Opals-made to make your mouth water
Trip Start
Oct 22, 2007
1
68
103
Trip End
Mar 01, 2008
Coober Pedy,
Australia
Monday, January 7, 2008
134 45.326e
port augutta as the adelaidians call it wasn't much but we were impressed with woollies the supermarket being open until 10pm - most unusual and we didn't get slung out of that one! We stock up on lots of drinks cos weve been told that water costs a fortune the further north we go so the boot of the car is heaving...hope we can keep it cold with just an eskie and 2 ice packs! Even bev draws a line at warm diet coke...we are driving to coober pedy today about 550km away.its not long before we spot todays potd - cocky b -we have started to photograph them too when we can and chris and jen -we will put the pics on the blog too- think weve started something there! whose idea was it anyway...! Think how much you tube went for .... We could be rich coming to oz without finding any gold or opals that the loonies (sorry locals) search for here in coober pedy - this place is like nothing we have seen before..
Going Underground!
. after 3 hours driving through nothing but scrub and a few mountains a few hilly lumps of sand appear - looking like pyramids in the desert - there are more and more as we keep driving and suddenly some tin shacks appear too...that's about it for coober pedy...it's a real oz township that looks like another movie set from the fifties- mad max 111 and Priscilla queen of the desert were made very near by and if you've seen those films youll know what we are ranting about... dust and more dust! Lots of buildings are carved out of the hillsides and folk live underground to escape the heat, which although its hot it doesn't feel too bad - but maybe that's why there arnt many people on the streets - just a few aborigines hanging around. We want to stay underground here to add to our list of oz experiences and the girl in the garage recommends the hotel opposite, the 4 star desert cave hotel. It looks very nice! Bargain rates too cos the season is over here we end up in an underground ensuite room that beats camping anyday! A dip in the pool and Jacuzzi cools us down before dinner in the pizza restaurant just opposite. The hotel also has an opal shop (Coober Pedy is full of these - it is the opal capital of the world) but bev or nats cant decide on whether to have a necklace or ring - cant afford both! - we will be stopping here on our way back to Adelaide so lets see just how expensive the rest of this week is..... 
Comments
Coober Pedy Old Timers Mine
Hi Folks, Nice story about Coober Pedy, I run the Old Timers Mine in Coober Pedy, a 1916 Opal mine, museum and Underground home, Coober Pedys best tourist attraction. On your way back consider calling in I am sure we can give you a good experience,
Trevor