I
would often catch up with the truckies at the many road houses
and they were always interested in my travels and Mo’s adventures,
many of them reminiscing of their first Honda on some farm long
ago. Some gazed upon us with bovine-like incredulous looks,
speechless and shaking their heads when they found out we had
covered 15,000 kilometres in the last six months.
I was extremely disappointed that our unplanned detour off the
Oodnadatta Track and back onto the Stuart Highway would mean
missing out on the famous Pink Roadhouse in the Oodnadatta
township. So near, yet so far. I would have to settle for Coober Pedy,
and we arrived just a few days after torrential rain had flooded
many of the dugouts and opal mines. I stayed at Riba’s, the only
underground camping in the town, a unique experience to say the
least. The temperature underground is a constant and very pleasant
24o and with all the flies staying on the surface, it was an excellent
way to escape the oppressive heat. The only downside is the
reverberation of sound, especially the snoring of fellow campers.
Riba’s, the only underground
camping in the town, a unique
experience to say the least