With Christmas on the approach, and people planning holidays, I thought I’d share some sage advice for travelling. Of course it only applies if your going from Darwin to Adelaide or vice versa, but whatever.
Somewhere along a long stretch of land between Darwin and Adelaide, there is a small town in the middle of a whole bunch of red dust. There doesn’t appear to be anything particularly beautiful or useful about this particular spot, but along that stretch of road, that’s pretty much the norm. The highway is dotted with small towns and roadhouses that make you scratch your head and ask ‘Why?’
Coober Pedy, at least, is different.
Now if I was any kind of expert on South Australian history or could be bothered googling it, I would tell you when and why Coober Pedy became a place. But I’m not, and I can’t so all I’ll tell you is that they mine opals there. Driving 50kms on either side of the town itself, the scenery is dotted with mounds where some have struck it rich, and others have just kept trying.
It’s beautiful and desolate all at once.
Boatman loves Coober Pedy.
We’ve been thinking a bit about it lately. It’s been two years since we drove from the North to Port Lincoln in the South, and we’re desperate for a holiday. This time of year and one starts to think wistfully about four day driving holidays again, just so that we can get away.
We learnt a few things last time we did the trip. Where to go, and where not to.
Tenant Creek is a bleak place to stay, and should be avoided.
Dunmarra has cute cat that will adopt you for the length of your stay.
Daly Waters will have you awake at the crack of dawn with the wild life.
Glendambo is hot and dirty.
Cowell will have you considering a sea change.
Ti-Tree will give you an STD. Or maybe just lyme disease.
And Coober Pedy? Well that is the romance capital of Australia.
Now the good thing about car trips, is that if the kids are well behaved and happy in the back, it gives you and your partner time to reconnect and enjoy one anothers company. A whole day of undivided attention in the car, and then arriving somewhere new to set up camp under the stars, and drink wine by firelight once the children are finally asleep. It’s all very romantic, and inspires a certain type of marital intimacy.
From experience, the intimacy is kept at bay on the first night, cause the kids are all hyped and you’re exhausted.
The second night, you have settled into the trip, but if you’re still in the north its far too hot for any kind of romantic liaison.
The third night will see you lucky to even be in the same camper trailer, on account of picking up a random tick from the roadhouse floor, and finding it dangerously close to your nether region, and then spending the next hour of the drive south, completely terrified that you did just in fact pick up crabs from a bush toilet in the middle of nowhere.
Not that I know anyone that happened to….
The fourth night, after several bathings and applications of hand sanitizer, and a boredom with the trip, you will find yourself in Coober Pedy, with nothing else to do, but to enjoy the physical perks of matrimony.
Underground hotel anyone?
It’s a fact people. I have tested it.
Now that’s all well and good, on the way down, you say, but what about the return trip? Well here is something I have learned about men and travelling.
If you arrive somewhere where the town has been christened, it must of necessity, be baptised again. Because once you do it the first time you visit, that automatically means you have to do it again, or upset the law of averages which states that every time you go to Coober Pedy you have sex. (I really hope neither of the mothers are reading this.)
Secondly, if you haven’t done the horizontal mambo in a particular location, that does not mean you need to uphold that 100% strike rate. On the contrary, you should feel sorry for the town and do it anyway.
Thirdly, never ever go to the bathroom in Ti-Tree or stop there at all. In fact when you see the town limits, increase your speed and get out of there as fast as you can. It is for your own good.
Fourthly, if the trip is getting long and boring, and it’s been a few days between a little bit of Nookie, go to Coober Pedy. It’s the romance capital of the world. Trust me.
And finally, if you happen to go to Coober Pedy and you see us there, I suggest you find a new caravan park. We have a rule to uphold. 
What are your travelling tips?
Anywhere spark a particular romantic interest for you?
Have you Ever been to Coober Pedy?
Make sure you come back tomorrow for the start of my pre-christmas giveaways!
I love Queenstown for holidaying. So much great food and all fun of skiing. Rachel x
Rachel from Redcliffe Style recently posted..Christmas gift ideas for the hard-to-buy-for people in your life
I had a romantic liaison in Queenstown.
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Dare we ask for details….
Would love to go to queens town one day!
