Our friend Edward Radeka who we met over the internet. He was a great help to us in our search for opal parcels...and a wonderful guide and host!

6/16/2000: Got up, took showers, went to find the Bed and Breakfast that we had previously booked.  We found one, but not the right one.  Landscape here can only be described by pictures….a desert, full of sandy mounds, lots of discarded mining equipment, homes and shops are dugouts, very dirty, dusty town (opal capital of the world).  Stopped inside of a shop underground (The Opal Cutter).  As we visited this lovely shop, Barbara called the owner (Joe & Anne Johnson) of the B & B…he came and got us.  The B & B is a place attached to a closed supper club-underground.    Joe took us to our accommodations…

Breakfast at one of the establishments…ordered sausage and eggs, got a wiener and eggs. I hate hotdogs.  No more sausage for me in C.P.  Off to the bank we went, where we had previously transferred our opal buying money.  We needed to show proof of identity (passport and drivers license)  in order to withdraw any money.  Can’t withdraw any money, because they don’t have any cash in the bank.  You have to order it, and then it only comes in on Wednesdays.  Well, we needed money before then.  We ordered some anyway.   The teller told us to come back at 4:00 P.M. today, and she would see if there was any money left in the bank that we could have by day’s end.   Back to “The Opal Cutter” for some advice.  They pulled a few strings and freed up some money.  We were able to get 40% of our money out at day’s end.    Unloaded the camper into the B & B and decided to wash clothes.  We secured some phone numbers while we spoke w/Barbara.  While I washed clothes, Steve went back to the bank to cash some Travelers Checks into Australian dollars. No one want travelers checks in Australia…they are really just a nuisance.  Live and learn.

Lengthy conversation with Barbara and Piet at the Opal Cutter.  He had parcels for us to look at.  They offered to loan us $20,000.00 (we declined) in case we weren’t able to get our money out of the bank.

We were quite nervous about having the cash on us.

In the evening 2 men came knocking at our door…we didn’t know them.  Edward Radeka and his friend Kevin.  We have been corresponding with Ed for the last 2 years over the Internet….Kevin was VERY rough looking.  We had a great visit with the two of them.  We made plans to go with Ed to see an underground mine at 10 A.M. in the morning.  He may know of some parcels, he will scout.  His friend’s mining operation suffered a broken blower today.  Supper at The Opal Inn—looking for Joe but didn’t see him.  Walked to Joe and Anne’s place and had a good visit there.  Joe is scouting parcels for us too.  Home to bed.

Awakened at 2:00 A.M.  Rowdy people outside with a dog.  Basically it is very dark, cool and quiet in the dugout.  Had a hard time going back to sleep.