Our large dugout B&B. The rooms were completely underground. The walls are the native opal bearing bulldog shale bedrock...cool, quiet and comfortable.

6/19/00: Breakfast at “The Last Resort” and then out of town to meet with Dave and Carol Arnold to see opal and talk about a web page.  Good visit, bought a small parcel, and then made an appointment for Tuesday for web page design.  Their home was just lovely…a 2 story dugout design…very well done and neat and tidy.  Lunch at the pub with Joe.  He hooked us up with a miner…Nick…appointment to see him at 4:00 today.

Tour of the TAFE (Australian National Vo-Tech Schools) today with Ed…on opal cutting.  Met Stuart Jackson, instructor and miner, who runs the opal cutting classes.  Good information.

Walked down to “Star Opal” shop to meet the owners who are also miners…Robert and Dave McCormick.  At 2:30 PM, met with an opal buyer, Tony Wong.  Good visit.  Appointment to look at opal at 10:00 AM on Wednesday.

4:00 met with Nick to look at opal.  We bought a parcel from Lambina, and then shared conversation over coffee.  Nick was an old opal miner who shared many stories of the “glory” days of opal ming in Mintabie and his million dollar strike.

Stopped at the Opal Cutter’s to pay for parcel that we had purchased a few days earlier.    Made plans to join them for supper on Wednesday, in their home….Kangaroo is on the menu!  Walked to “Budget” to change dates for the 4 wheel drive vehicle….as Thursday will be a better day for us…and the bank will have some money for us by then!  Supper at Umberto’s (tasted crocodile and kangaroo), and then home to the dugout…banged cut knee today and it needed some extra attention.  Indulged in a hard earned rest………zzzzzzzzzzzzz.