feet up at Nambucca Heads for a month of relaxation and tired of electronic devices it suddenly came to me Macrame! In our yachting years I loved fiddling with knots, I was the one charged with mooring and putting out the fenders while Woody was on the … Continue reading Garlic hangers or too long on the NSW north coast

Hobbies, SA5 Comments

Finding Francis

Itching for Hitching

Mar 2018, Kapunda, SA Kapunda, home to Woody’s Great Great Grandfather for 30 years in the 1800’s is looking neglected and run down. When copper was discovered here it saved the fledgling colony of South Australia from bankruptcy. Now Kapunda appears to be struggling to survive. The Main Street still has a lot of original buildings but not many bustling businesses. I visit the Info Centre and their resident historian whisks me upstairs and helps me locate on town maps where the family owned sections of land. Once we are back in the car and drive along the Main Street … Continue reading Finding Francis

Hobbies10 Comments

Hobbies on the road

Itching for Hitching

Those of you who aren’t caravanners must probably wonder what on earth we do out there, in the bush. Well, there’s only so much sightseeing that one can do without becoming completely and utterly exhausted (we are seniors you know). There are only so many museums, art galleries and craft shops that one can enjoy. We find that the attraction that we don’t visit, the one we almost visit but say “Oh God no! Enough is enough”.  Well that one turns out to be everyone else’s favourite in all of Australia and we bloody well missed it! As much as … Continue reading Hobbies on the road

Hobbies, SA12 Comments

When you hit a genealogical brickwall try birdwatching

Itching for Hitching

When I first retired and joined U3A (University of the Third Age) I had particularly wanted to trace our family histories. Naturally I joined the U3A Genealogical class that was held at the local Family History Library and was instantly hooked, became a library member and commenced delving the dusty past. My husband’s family was a bit of a mystery as he and his brothers had no knowledge of their ancestors beyond their paternal grandfather. I was on cloud nine the day that a marriage certificate revealed that Woody’s ancestors were early South Australian colonists and much of their daily … Continue reading When you hit a genealogical brickwall try birdwatching

Hobbies12 Comments

Delicacies

Itching for Hitching

If you are a regular follower of this blog you may have realised that we like our food, a lot. Whilst on the road we’re always on the lookout for local delicacies to savour. Regional produce like new seasons walnuts in Autumn from the Victorian Ovens Valley, fresh oysters from Coffin Bay and of course Woody couldn’t live without his freshly roasted coffee. We once drove thousands of kilometres for the smoked meats at Kilkivan in Qld and we weren’t disappointed. It works both ways too, as we often travel north with a freezer full of dim sims for Woody’s … Continue reading Delicacies

Hobbies6 Comments

Looking for long lost relatives? Sometimes they’re closer than you think.

Itching for Hitching

We joined a local caravan club and discovered that we were distantly related to one of the members. We’ve travelled many thousands of kilometres with one mate from our club and this year we camped with her at beautiful Nambucca Heads. Being a relaxing holiday whenever our friend had a chance she poured over Ancestry.Com in search of her Mother’s family. Her Mother had never told her children that she had been fostered thus it had been something of a shock for them to find out only recently that the family they believed were theirs were not blood relations. Needless … Continue reading Looking for long lost relatives? Sometimes they’re closer than you think.