Never been there. I suppose Byron Bay is still our romance town. We go there at least once a week to rekindle our love and feel like we are on holiday.
Zanni, Heart Mama recently posted..The point of it all
I had a romantic liaison in Byron Bay too…..
Catherine Rodie Blagg recently posted..Life changing moments
You really get around don’t you!
Once a week! That’s awesome!
Tee hee hee. I never would’ve thought of Coober Pedy. But that underground hotel room could definitely get the romantic juices flowing.
Actually, I do hope that both mums read this. What an interesting follow up post that would make
Oh, and speaking of mums, my MIL has been to Coober Pedy. She raves about it too!
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maybe your mum had a romantic liaison in CP too?…. sorry, had to continue on with Catherine’s line of commenting. I couldn’t stop myself.
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Oh I sincerely hope not!
Does she rave about it for the same reasons!
Actually my mil would get a giggle about this, but think my mother would blush!
We didn’t get to enjoy the underground motels unfortunately, but the camper trailer does the job
I love travelling… in a car in a plane on a train in the rain……
no tips as haven’t gone travelling with the lil ones though … but I would provide plenty of snacks, drinks, books, toys that don’t make too much noise as entertainment…
and look up online lots and lots of ‘in car games’ like eye spy
oh and as for Rachel’s Queenstown comment.. I am SO there.. (being a kiwi I am bias) but Queenstown is da bomb!
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Yvette I had no idea you were a Kiwi!
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Our kids are awesome travelers which is good since we are miles from anywhere!
We’ve never been to Cooper Pedy, but we do like spending time in Montville up in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland
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I didn’t even know there was a sunshine coast hinterland!
I have been through Cooper Pedy once, can;t say I liked it much, had a weird feeling to it.. now I know what that feeling was!!
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Ha ha!
It’s not a place I think you would go just to visit. I hate being dirty and it feels dusty. But it does have its perks.
LOVE this Jess – what a joyful and entertaining read. I’ve been in Austraila for nearly 5 years now but I’ve only explored the east coast. I love the place names – they are SO Aussie.
I can’t imagine a 4 day road trip with my girls – they drive me crazy on the 20 minute drive to their swimming lessons! When they’re bigger Dustin is keen to do the Top End. I hope we do.
Catherine Rodie Blagg recently posted..Life changing moments
Yes make sure you do and pop in and say hi!
There are so many Aussie places that have names that can only be said with our accent, or they sound hilarious!
Before I met Dadabulous, I won a ticket for the OzBus and so decided to do Adelaide to Darwin. There’s heaps to see but a whole lot of nothing in between. We had a stop over in Coober Pedy and stayed in an underground hotel. It was a surreal experience – I liken it to being on Mars. Unfortunately I was single at the time so no romance.
Later after teaming up with Dadabulous we got our romance on in The Barossa Valley. The combination of great wine and gourmet food (Thanks Maggie Beer) will do that.
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Oh the Barossa valley is definitely an aphrodisiac!
There really is a lot of nothing on that road, but I love watching how the scenery changes. We have such a beautiful country.
I love travelling… not so much with my child who suffers from motion sickness :-/ I haven’t been on a road trip with Tony yet… you’ve got me thinking now. xo
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Have you tried Qwells for motion sickness? They work for me on planes.
I love road trips. So much more fun than just flying, because the adventure is in the journey, not just the destination.
I haven’t been there, but I have been to lots of other places in the outback, most of whose names I can’t remember. About to do it again next year, for six weeks, my hubby tells me. Luckily my boys are really good travellers. Better than me actually.
Hmmm. Six weeks.
I know it looks like a grimace on my face but it’s a smile, really it is….
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Ha ha!
At least it will give you heaps to blog about
Thanks for the advice Jess
I have never been to Cooper Pedy, but we have talked about heading out that way just to see the underground motel/hotels.
My tips would be to take along some books, paper and pencils, or if you haven’t already, invest in a car DVD player and take plenty of snacks and ‘pop top style’ bottles of drink (pop top lids make for less spillage)
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I’d love to visit Coober pedy from the east, and travel the Oodnatta track. Which seems odd, but so am I!;)
Road trips are great! We did one round WA and I loved it. Wasn’t anything like I expected. We covered 3000 kms without DVD, just listening to Roald Dahl stories on CD. There were only 2 days where the kids arked up….
