- Some pretty cabs

Palm Harbor, FL - USA

- A Ton in Tampa & Rain in QLD

Palm Harbor, FL - USA

At last I've received word that the second ton of rough Koroit opal I shipped home will soon be in my hands. It arrived in Tampa this morning. It was originally scheduled to arrive December 12. Who knows what vagaries of trans-world shipping slowed it down. Of course it still needs to clear US Customs and be delivered to me, but at least now I know it is very close to home.

It has been raining like crazy in Queensland, Australia. The flooding is having a huge negative impact on a variety of businesses. Wheat farmers have been deluged and their crops have been devastated or significantly reduced in yield and quality. Many mines of many types have been flooded and closed. Most coal mines have been closed. Since much of Australian coal is used to process iron ore, the huge drop in coal production has caused the world price of iron / steel to increase.

Luckily, based on a report from a friend of mine, as of a few days ago my mine is fine and pretty dry. However, regions around Koroit and Cunnamulla have been flooded. A friend was stuck in Cunnamulla for several days because many of the roads to Brisbane were closed by high water.

Now back to slicing and cutting . . .

- Rough Opal Parcels

Palm Harbor, FL - USA

I'm going to be putting together some parcels of rough Koroit Boulder Opal which I'll be selling on my website: www.koroit.com.

If you'd like to be added to my email list and have me let you know when new parcels are available, please email me at: koroit@gmail.com and let me know.

thanks and Happy New Year!

- Slicing Rough Koroit Opal

Palm Harbor, FL - USA

. . . busy slicing . . . found these this morning . . .

- Sorting Rough

Palm Harbor, FL - USA

Cutting, slicing, sorting . . . I'm home and working through a big pile of rocks.

Here are a few photos . . .

LAX

- Bye Bye Oz

Brisbane, QLD - Australia

In a bit over 12 hours I'll be getting on a plane - the beginning of about 30 hours of traveling to get back home.

After 2 months of digging, I'll admit, I'm pooped . . . and once I get home I'll have a lot of work to do - many stones to cut as soon as possible for all of you folks who have been asking me for cabs and for rough.

Once I get back home, after I've had some rest, I'll post new photos and a few videos . . . and maybe a few tales from downunder.

Regarding the tales from downunder - while in the outback I see and experience a wide range of things. As you could imagine many of the folks who are involved in this business are wacky, idiosyncratic, marginal and colorful characters . . . and many of the experiences are a bit out there . . . that is part of the problem. There are many stories that you simply would not believe. There are many stories about fools and thieves that I shouldn't tell in public for many reasons.

Trust me, it has been a colorful experience that I'm trying to distill into a form that still would be true, but also would be suitable for public consumption.

I'm exhausted and need to go - thanks for taking a look.