It was
freezing when we awoke at 8am - we could see our breath in the van! Though cold, initially, it turned out to be a glorious day. Bob cooked us all bacon & egg & we left the area at 10am. There were more vehicles on the road, it being a Monday, & we met lots of "grey nomads" at each stopping-off place. Soon after setting off, we saw crows feeding off a dead kangaroo - I guess this will be a frequent sight. The outside temperature rose steadily & I began to recover, not only from the early morning cold, from also my reluctant use of a "long-drop", which was not the best experience I'd ever had!
At intervals along the road, we saw strips, where the Flying Doctor aeroplanes could land - a great comfort to those living on outlying stations.
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| Last stop before Coober Pedy |
As we neared Coober Pedy, we noticed exploratory diggings, where they were testing for opals. The temperature crept up to 15C.
The town was strange & very different, having grown up purely for the purpose of opal mining. It was sandy, dusty & "gritty" & obviously short of water, which we will have to pay for.
Tomorrow, we hope to see one of the famous underground houses, constructed to escape the searing heat of summer. It is said that many "wanted" characters escape to Coober Pedy & live underground to remain undiscovered.
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