Leaving about 8:30 I arrived without much drama to woomera. On getting there, I quickly did the 2 parks full of missiles
and planes. Theres a ‘technical’ museum ($3) that seems to be just setup by HAM radio people and is not really that
interesting. Across the other side of town (about 50m) theres the information centre and a better museum ($6). This one has
some videos and a coherent set of displays.
Leaving there, I proceeded to Coober peedy. Not much to see there but we did go to the ‘old timers mine’ and had a short
walk around. It was an old mine (started about 1916) and parts were converted to a house. I can imagine being an opal miner
and living in the mine. Diring dinner I would probably grab the salad form and start scratching at the walls. You would
either find some opals or make a new cupboard. Aparently I was the only one who had asked them about how they ran the cat 5
throughout the house without making them visible. It would appear that there are some parts of the world without saturation
cabling.
In the morning, I had an interesting discussion while getting some fuel.
Me: Pump 2 and 2 dim sims please.
Grumpy Dude: right. [proceeds to get food slowly]
Me: [notices credit card machine says Ready. Please swipe card]
Me: [swipes card]
GD: Which pump was it ?
Me: Pump 2
GD: [looking at machine] You already swiped!
Me: Yes, It said please swipe card
GD: Well theres nothing on it, you can’t swipe without something on it
Me: Aparently I can.
GD: But theres nothing on it What will I do now ?
Me: Well, Put something on it?
GD: But theres nothing on it
Me: Can we complete the transation with nothing on it and start again ?
GD: But theres nothing on it
Me: Yes, but the good thing about there being nothing on it, is there’s nothing on it. When you complete the transaction,
there will be nothing on it.
GD: [stunned silence]
Me: [chances tack, tries staring at him in silence]
…long pause…
GD: Maybe I can cancel it
ME: [not knowing weather it would be helpful] Yeah, maybe
GD: Look, pressing the big red cancel button cancels it. You can swipe your card now.
Me: But you haven’t put anything on it yet
GD: Oh, [ presses buttons ] there you go
Me: [swipes card]
Anyway, you get the idea. I eventually rode away with fuel and 2 free dim sims.
I didn’t think it would be worth getting into with him.