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That’s incredible! Haven’t driven much down the west coast, but we would dearly love to one day. It’s definitely on our must do list
Well I couldn’t help myself, you had me curious so I had to look it up. From wikipedia “The name ‘Coober Pedy’ comes from the local Aboriginal term kupa-piti, which means ‘white man’s hole’.” and “The first European explorer to pass near the site of Coober Pedy was Scottish born John McDouall Stuart in 1858, but the town was not established until after 1915, when opal was discovered by Willie Hutchison.” So there you go.
I don’t think I could do a 4 day road trip like that. We just went to Fingal Head for the weekend – 30 minutes from home – and it was amazing. Great spot for kids, relaxation, adult beverages once the kids asleep…bed in the cabin wasn’t that comfortable for romance, but probably just didn’t have enough adult beverages.
Aroha @ Colours of Sunset recently posted..A Weekend at Fingal Head
Oh thanks for that! McDougall was the guy who paved the way for the Alice to Darwin telegraph line. A lot of NT towns owe their heritage to him. His is an interesting story, that they don’t tell on schools which up here I think is ridiculous!
Our kids travel well, but we take it easy for them.
Thanks for the pointers! I 100% concur with your theory about men & the law of averages as well! A tick in the nether regions would definitely be a mood killer.
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Oh it was terrifying! I was sitting there scratching and wondering why I was so itchy, and then I found it and almost had a panic attack! Was sure it was crabs!
Took me a while to calm down and remember the camp dogs had been riddled with ticks, and that is what it was. Still not nice!
Coober Pedy reminds me of Priscilla: Queen of the desert! Foxyyyyy!
x
You know I have never seen that movie!
Love, love love.
Mr O did a trip around Australia with mates just before we met and it’s something we’d love to do together with the kids one day.
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Oh you really should! We’d love to do the whole Australia trip one day as well. Waiting till the loss are just that little bit older.
My tip for travelling with a little one is to do it at night if possible. If we have to do long trips we do it that way and our son sleeps the whole way. He’s a pretty good traveler though so we are lucky.
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We have considered that, but it’s not that safe on that stretch of road with Roos, cows and buffaloes. The kids do well during the day
Coober Pedy … home of Priscilla and Jess the underground shagger!! I’m not a great road tripper, but put a cocktail in my hand and a water view in my, um, eyes.. and you can pretty much talk me into anything on the romance front.
Kim@FallingFaceFirst recently posted..Sex with Strangers
Ha ha!
You won’t find a water view in Coober pedy. The showers have timers and you have to pay to use them!
“It’s beautiful and desolate all at once.” – I love this line Jess.
I can’t say Joe and I have a romantic go-to spot. We don’t get away. At all. I’d love to change that.
This was the last holiday we went on, and I’m desperate for another, which is what has got me thinking about it in the first place. It’s been two years!
ohhhhhh coober pedy! might have to go out for a visit eh
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I think you should!
Have never been to Coober Pedy and to be honest it’s not on the travel agenda … purely out of respect for maintaining it’s sacredness for you and Boatman, Jess
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Thanks Shari. I appreciate that
Darwin….my now-husband and I saw each other there for the first time in 6months (he came over from the UK)….with all that entails…
Yay for Darwin!
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Nothing wrong with Darwin!
Nope cant say I’ve been to Cooper Pedy but I havnt even been to Darwin or central Australia…so all on the list. But I must say camping with 5 kids doesn’t entice me much either….romantic or not! It is great to have ‘special’ memories of certain holiday destinations though!
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You might be surprised! I thought it would be hard when we did it, but the kids loved it!
(I have been to Coober Pedy too but found it too commercial. Lichfield Nat Park was fun. Katherine too, though a few too any crocs when we were there. I agree about Tennant Creek. Derby was interesting….. but the rodeo was FUN)
There’s way too many croc everywhere up here now. You can’t swim in many places anymore
We didn’t spend much time in Coober Pedy. Just a fuel stop and sleep.
I have only been to Cooper Pedy with my dad, surprisingly not so much romantic action. It is a pretty cool little place though, what with most places being underground.
