Scarce as hen’s teeth

November 29, 2016November 29, 2016 Itching for Hitching

Remember our poor old mate ‘Toothless Johnno’ who lost a tooth from his dental plate whilst eating lunch in the sun? Well ‘Johnno’ rang his dentist to see how quickly he could get his dentures repaired because he is a police officer and he didn’t want to return to work looking more like one of the crooks. “Just bring the tooth in on Monday” said the dentist. ‘Johnno’ had to explain how the bird ate the tooth and that he won’t be bringing the bloody bird into the dentist’s office. “Hmm, it must have thought it was a piece of bread.” … Continue reading Scarce as hen’s teeth

Well Bugger Me!2 Comments

A Stitch in Time

November 28, 2016 Itching for Hitching

We decide to turn a wedding invitation into a caravan marathon, Melbourne to Margaret River and return home via Darwin. After 3,500kms we check into a van park, borrow an iron and find where the makeup and hair dryer have been stowed. We scrub up and join the other guests at the wedding and reckon that we look pretty good. Until we talk to our old mate Rose from NZ and she tells us that her gorgeous ‘new’ dress was once a fifty year old curtain. I guess they don’t have problems with the sun fading the curtains over there … Continue reading A Stitch in Time

Wildlife9 Comments

Toothless

November 26, 2016 Itching for Hitching

A caravanning mate of ours, I’ll call him Johnno, lost a tooth. Shocked at this he put it on the camp table and a bird swooped down and ate it. Now I can’t show you a picture of toothless Johnno as he’s a serving police officer, so here’s a picture of a bird. Continue reading Toothless

Well Bugger Me!2 Comments

What Have We Done Wrong?

November 25, 2016November 20, 2016 Itching for Hitching

“Roo shooters and caravans not allowed” says the sign at the car wash in Mt Isa, Queensland. In Winton we notice 4WD’s rigged with rows of stainless steel hooks on the back. When out walking in the early morning Woody … Continue reading What Have We Done Wrong?

Farm Stays, WALeave a comment

Pardoo Station

November 24, 2016November 20, 2016 Itching for Hitching

It’s May 2015 and we’re camped at Pardoo Station in the Pilbara, more than half way up the West Australian coast, a small cattle holding of half a million acres or thereabouts. Heaven knows how many cattle they have but … Continue reading Pardoo Station

The Characters You Meet, WA3 Comments

A Heavy Sleeper

November 23, 2016November 18, 2016 Itching for Hitching

It’s a balmy evening in Broome, WA and as we sit chatting at sundown I ask our neighbour if we are too noisy. “Oh no” she says “anyway nothing would wake him. I once went to hospital for four hours, on a drip, came back and he didn’t even know I’d been gone”. Continue reading A Heavy Sleeper

National Park, Qld4 Comments

Byfield National Park

November 21, 2016November 18, 2016 Itching for Hitching

Friends have invited us for a picnic in Byfield National Park. They live about 20kms north of Yeppoon, Qld at Bungundarra on rich red soil. Their 20 acre farm and mango orchard faces east towards the blue ranges of Byfield. The area is lush with farms and I’ll swear that a concrete post would grow in soil like this. Dozens of magpie geese have taken up residence in the dam out front. We have morning tea on the terrace before driving along about 17kms of dirt road into Upper Stoney Camp Ground. This is a 4WD only camp ground and … Continue reading Byfield National Park

Caravanning Hints7 Comments

Walkie talkie?

November 20, 2016November 17, 2016 Itching for Hitching

Like many others, we don’t have a camera on the back of our van so we use hand held UHF radios when reversing into a caravan park site. However, me shouting “Stop, stop, stop” into the CB when it isn’t even turned on is a recipe for disaster. Oops Navigator in disgrace. Continue reading Walkie talkie?

Fences4 Comments

What to do with an old mattress

November 19, 2016September 21, 2018 Itching for Hitching

Build an inner spring fence for the sweet peas of course! Just like this one in the mountains at Mt Beauty, Vic. Continue reading What to do with an old mattress

Places, Vic10 Comments

Rutherglen, the wine town

November 18, 2016November 17, 2016 Itching for Hitching

Established in 1860 when gold was discovered. The name of Rutherglen was decided upon when a local publican offered to shout the bar if he could name the town after his hometown in Scotland. Wine making is the mainstay of this area now after having fought back from being wiped out by phylloxera. Famous for its fortifieds, sweet, sticky and unctuous they’re enough to warm a winters evening by the fire. So important is wine to this town that even the Information Centre has a licence to sell wine and a visit to pick up a few brochures can turn … Continue reading Rutherglen, the wine town