flight of the griffins: UNDERGROUND OPERA (Wellington Caves near Dubbo, Australia)

So we're in The Outback...ish. It's Valentine's Day.

Now the landlocked regions of Australia are absolutely stunning - but there's not a lot happening. Where do you plan a romantic night out where it's all mozzies and sheep stations? Let's go to the high street milk bar and look at the local rag to see what's going on: country fair, shearing competition, hot rod rally, 'Pie and dance', nope nope nope nope. We chance upon a rare droplet of sophistication in the cultural desert that is the Australian heartlands: 'Opera in the Caves'.

We call for availability and lo and behold, talk with the actual opera company owner, a one man operation with a troop of the finest troubadours and some cool lighting. As it happens, when he's not running Opera events, he's a miner...everything from digging for gold and gems in Aussies new mining boom, to digging a harbour tunnel in Sydney. We asked about the event and enquired if we could see some pics online. He said his online photos were scant and that he hoped to get more tonight only his photographer had bailed. Well mercy me! Next thing you know, I'M booked to be the stand in photographer, and we land free tickets. Ker-ching!! A damp dark back row seat and some fat lasses wailing in Italian. Now that's what I call a real gem of a romantic night out.