As for traveling tip? Electrical devices. Can’t go wrong and I have no idea how parents traveled before they were as mainstream as they are now!
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[...] special thankyou to Essentially Jess for helping me share the baby book [...]
I’ve never been to Coober Pedy for romance, or otherwise… Fascinating place though, thanks for sharing. Interesting part of the world.
It is interesting. Next time it would be nice to stay a whole day to show the kids around. It’s hard though because it’s a bout a day between there and anywhere else decent, so you can’t just pop in for a few hours and then keep going
Most of that sounds lovely! You can keep your dirty bush crabs though.
Our latest romantic weekend was in the Sydney CBD at a swanky hotel with all the trimmings. No kids (except for the one in my belly) and it was lush!
The only thing that could have made it better was not having to still do the midnight wee!
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Oh lush Sydney sounds divine!
And no I will not keep the bush crabs. I turfed him out the window!
Wow Jess! Looks like an interesting township! I never been to Coober Pedy, never heard of it but I will Google it! For me, Quebec city is the most romantic city in the world but I know, a bit far from Oz!
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Coober Pedy is a far cry for, Quebec!
It’s to a place you would just go to, but where you visit on your way up or down the highway.
Oh Jess, what a naughty post! When are you going for this trip again? I hope you made a sign like the last pic for your own caravan! Haha
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I think I will!
Naughty is good every now and then
Don’t take kids! Would be my tips for romance!
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Excellent tip!
One day a couple of years ago Lucy @ Diminishing Lucy wrote about the joys of the Adelaide drive-in. Six months later I drove my family (well, Husband drove) from Canberra to Adelaide so we too could experience the drive-in. Well, the drive-in and other Adelaide adventures. One of our best trips ever.
You write about this in a way that makes me want to pack up the family and drive from Darwin to Adelaide. I’m not sure if I can talk them into it though … but Coober Pedy may peak Husband’s interest.
I think if you show him this post and say what has to happen in CP, you might be able to convince him
So going to Coober Pedy is your way of saying you just want to get it on?
Righteo!
I must avoid Coober Pedy. I do not want to give Mr Black any ideas. Maybe a trip to Ti-Tree is in order? Lol.
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Ha ha!
No never go to Ti Tree! For your health don’t go there!
Just imagine what it would be like with no children….. xx
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Oh I do!
Thanks for the tip, had always thought it would be cool to see Coober Pedy for the underground hotels but must remember to not let the hubby know of the town’s ‘romantic’ reputation!
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I have good memories of Coober Pedy from childhood, my granddad used to opal mine there at one time, he’d always bring us bits of opal home from his trips north to check on it and my granddad’s wife’s (step grandmother just sounds awful but you get the relationship) mum lived there in an underground house. We visited on the way north from Adelaide to Darwin, as a kid pretty shiny opals coupled with sweet underground houses was a total win.
Istanbul is my favourite city in the whole world, and for me the most romantic. I’m dying to go back.
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I believe we drove through Cooper Pedy when I was a kid. I really hope my parents were NOT doing that, as staying in a caravan means they were getting busy almost right next to us, separated only by a curtain.
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Lol, we went to Coober Pedy 12 years ago when we were totally poor. We were intending to camp, but scrapped that idea when we saw that there was literally not a single blade of grass in the entire town. Ended up staying in the cheapest accommodation we could find, which was a walk in container – like the sort they use for industrial fridges. No windows, and the door sealed. I kept the air con going because I was afraid of suffocating otherwise! And yes, I imagine there was nooky involved. We were only newly dating after all….
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I’ve never been to Coober Pedy but now I want to!
My best travel tip, for adults, is to under-pack. In my experience you always pack way more than you need and only end up wearing half of it. So pack what you would normally pack, then halve it. You can always wash or buy new clothes if you find you’re running out.
Our wedding anniversary is in winter which has always been exceptionally conducive to holiday nookie!
Kylie @ A Study in Contradictions recently posted..My Baby’s All Growed Up!
I like a romantic overnight escape to the city. A nice hotel and no kids
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I know what you mean about TC. I used to have to visit the hospital there a few times a year. A day in the hospital meant three days out of Darwin. The best view of TC is in my rear view mirror. Mind you, you can play nude lawn bowls in TC and the hospital staff are very friendly. I would not want to use a toilet anywhere along the Stuart Highway and I thanked God each morning that I had a prong (as Kenny put it) so I could at least stand.
