On the road to Coober Pedy

Dear all,

In the outback, other than keeping whip snakes out of your swag bag, there is little to do other than gather around the camp fire with scrubby old diggers and swap

tales of BLOOD CHILLING TERROR!

On one particularly chill night, with a host of stars crowding the sky, an old aboriginal opal miner from Coober Pedy bade us gather around the flickering flames and crackling gum-bark to hear tell of the min-min lights.

The min-min lights were named by the aboriginals and were used to frighten wayward children.

Travellers tell of driving down a long road in the outback when suddenly a bright light appears in the mirror. A sense of unease sends a small chill of fear down their spines as they realise it can only be a hundred metres or so behind them on this sparse road.

They pull over to let the vehicle pass, but it simply stays where it is a hundred metres away.

Worse, there is no sound, and the realisation dawns that this light is not from a following vehicle.

They leave their vehicle, what can it be?

The the fear distils into abject terror as the light suddenly darts up into the air and rushes towards them bathing them in a blinding, cold white light, not more than a metre away.

They dash into their cars, put the metal to the floor and try to get away as quickly as they can. As they flee, the light goes back to the horizon and then blinks out.

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The min-min lights have been seen by many people and many explanations have been forthcoming. Cracks in the earths crust, along geological fault lines have long been associated with mysterious orbs.

But Australia is geologically stable.

Perhaps it was a Fata Morgana? Named after the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay, this is a rare form of mirage, which can make hills far below the horizon appear visible above the horizon.

But these can only occur during the day.

Or what about marsh or swamp gas? Possibly, but there frightening orbs pursue their victims over long distances, have an eldritch hue and persist for too long a time for this to be a reasonable explanation.

Besides there are no marshes or swamps in the outback.

Other explanations have been put forward, some more bizarre than others, from UFOs to luminescent birds or bats.

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As the fire died and the chill settled, one by one we deserted the glowing embers and crawled into our swag bags. In the distance the yip-yip of a nearby dingo and the gentle throb of cicadas are the only sounds that disturb the desert sky.

As we fall asleep, staring at the stars, a sense of unease is tangible in the air between us, not knowing whether the min-min lights will visit our small little camp, deep within the desolate outback.

yechydda,