Tag: Blogging 101

NSW, Showgrounds2 Comments

Beautiful Bellingen

Itching for Hitching

The Bellingen, NSW showgrounds are quite grassy and in need of a good mow when we call in (2013) but there are clean amenities, toilets and showers, power and water. It is a lovely spot and the rainforest is right behind us. The town is only a short walk away across the causeway and there are a couple of other vans around us. The warm afternoon sun is too good to waste so we settle back with a wine and a book. As the evening draws in our neighbour begins to strum his guitar and he is certainly quite proficient, … Continue reading Beautiful Bellingen

Well Bugger Me!8 Comments

The Big Lap

Itching for Hitching

Australians and New Zealanders it seems, have an inbuilt wish to do at least one ‘Big Lap’ of Oz. It’s almost as if one can’t meet one’s maker without having first done the ‘Big Lap’. Not that long ago we found ourselves only a day away from home and enjoying lunch in the Gift Hotel in Stawell, Vic. It’s located right opposite the sports ground that hosts the famous Stawell Gift foot race. I was on crutches due to a recent stumble (a different kind of trip but more on that in another post) and we were enjoying an excellent … Continue reading The Big Lap

Events, Vic1 Comment

Girgarre Moosic Muster

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The tiny town of Girgarre in Victoria is situated in an area known for its dairying. Many years ago its Girgarre Butter was a household name in Victoria. But times change and ten years ago Victorian primary industry was crippled by the worst drought in living memory. The residents of Girgarre gathered together to brainstorm a solution to save their town from ruin. Someone suggested a Farmer’s Market and music was also suggested. The market went ahead and some musicians came to perform on hay bales in the park. Turning the clock forward, last weekend 1500 people converged on Girgarre. … Continue reading Girgarre Moosic Muster

Caravanning HintsLeave a comment

Hairdressing

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One of my biggest concerns upon retirement was hairdressing. After having spent a lifetime of donating the majority of my salary to my local hairdresser so that I could look decently coifed for business I realised that I needed to reduce the cost. With the help of friends I found a hairdresser who would trim my hair at a much more reasonable price. Another friend offered to teach me how to colour my hair.  The cost of this lesson was a long lunch and a bottle of champagne before we started! While the boys embarked on a second bottle, we … Continue reading Hairdressing

BlogLeave a comment

Just Another Day On the Road

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One of the advantages of travel is writing about one’s own adventures but how does one write a daily blog about life ‘on the road’, when one is ‘on the road’?With great difficulty! As I sit here penning this draft it is near midnight and my husband is snoring, loudly. We’ve been free camping for four days without mains power. Relying on our solar panels. Perhaps we’ve been a little too relaxed this week but all of our devices are suddenly in need of a charge. That’s two phones, an iPad and a laptop and I’m juggling them. I prefer … Continue reading Just Another Day On the Road

Freedom Camp, NSW, Top SpotsLeave a comment

Coopernook, NSW

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We turn off Highway One to visit the Coopernook Pub, it offers free camping in the back yard for the price of a beer. The pub overlooks the Lansdowne River and the remains of a large iron bridge. We have a beer but decide to move on to check out the Coopernook Forest Campground. Brian who has a fear of dirt roads is just about hyperventilating as we drive the 3kms to the park. Suddenly the trees part and there before us is a wide, open mowed grassy area with shade trees and enough space for about thirty camps. There … Continue reading Coopernook, NSW

When Things Just Go WrongLeave a comment

Wrinkles and Wristbands

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One of the things that is foremost in the minds of retirees has to be healthcare. “Am I risking my health to go to unknown places? Do they have decent hospitals out there?” Don’t rule out travel because of these concerns and when you do go on the road never put off health issues until you get home either. Always play it safe and seek advice. The healthcare facilities throughout Australia are excellent and you will hear many an uplifting story from other travellers who have found themselves in need of assistance in the unlikeliest of places. This morning we were … Continue reading Wrinkles and Wristbands

In the Beginning6 Comments

Why the Blog?

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My husband and I retired from the workforce three years ago and among other things decided to take up caravanning. It has been an amazing experience. From learning all about caravans and towing them to the adventures that we’ve had and the people that we’ve met. I also joined a writing class at a nearby U3A (University of the Third Age), with the aim of learning how to write the story of my husband’s foster family’s history. Because I felt that their lives warranted something more than a long list of chronological events. Then poetry appeared on the scene. Something … Continue reading Why the Blog?