Day 4 ... William Creek to the Painted Desert via Coober Pedy

It's a bit tough to finally realise that to bear witness to the spectacular effects of the sun rising in this part of the outback - one has to be fully functioning by sunrise. Duh! But I have solved the problem of the lack of sleep at night, by sleeping during the tedious bits of the driving. As Manu can attest with his pesky cameos of Jools nodding off!

William Creek as a camp had nothing to recommend it - no creek beds; no River Gums; no warm morning showers. Just a bloody generator going all night. After a nice hot coffee and the promise of a shower at Coober Pedy, the day began.

We went like a bat out of hell nearly due West from William Creek toward Coober Pedy, the opal centre of Australia - or somesuch. About half-way along this flat boring stretch our way was dissected by a fence which seems to be known by various names: Dog Fence, Dingo Fence, Rabbit Proof Fence. Suffice to say, it is a fence with posts and strainers and wire-netting which is dug below the ground - although quite how that stops rabbits befuddles me! It is not a particularly high fence, maybe a smidgin higher than yer usual. This Dog Fence stretches from the coast of Queensland to the coast along the Great Australian Bite - a helluva long way. And there are guys whose job it is to constantly patrol the fence repairing holes.

You know when you are on the outskirts of Coober Pedy as the horizon begins to be dotted with mullock heaps - like an outbreak of gophers has hit the locale. One of life's coincidences that I realised today is that we drove into Coober Pedy on Wed 23 April which is about when that father from Perth on an access visit tossed his 3yo son down an unused mine. The boy was found yesterday. Bastard! Would it be any fun living in a hole in the ground? I know it gets hot on the surface and I know it is pretty inventive to be able to run your tele and your microwave down there but I would go bonkers. I am not even particularly comfortable driving through the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. I would be a screaming loon living below the ground. And what about that illness that affects people from the Northern Hemisphere who dont get to see the sun all winter? Ugh!

But ... they did have some nice opals. Some nice expensive opals. However, may of the irridescent blue opals to me seem a bit in-yer-face. So I succumbed to a ring and a bracelet that are a bit cloudy with flashes of red and green opal. I chose a solid stone rather than a triplet or doublet which to me seem to be a method of marketing to the masses. I will try to take a photo to show you my taste - or lack thereof.

Coober Pedy was one of our first days with mobile reception. I tried to complain to my daughter back in Sydney about the pain from sleeping on the ground. She told me to deal with it. Geez, who brought her up? Gggrrrrr ....

After a lovely spinach and ricotta pizza at Johnny's Joint, back we hopped into our trusty jalopy. This time we headed for the Painted Desert which is part of The Breakaways. The landscape became more and more beautiful as we closed in on our camp for the night. Just a quick diversion to the right and up a rise to watch the sunset at about 7pm. How Jarrod finds these camping spots each time he takes a group out astounds me. All told we travelled 3,200 kms. He even seems like he knows where he is going. This is his 6th trip as a solo guide. Start Monday, end Thursday. Two days off. Two days to drive flat-chat back to Adelaide. Have a break for about a week until another Monday comes around. He is on duty 24/7 though and grimaced when we chatted about hourly rates.

Our team-work was more in evidence this evening. Some people have jobs they like more than others. Some people are more aware than others that there are jobs that actually need doing. The emotions were running quite high this evening and there was a lot of listening going on. Bonding in this sort of close proximity is very intense.

Comments

[Julie]

I agree that there are many interesting blogs and you do have to wait for your own "need" to tell your story. However, your comments show a very diverse life and I for one would love to read about some of your experiences. Talking about things in "boxes" have you followed the story of the WW1 soldier as told by his Grandson? The link is on this page "Private Harry Lamin".

[Claudia]

I do not have a blog. I use the internet only since last November. Claude (from Paris) also suggested that I start a blog. She offered to help. I don't know. There are so many interesting blogs. One more is not really necessary. I've been writing all my life in both languages. A few things (stories/poems) have been published in small magazines. The rest is in boxes. Presently I don't seem to need to tell my whole story. I enjoy writing a comment when I can relate to a post I'm reading. Often one blog brings me to another. It's very pleasant.

Thank you for your attention.

[Julie]

Claudia, do you have a blog? I have not seen any referred to either on Patrick's blog or on Claude's. You should, you know. You have some wonderful stories within you - and I bet you have pictures that you could scan in to illustrate each vignette. Let me know a link if there be one.

I did not realise that there were places in the world where there is 6 months day / 6 months night. Yep ... that would knock the body clock haywire.

The Painted Desert is just astounding - wait 'til you see the morning of Day 5. And for me it was sunrise on ANZAC Day - extraordinary impact.

[Claudia]

The painted desert...80 millions years in the making. And you saw it, Julie! Don't complain to me, either, about 'the pain from sleeping on the ground." Tough...Keep going.

In 1964, we lived in Pangnirtung, Baffin Island, for two years. Six months light alternating with six months darkness. We got as nutty with the 24-hour-sun as with the 24-hour-night. The Inuit took it in one's stride of course...