Finally on the road proper. We left Adelaide on 21st September. Ania’s brother Philip will accompany us for part of our adventure; its great to have another Emu join us. The plan is to travel as quickly up north as possible to maximise our time there before the wet season hits. Again this wasn’t our planned route but as we learned already just go with the flow and make the most of any situation by adjusting your plans and any expectations.

  • Will be here again on way back via A1
  • First caravan camp spot – Pimba

Day 52 of our holiday and the very first night in our caravan in Pimba. We arrived in late afternoon and Philip joined us later that day. We stayed in a carpark near the roadhouse where we had dinner. There is so much to explore in this area but given our adjusted plan we will head up to Coober Pedy the very next morning. We will come back here one day to explore the area properly.

On the way north we explored Lake Hart, a salt lake which looked very much dry from where we stood. Amazing to be able to walk on and see salt as far as the eye could see. The drive through the very dusty and hot outback is really nice, the closer to Coober Pedy we got the more opal mining mounds we saw. Makes you realise how tough people had to be and still are to work in this part of Australia. We arrived in Coober Pedy on the late afternoon of 22nd September. Ania found beautiful place to stay which was on top of one of the hills just outside of town in front of a dugout house so common here. With room only for a few caravans we had the place pretty much to ourselves. Being a caravan driver newbie I was worried about the drive up the hill, manoeuvring and parking – all unnecessary as we did it all with ease.

  • Yummy salt (hopefully no longer radioactive)
  • Our spot in Coober Pedy
  • Perfect end to the day
  • Seb noodling for opal

Next day we spent exploring the area with 2 tours. One in above ground information centre all about history of the area and the other one in a working opal mine. Sebs highlight was noodling in piles of dirt for leftover opal, lo and behold he found some rocks with traces of opal in them so now wants us to buy a claim and go mining. Patrick really enjoyed riding a toy car in the underground opal mine office area. Ania enjoyed a set of beautiful opal earrings we bought and I was just generally happy to be here. Well at least until we experienced a willy willy (dust tornado) which happened to go right through the middle of our car with doors open as we were about to head to the mine. No major damage done apart from lots of mess with dust and rocks everywhere in the car – one way to christen it at begining of the trip.

  • In the opal mine
  • Pacio’s favourite car
  • Phil getting ready for dinner
  • Willy willy that “got” us
  • Ania’s gift
  • Lunch in Coober Pedy
  • Coober Pedy sunset