NSW, Places13 Comments

Lightning Ridge

Itching for Hitching

Lightning Ridge is unique. Seven hundred kilometres from Sydney it feels like the outback but in Australian terms of distance it isn’t, really. An ironstone ridge rising from a floodplain it attracts lightning and thus the name.The Ridge is an opal mining town where people live above ground usually beside their mines. Unlike the opal towns of Coober Pedy and White Cliffs where they prefer to live underground because of the hot climate and the dry air in their mines. To the tourist it is a town of characters and eccentrics and never knowing whether the scruffy bearded guy in … Continue reading Lightning Ridge

Caravanning Hints7 Comments

Gen Why?

Itching for Hitching

The noise of our neighbours generator forces us indoors and we start to wonder why they need a generator these days anyway. It turns out that they are powering a microwave, hairdryer and two Waeco fridges. But why? The fridges can be powered by 12 volt. The 12 volt system can be topped up by solar power. In cold weather gas and diesel heating will make a caravan cosy in minutes. If it’s too cold to air dry your hair there’s always the car heater. And who needs the chicken defroster anyway? Continue reading Gen Why?

Caravanning Hints3 Comments

Washing Day

Itching for Hitching

Woody galloped over to the showers at 6:00am as usual then once shampooed and showered, went on to the laundry with our washing basket. Greeting him in the laundry was our park neighbour with every machine filled and another load waiting in front of each one.”Oh” she says “you can use those two over there.”  “Not much use to me” says Woody “they’re both dryers.” “We’ve been on the road for five weeks.” she counters, as if we haven’t. Next morning Woody gets up at 6:00am and loads the washing machines…before he showers. Continue reading Washing Day