Category: Taking Directions

Taking Directions8 Comments

Travel? It’s all a matter of direction

Itching for Hitching

When I was a kid growing up on Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula (in the fifties when it was considered ‘the bush’ and before it became desirable real estate) our teacher used to teach us geography by tricking us. Where’s Western Australia? “West!” We freckle faced kids in home knits would all shout. Where’s the Northern Territory? “North!” (Oh this is too easy) Where’s South Australia? “South!” We’d shout. Wrong! It’s west! Tricky but effective. Hmmm maybe it’s time to go west again, to South Australia. Advertisements Continue reading Travel? It’s all a matter of direction

Qld, Taking Directions6 Comments

Getting High on Coffee

Itching for Hitching

If you’ve been following this blog for a while you’ve probably realised that we really enjoy our food and that Woody can’t survive without freshly roasted coffee. Winter 2016 We spend hours stocking up on supplies in Townsville. And searching for a coffee wholesaler, one of which has their home address listed on the website rather than the business address. We find ourselves driving up near vertical streets on the side of ritzy Castle Hill …with the van on the back. I can’t breathe for fear that we won’t be able to turn around or even go uphill if the … Continue reading Getting High on Coffee

Qld, Taking Directions4 Comments

Don’t Follow Us We’re Lost

Itching for Hitching

Aug 2013 Queensland About three quarters of the way from Hervey bay to Tin Can Bay Gabbi Garmin suddenly announces our arrival at Tin Can Bay, which is interesting because we’re in the middle of a huge pine plantation and there is no ocean in sight. We turn off her life support then shock her back to reality and soon she’s back on track again and talking with her mate the satellite. Funny how these devices never say “sorry”. Same trip but this time we are in the new suburb of Warner in Brisbane trying to find a friend’s house. … Continue reading Don’t Follow Us We’re Lost

Taking Directions6 Comments

Taking Directions…from locals

Itching for Hitching

We’re in a shopping centre somewhere in Perth and Woody questions some poor stranger about the whereabouts of the nearest Dan Murphy liquor store. I keep insisting that Google is easier but Woody reckons it is much more fun scanning the crowds for a likely ‘drinker’ then having a bit of a chat. He doesn’t factor in the difficulty of deciphering the resulting instructions….”just go down there oh, about a kilometre, turn left at the service station, then right or is it left…..?” Continue reading Taking Directions…from locals

Qld, Taking Directions3 Comments

It’s a matter of how you look at it

Itching for Hitching

Bravely we decide to do the self drive tour of Kingaroy, we came undone doing this in Charters Towers when Woody threatened to fling the talking CD out the car window. Anyway we do our best to follow the weird instructions which are as cryptic as a car trial. Out past ex Queensland Premier Joe Bjelke Peterson’s Bethany property then back across town to the Mt Wooroolin lookout with its 360 degree view of the area. More intriguing than the view is the lookout structure itself. It is almost as though someone was trying to avoid building steps and instead … Continue reading It’s a matter of how you look at it

Taking Directions, WA4 Comments

Where are we now Mal?

Itching for Hitching

We’ve been on the road for some time now and travelled 4000 kilometres, yet for some time I have had the sneaking suspicion that no one else in our little group knows where we are actually going. As I walk out of the water after my swim the others sheepishly declare that they were pondering what they would do if I had drowned. The Indian Ocean thankfully isn’t all that rough. Their answer was to stay in Geraldton forever as they didn’t know where we were headed or how to get home! It’s nice to be needed isn’t it? Continue reading Where are we now Mal?

Taking Directions, WA5 Comments

Lost in Translation

Itching for Hitching

When we checked in at the Big4 caravan park on the beach at Port Denison in WA the receptionist told us that the sunsets have been good and that we should grab an empty box and watch the sunset with a glass of wine. To explain that: a box is a cabin and WA law prevents you from drinking in an outdoor public place. So we took her advice and toddled off with our drinks to the verandah of an empty cabin and happily drank legally while watching nature put on a stunning show.     Continue reading Lost in Translation