Heading Bush: Day 4 - "F**k You, Groovy Grape"

On account of the pissing rain all those lovely open unsealed roads were now closed which meant we had to head back down south to the highway.

We spent the day in the back of the jeep trying to make up lost time and the only place of any vague interest was Salt Lake Hart which is a blindingly white expanse of salt that has bombs and mines hidden all over it. They let you walk on it though and there's only a sign that advises you not to go any further, no fences or anything like that.

Now maybe I'm just cynical but give a foreigner a camera and tell them they can't go somewhere and before you know it there's limbs scattered all over the place and some poor bugger has to clean that up. I consider myself to be quite sensible (what? Stop laughing, you bastards) and even I followed the 17th deadliest snake in the world for a photo op.

Welcome To Coober Pedy

Day 4 was pretty uneventful but we made up for it that night at Coober Pedy with a party outside the hostel we were staying at which attracted the attention of the locals and of the Groovy Grape tour that were staying next door to us. Weird bunch. The locals and Groovy Grape.

Desert Cave P-A-R-T-Y

As we rocked up to the bizarre opal mining own Mike warned us that the girls shouldn't walk alone at night and to watch our step as "They don't get to meet many women round here..." It wasn't clear whether he meant the locals or Big Kev, GG's slightly perverted tour guide we nicknamed Otto.

After pizza, music and a boogy on the tables we headed over to the Desert Cave which is Coober Pedy's attempt at an underground night club and as Allison pointed out, "underground" doesn't mean its cool, it really is actually underground. Groovy Grape stopped us on the way and said it was closing soon and we should just party with them.

They lied. We had quite a bit of time there trying to stop locals putting country and western on the juke box, taking over the dance floor, playing air guitar and avoiding Big Kev.

When we got back the Groovy Grape tour group were tucked up in bed.

Hardcore party people indeed.

written by

Koala Bear on November 2, 2006 from Coober Pedy, Australia

from the travel blog: Sod Off Great Big Mission Round Oz

tagged RoadTrip, LovinIt and HeadingBush

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