Category: Taking Directions

NSW, Taking DirectionsLeave a comment

Taking Directions

Itching for Hitching

Spring 2014 Leaving Newcastle, NSW, Gabbi Garmin tries hard to take us via the coast road rather than the Expressway. We lose about twenty minutes trying to get back onto the southbound expressway. We ask ourselves why we are heading south as the air smells of exhaust fumes, the traffic noise is deafening then we crawl through the Pennant Hills bottleneck. Eventually, we join the M7 and in minutes we’re away from Sydney and down in the Southern Highlands. 2021 Note: The Pennant Hills bottleneck has now been removed but thanks to Covid we haven’t been game to go anywhere … Continue reading Taking Directions

ACT, Taking Directions13 Comments

A love hate relationship

Itching for Hitching

Mar 2019, Canberra, ACT When our GPS ‘Gabbi Garmin’ died recently we didn’t rush to replace her. Afterall we were only going on a short trip, up the New South Wales south coast and possibly heading back to Melbourne down the Hume Highway. “Hey, we know those roads well.” Or so we thought. There was a possibility of visiting Canberra that became stronger as we travelled north. A chance to catch up on the visit that we missed out on last Christmas when I was still getting used to my new eyes after cataract surgery. I’m sure only those who … Continue reading A love hate relationship

Taking Directions8 Comments

RIP Gabbi Garmin

Itching for Hitching

Our trusty GPS has packed it in! Gone to God! Carked it! Turned up her toes and faded to grey! As much as I love a good map and could while away many hours reading a map, any map, we are missing Gabbi Garmin awfully, her nagging and of course her satellite capabilities when we haven’t got a phone signal. Her creative directing that once sent us into the middle of some poor farmer’s sugar cane field out the back of Mackay while sheets of rain thumped down and she shouted at us to “Do a U turn when possible!”. … Continue reading RIP Gabbi Garmin

Taking Directions, VicLeave a comment

Taking the circuitous route

Itching for Hitching

Nov 2018, Western District, Vic It’s hard to leave Port Campbell, not because of the lovely treed caravan park beside the creek and the bracing ocean walks, nor the nearby pub with warming meals but because Toothless Johnno has lost his car keys. We walk about the park with heads down resembling a bunch of scraggly emus while Toothless empties the Landcruiser of camping necessities. Eventually he finds them in the van having put them down to safely stow the TV for travel. Our destination for tomorrow is Deep Lake near Derrinallum a mere 93 kms away and being low … Continue reading Taking the circuitous route

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. 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