The world according to K

So sorry chaps but I deleted all my photies of Coober Pedy and Adelaide by mistake on my camera. Thrilled to say the least – but use your imagination instead.

I took a tour still travelling with the scot Gordon to Adelaide from Alice via Coober Pedy.

Our guide was the hysterical one off called BT. She was an ex opal miner, had a voice like gravel – and looked as though she could handle most things standing on her head whilst whistling dixie. She was a hard case – and wonderful company. The drive from Alice to Adelaide is a humonguos 1600 km through well …nothing really. Pure flat desert only interrupted at times by a road house or bushes.

The only respite from this long journey was a place called COOBER PEDY.

COOBER PEDY
So imagine westerns of old- this was a isolated mining town where the men are men and the sheep are frightened ( not that there are any sheep..). It is the most weird town that I have seen so far. Most people due to the extreme heat live UNDERGROUND in houses tunneled into the sandstone . It is cooler undrerground and the temp is a constant 19 degrees. We actually stayed overnight in a hostel that was underground and that was indeed cool.

The town although not very old, is famed for its eccentric dangerous mix of miners and renegrades. BT our guide for the trip was telling me that she was a miner here and there going back 2 years ago. There is such a thing as OPAL fever ( this is what they mine- OPALS ) and you peg out a site and then well..dig. You either find nothing or make thousands of dollars if you find the perfect Opal stream. BT showed us the prize opal that she had dug up. IT was worth over 250,000 dollars but she hadn’t sold it – has it as insurance. She had the look of fever in her eyes as she described the finding of a “rock ” and she says one year she made absolutely no money the next – thousands and has bought two houses in Adelaide on the proceeds. She now works as a guide as she wants to get sensible. Quite a hard lady and amazing character.

The town itself is a flat, ugly town with a couple of supermarkets, an Italian restaurant – one bank and a police station. The houses are built into the side of the rock – and tunnels lead underground to bedrooms – fully fitted kitchens – lounges – you name it – just no windows and of course no natural light. I found it a bit depressing really and wondered what the suicide rate was in the town – no sunlight remember just a dust bowl above.

We had a tour of one of the mines and one of the houses. We were told by the guide that 2000 people live in Coober P, but the post office has 4000 registered ( claims) and the tax people has 400 registered. You are NOT alowed to mine in the town iteslef – only the outskirts where you see hundreds of earth mounds. However there was once a very lucrative opal stream in Coober town itself – so although you are not allowed to mine you are allowed to EXTEND your house ( ie tunnel more rooms out ). Needless to say – lots of people are ” extending” their houses in COOBER Pedy. Hysterical fancy walking into the wardrobe area in your bedroom and finding ..well a mine.

On the surface the town – was one big flowing DUST BOWL . I have never seen so much dust and grit. It choked you. God love you if you wore contacts.

BOMBS AND GELIGNITE

Until a few year ago the town was reknowned as being well ..a tad rough. Many films including Priscilla Q of D , Mad Max, have been filmed here due to its desolate look. Until about 10 years ago we were told that the men still carried guns – and sticks of Gelignite and God forbid if you ventured into their mining patch by mistake. 4 years ago a new police man was assigned to the town. He thought he would take it in hand. He gave two guys a parking ticket and caught them drink driving.

Next day in the town his police car had a stick of G thrown into it and well – it was blown up. The newly assigned officer left next day….The police station has been bombed twice. As I said no messing with these guys.

We had a meal in a lovely Italian restaurant opposite the hostel..but I noticed apart from us travellers – no women around ..they’re obviously at home patching up the mine sacks. yep this was ceratinly a man’s town…..

Adelaide
What a sweet lovely place. I like Adelaide- it is laid back and the YHA where I’m staying is fantastic. Shops , and a proper town and a chance to recharge the batteries . I am with a great set of travellers and I either join them on a night out or stay in read my book..usually the latter as its so rare you can do this. here I said tara to my travel buddy Gordon..I will miss that guy…very funny .

yep I like Adelaide sorry no photies for same reason…bloody annoying!!!

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 30th, 2007 at 7:05 pm and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.