If I should ever pass through CP all I’ll be able to think about is you and Boatman
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Ha ha, love it! Never been to Coober Pedy, but I am sure we will get there some time. I will show husband your post, sure to get there quicker
Karri Valley and Pemberton had that for us, but last time we went there, it was with Zeb and he had croup, so I slept in his room to make sure he kept breathing – not much romance that time!!!!!
I could imagine the hot, sticky outback could be quite romantic. Maybe.
I must admit, we’ve struggled with romance in our once-yearly camping trip. Something about the camper van literally rocking with our three kids close by kills the romance somewhat…
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Travelling tips? Travel, occasionally. Can’t remember the last holiday I had!
Glad you enjoyed CP!
Emily recently posted..Sometimes our ‘toddler’ frustrations are ‘self’ frustrations
You are funny Jess! I have never been to Coober Pedy but if I do, I am sure this blog post will spring to mind!
Eleise recently posted..Saggy Bum Knickers!
Hilarious! I have horrid memories of stopping there on a school trip up to Central Australia when I was 16 – no romance..just heat & caves…weird place.
I love Coober Pedy!!!
All I will say is that the little town of Eden on the southern NSW’s coast is truly … a slice of Eden
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What Cooper Pedy is to you, New Castle is to us lol!!!!
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We’re campers at heart and dig inland places, especially on the Abercrombie River in NSW. God’s Country, all of it.
There’s nothing more romantic than hubby accompanying me for a midnight nature wee.
That is L-O-V-E LOVE.
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Cant break tradition!
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Love it Jess!!! Got me thinking about how much my grandparents loved Coober Pedy, thanks for the images!!!
Prue x
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Tassie is good for romance too… Especially Cradle Mountain.
I’m a fan of the FNQ hinterland rainforests… and camping out.
xxx
carmen recently posted..Love is…
Hmmmm – never been to Coober Pedy but it’s on the “go to” list – although I do have an Akubra with a Coober Pedy opal on the band……
As for romantic liaisons I’m gonna have to say Paris
– Yep, now I’m going to have to go back there just to do it again 
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Thanks for the laughs once again. Never been to Coober Peedy but it has always intrigued me, now you have given me even more incentive – the Romance Capital!!
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I’ll be a long time before we consider a four-day driving holiday, but when we do I promise to uphold the laws of Coober Peedy.
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Oh my goodness… this is too funny.
And I am not answering any of your questions.
*blush*
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Only time I have ever been out of nsw was to the gold coast and that’s it.
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Haven’t been to Coober Perdy..until then I think Udaipur, the city of Palace – India is the most romantic city ever!
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Hi Jess,
I cannot say that I think of CP and romance…I would only go there to get an opal, I think. Our romantic place is a cliche – Paris. We had such a wonderful time there and cannot wait to go back.
Today is the first time that I have done IBOT’s and I think its a great idea. I have had heaps of visits to my blog today {compared to normal…I have only been doing this a month}
Thanks Heaps
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Have always wanted to see Cober Pedy and the Opals but haven’t made it there yet. Hopefully one day
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I have never been to Coober Pedy but we do have a dream to travel further around Australia one day so hopefully we will get there. I can’t say we have a romantic location where we always get it on but in the past the chances have been much higher when we’ve found ourselves sans kids – which happens very rarely! Loved this Jess!
Kirsty @ My Home Truths recently posted..My Matilda is a Magnet
We’ve never been to Coober Pedy but fully intend to travel our own beautiful country one day. Pretty sure romance would only happen if the kids stayed home though :/
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[...] look away, book a trip to inland Australia… Well done Matt from Daddownunder and Jess at EssentiallyJess that both managed to put together articles that were both entertaining for us and horrific for [...]
your stories always entertain me Jess
love the idea of Coober Pedy being the romance capital of the world – watch out Paris!
hubby and I have done lots of travelling, something he cherishes
some cities are lucky, others are not
xx
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[...] Hey. I’d even be happy with going to Coober Pedy. [...]