Yvonne Dacey – Wallyvonne’s Greyt Nomad Adventure – Australia 5

Our latest adventure has been to Lightning Ridge what a great place that was!!!! Opal mining is still going on although it is such a secretive business you wouldnt have a clue whether the miners are successful or not. On a tour we did, the guide told us that the mines are often robbed by groups of 3 one to raid the mine (the Rat), one on top of the mine (the Cockie) and one who keeps an eye on the mine owner (the ?). The living conditions for the miners are very basic to say the least with some buildings I could only describe as lean-tos. We bought the most beautiful pair of earrings although Wally ears arent pierced so Ill have to wear them (ha, ha). We also visited the most amazing art gallery. A local artist originally mined for opals and being unsuccessful, he started carving the walls of the mine Awesome see some of the pics below. There are many artesian bores in the area and after dinner one night we donned our togs and went for a dip (neither of us can skinny dip so we just bathed). The water temperature was about 40C but was very therapeutic, especially to my aching body. We spent a night in Moree which had 4 artesian pools of different temperatures looked like a scene from the movie Cocoon with all the Nomads relaxing and easing their aches and pains.

We also spent a night at Narrabri where we went through a Cotton Exhibit and the Australia Telescope both really good and interesting some pics of the telescope below.

We are now in Toowoomba for a few days and then to Brisbane to see Josh and Cassie again oh they are so cute.

Bye for now,

Love Yvonne and Wally

Here are some of the photos of the cave carvings

The opal mine landscape – I could just imagine the maze of mines below just like ant colonies!!!

This bloke lives here and is one of the better homes we saw

Wally and the dunnee at the caravan park in Lightning Ridge

These are photos of the Australian Telescope – we went through the exhibit and it really makes you feel that Earth is just a tiny little atom in the universe.