Coober Pedy

Arriving at Whyalla in time to pick Baigal up from the airport. The excitement today was imense counting the hours down to Baigal's arrival. L and A even washing windows, making a welcome sign and a "hotel" bus bed.

We learnt in SA it was a public holiday for the Adelaide Cup; b***** no new tyre for our Coober Pedy road trip. Tuesday 10th March we departed early so as to get to Coober Pedy by a reasonable time. We sourced a new spare tyre and departed Port Augusta by 9.20am. A total of 640km of a drive of not much except salt bush, a few salt lakes and a highway stretching from Adelaide to Darwin. We arrived at Coober Pedy in time to go underground opal mining at Tom's Opal Mine, Old Miners Museum and a view from the big bucket. All deciding it was not a place we would like to live but intersting to see houses backed into the small hills/ breakaways. Arriving at our accomodation Desert View Underground Apartments that Lotte had once again booked. Quite an ironic name considering there were no windows. On arrival the unit was cooler inside then during the night it became warmer than outside with no aircon it works quite well. Unfortualty Tim had a high temp and was in bedbefore the kids. A quiet night was had with no noise penetrating the underground walls.

The next day with Tim feeling better we decided to drive back an even longer way via William Creek, Lake Eyre South, Roxby Downs and Woomera. With half the trip being gravel we hoped they were good roads, lucky for us they were. Stopping at William Creek for morning tea a town with a population of 10 we were not expecting much. To our delight there was an old timber and corrugated iron pub that had heaps of personality. Memories of people, events and time all adding to the uniqueness of this small outback town. Found on the worlds largest cattle station Anna Creek Station 32 500 square km owned by the Sidney Kidman and Co empire. Sidney was a 13 year stockman who latter became one of the largest property owners, once owning over 90 stations covering 340,000 square km (83 million acres) and he was also known as the Beef Barron. Also adding to the joy and surprise stopping at this outback pub was they sold capacinos, which all 3 adults thoroughly enjoyed. Calling past an old fuel stop for the Ghan railway we took some great photos of an old station hut. Next onto Lake Eyre South the largest lake in Australia we had lunch with the over friendly flies who to his annoyance seemed to like Tim best of all. This lake rarely filling with water was certainly dry on our visit, a salt plane as far as you coud see with only a mirage giving us an imagine of what it could be like with water. What a frustrating place for the early settlers who would have walked for days or looked for year to find water here with a total of area of 9690sq km. It would be amazing to see it full of water out there in the dry country.

Through to Olympic Dam, Australia's largest underground mine, mining copper, gold, silver and uranium. Roxby Downs was build in 1988 to support the mine and reminded us of a newer version of Tom Price. Onto Woomera that is the largest land -based missile and rocket range in te western world. Crazy Fidge didn't even know it existed and to think what would go on out here, it was an eye opener to see real rockets that were on display in town.

Back to home at 8pm we were all tired and ready for bed. Thursday was Tim's oppotunitye for his first go at kite surfing finding a perfect beach with wind. With around 4 hours of having a go he was able to master standing and got a feel for it. WOW how cool. With the tide out we headed home to get dinner on with the thought that the wind would be even better and for Tim to have another go around 5pm. On arriving back ther were 4 other kite surfers out but as Tim got in the water they all disappeared, he soon learnt after being thrown and dumped maybe the wind was a bit too strong. At least he survived and got a good go in earlier in the day. With both Fidge and Baigal following him closely all day I think he felt pretty special with 2 chicks paying him so much attention.

Off to Port Lincoln at the bottom of the Eyre Peninsula on Friday.