Coober Pedy

From Lake Hart we had to travel 350 km to Coober Pedy. Having enjoyed the warmth and sunset the previous night, we awoke to seriously high winds and dust storms so the long dry desert trip was not enjoyable as the van was buffeted and thrown around the road. With my foot flat to the floor we failed to maintain 70 kph against a very scary headwind.

The protocol of campervan waving has become somewhat easier on the Stuart Highway- everybody waves at you, in acknowledgement of being mutually insane for being there in the first place.



But we got here- the opal mining capital of the world, and the place where the majority of the population lives underground to avoid the extremes of the weather. We will be here for 2 days, so more information to follow, but despite complaints about the nerdiness of our post office collection, I leave you with a picture taken in the Old Timer's Mine Museum which incorporates the only ever underground post office in the world.



We have booked a 4 seater aeroplane flight over the painted desert tomorrow. I do not like flying at the best of times, so am hoping the winds will have subsided somewhat.