Our original plan was to leave Alice and head off into the desert to visit Chambers Pillar and then Lambert's geograhical centre of Australia. Sadly, the hot weather (over 40 degrees) meant that we decided to not risk getting stuck in the desert with an overheating 4WD (or worse) so we headed south on the Stuart Highway - well, the place will still be there for us to visit in the future.

So, we trundled south and headed to the border between SA and the NT. We stopped at a couple of rest areas along the way to stretch our legs, grab a drink and generally absorb some of the atmosphere. Not being in a hurry has started to have an effect upon us!

This was one of the rest areas. As you can see, it has shade trees, a well graded surface and behind the camera are both strong shelter sheds, water tanks and toilets complete with soap and hand washing facilities.

This has been the standard throughout the NT and we have become used to it and even planned to stay at some of these rest areas in the future.

Then we crossed the border into South Australia and the standard didn't just slip, it plummeted!

Needing to stop somewhere to avoid kangaroo time out on the road we stopped at Marla to find our way to Marla Bore as there were no signs up. Sadly, it seems that the rest area at Marla Bore has been closed as the landowner found that too many people were using it and that meant that his cattle didn't get watered.

I was sorely tempted by the Oodnadatta Track, but it is still hot and dangerous, so we stayed on the bitumen.

So we stopped at a rest area just down the road. The picture above gives you an idea of the whole services available - just a small roof with a half wall.

This picture shows the rest of the area and it is rougher than it seems. I haven't taken pictures of the salt bush around the back of the area, but take it from me that small scrubby bushes adorned with streamers of second hand toilet paper don't set a very high standard.

Yeah - toilet paper as there are no toilets at any of the rest areas we have come across so far.

Not good enough SA, just not good enough.

So the next day we set out again and kept our noses pointed south until we got to Coober Pedy. On the way in (and no doubt on the way out too) the land around the town is littered with mullock heaps - each one being the spoil from a shaft dug down to try to find those elusive opals. It looks weirdly space age somehow.

Anyway, we headed into town and stopped at a van park where for $30 we got a powered site and found ourselves the only people staying there. At least there won't be a queue for the toilets or showers.

Now, one of the things that makes Coober Pedy unique is the fact that much of the town is underground. Here's a couple of photos of just such places where the front of the building is on display but the majority of it is cut into the rock.

 Strange isn't it?

We'll head off tomorrow and expect to be sampling the joys of Port Augusta's night life in the evening.

Wish us well!