Dave is right; Burra really is a living museum. Those old Cornish miners in the 1800s sure knew how to build beautiful buildings out of the local stone. We have bought a key system to get us into a range of tourist history sites around the district, which means we use a key to get into old buildings, cellars underground, a gaol, museums etc. Plus today we rode out to the main old mine working, which ended up being an open cut in later years. The pumping machinery there is awesome to see, with a working model as well. I rode on gravel again to get there....I'm so brave ha ha! Poor Dave hears my muttering curses about slippery bits of gravel sometimes in his helmet with our speakers system.

We had a little fossick around for local malachite/azurite rock and found some tiny samples. Later we bought some local malachite in town.

At the local museum we enjoyed seeing displays and old photographs. Dave took a photo of an old photo of a John Dunstan (jnr) who was Burra Mayor in 1885....any relation to my Dunstan boys? I enjoyed dressing up as a grand Dame in my emerald green ballgown, while Dave hammed it up looking very military.....he did the serious look for the photograph he took while I look like I've been sipping yippee silly tea in my pot! Dave told me later that ladies in the old fashioned days had to look serious; well, I can't do that easily, so happy is the look!

Yesterday was freezing cold and a bit rainy in Burra, so we did a lot of walking around the lovely old town, exploring. Great meals available, friendly locals, lots of grey nomads in huge caravans with everything including the kitchen sink....why do some of them travel so heavy? Each to their own...some of them must think we're doing it the hard way but it is really fun travelling the way we are. Our winter gear kept us warm yesterday, and our feather sleeping bags were very toasty at night. Also Dave bought a little fan heater to keep us warm in our tent if it gets too cold!

This morning we had a pesky little visitor...a damn fat mouse was up our tent wall....see photo. There are lots of gorgeous cute ducks around but they aren't pests.

We've updated with a small antenna system so we can pick up TV without having to use download power on the internet system. Also have added a headphone speaker system to help pick up skype phone calls easier.

Last night we went to a Burra pub and heard a country and western trio...singing "Oh Lonesome Me" songs...rather funny. One of the 2 guitarists was excellent though...his little riffs on his Fender guitar kept us happily toe tapping. We got chatting to a nice couple and plan to have a Chinese cooking meal with them in a couple of night's time. He's a visiting doctor who is acting as locum in the area for 2 weeks. She's Chinese and Dave and her are going to cook a real chinese meal, wok style.

We've also been having good chats to many Ulyssians who are on the way to Mildura AGM. We must be the only ones going the other way! (Well, that's not new for spatially dyslexic me!)

Tomorrow is another day on our bikes exploring the district.