Today's adventure was a 4 hour walk in to Palm Valley. But before the walk could begin it was a fun little 4wd trip in to the valley over rocky ledges, through rutted sand crossings and up rock steps.  No chance of seeing the family commodore in here.

The valley is home to the rare Red Cabage Palm which follows the rocky creek through the Gorge.  The Palms are a left over of the time when the area was a tropical rainforest.  Millions of years prior this it was the bottom of a shallow ocean floor with the fossilised remnants of oysters and other shells embedded in the rock a reminder of its past.

The walk took us along the path of a tributary of the Finke River (I think I am getting over the bad memories now) which I now know so also called the Lhere Pirnte by the Arrernte people who have sustained them for 30,000 years. 

Handing over the keys it was time for Kathy to put her 4wd training in to practice.  There was a little decision to ignore the spotter (me - but what's new there) and take a more difficult line involving a close encounter between a large rock ledge and the fuel tank.  There was also a desire see what the sound of grinding gears was like.  Ignoring these indescressions (what's new there) she passed with flying colours.

There was just enough time for a late afternoon walk to watch the sun set and what a magic way to end the day. I was the only person sitting on top of the world. The mountains around me looked like molten iron as the large globulous rocks that form the range glowed hot red in the setting light.  It is hard to describe or even photograph the beauty of this place but Uluru will have to be amazing to beat this.

Topped off with a fire, stew in the camp oven and a cold Guinesss.  This is the life.