Coober Pedy, Australia (CNN) -- Coober Pedy is one of the least accessible towns in Australia -- the place where the old American West meets Mars -- which is probably why it gained a reputation as the place where outlaws went to hide. Situated in the Outback, it is close to nothing: The cities of Adelaide and Alice Springs are respectively nine hours south and eight hours north, and the nearest town -- William Creek, official population three -- takes 3Â½ hours to reach, provided the dirt roads aren't closed due to rain. Here, the earth is red, vegetation bare and temperatures extreme, but none of that stopped Westerners from setting up camp a century ago when they found opal shimmering in the dirt.
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Coober Pedy is a remote Australian opal-mining town
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Underground homes and hotels hide residents and visitors from the blistering sun
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50 countries are represented in the town of fewer than 2,000 residents
Drivers are warned not to drive through the Outback at night, because of the lack of gas stations and the threat of accidents caused by kangaroos; rain in the @placeholder may also render roads impassable, and drivers should not expect to have cell phone reception in the desert.