Tag: Humour

NSW, Places6 Comments

Lounging in Lightning Ridge

Itching for Hitching

July 2019, Lightning Ridge, NSW Lounging around Lightning Ridge Quite possibly the best attractions in town are the “Three pubs in the scrub” which is a drive out to the Grawin opal fields and its iconic pubs , the “Car Door tours” which entails following the trails of coloured car doors hanging from trees to see the sights of the town and the “Chambers of the Black Hand” a hand hewn underground art gallery like no other. Having got down and dirty noodling for opal and enjoying these tours on our previous visit this time we’re here just for a … Continue reading Lounging in Lightning Ridge

Why Caravanning3 Comments

Follow the Sun Day 5 – Lightning Ridge

Itching for Hitching

Day 5, Thursday 18/7/2019 Lightning Ridge 8 – 18 A lay day lie in, aah heaven. We potter about and do a few chores, like filling the water tanks as we’ve got two freedom camps ahead of us. We buy a new bucket in town as the holey one is of little use, unless we want to call it a basket that is. Lightning Ridge is a funny town that you either love or hate and we love it, so much so that three years ago we spent a week here. It is best described as semi desert as little … Continue reading Follow the Sun Day 5 – Lightning Ridge

Why Caravanning12 Comments

Follow the Sun Day 2

Itching for Hitching

Day 2 Monday 15/7/2019, Tocumwal to Mirrool, sunny 8 – 15 We slept really well last night, the van was cosy and warm, the morning is barely cold and there are rosellas outside. In town we have a coffee by the fire in Chrissie’s Book Cafe. Tocumwal is looking prosperous and the sun is warming. Yes, we did make the right decision to get away. Up the Newell Highway at Jerilderie, where bush ranger Ned Kelly once held the whole town to ransom, things aren’t looking as rosy. The street is neat and tidy but there are only a few … Continue reading Follow the Sun Day 2

Why Caravanning14 Comments

Follow the Sun Day 1

Itching for Hitching

Day 1, Sunday 14/7/2019 Home to Tocumwal 5 degrees at home, 9 at Tocumwal, now that’s an improvement already. It feels like we’re escaping from a house filled with germs. Since we blew the engine on the Jeep and the car and caravan were towed back from Murray Bridge,SA thus aborting our long planned trip to Darwin, the car has been repaired but we both came down with a virus called Para Influenza. Not the flu that we had been vaccinated against but another strain, one that leaves you with only two abilities, sleeping and drinking soup. Not to mention … Continue reading Follow the Sun Day 1

Great Drives26 Comments

Up the Guts – Day 7 – Gutted

Itching for Hitching

Day 7 (though I should no longer count the days) Friday 21/6/19 Home in Melbourne Woody returns the hire car. We get word to say that the car and van have left Murray Bridge. We receive an email, a picture of a camel in the wild. Yes, they found one. Saturday 22/6/19 Still at home It’s a cold wintry morning and I decide to have some marmalade on toast. Oh bugger! The half jar of marmalade is in the van, on a truck, somewhere. We get a call to say that the truck has arrived in Melbourne but will be … Continue reading Up the Guts – Day 7 – Gutted

Great Drives8 Comments

Up the Guts – Day 6

Itching for Hitching

Day 6 Thursday 20/6/19 Bordertown to Melbourne (-1˚Bordertown, 6˚at noon Ballarat, 9.5˚Melbourne) We wake early, to a white frosty car and the realisation that it doesn’t have heated seats. We have a substantial breakfast and a long invigorating walk in Horsham after having lost half an hour to the time zone change. El Prado rings to say that on the way to Peterborough he put petrol in his diesel tank. They had to unhook the caravan and move it out of the way while the car’s fuel tank was pumped out. In the meantime the service station owner baked muffins … Continue reading Up the Guts – Day 6

Great Drives7 Comments

Up the Guts – Day 5

Itching for Hitching

Day 5 Wednesday 19/6/19 Murray Bridge to Bordertown We didn’t sleep all that well. Both our heads were spinning trying to come to terms with the premature end of a long-awaited trip and what we need to pack to get home comfortably. After a slap up cooked breakfast The Prado’s, Toothless and his Missus head north for Peterborough and it’s a tearful farewell. We concentrate on the job at hand, packing sturdy bags (I’m surprised that I have a wad of them jammed at the back of the bathroom cupboard) with everything we’ll need for the trip home and when … Continue reading Up the Guts – Day 5

Great Drives24 Comments

Up the Guts – Day 4

Itching for Hitching

Day 4 Tuesday 18/6/19, Murray Bridge, intermittent showers 14˚ We slept well last night, perhaps it was exhaustion after a long day that was peppered with a lot of stress. Being quite a distance from town we catch a cab to Bridge Motors to see what the verdict is on the car. The mechanic shows us a burst coolant hose which he believes would have been hard for anyone to spot when servicing the vehicle. The car? Well that should be ready this afternoon. We breathe a sigh of relief. Toothless and his Missus are back in town and head … Continue reading Up the Guts – Day 4