Wallace Rockhole to Alice Springs

Day 63, Wednesday, March 15, 2006 The drive to the Palm Valley was unsurpassed. A part of the road was Australian red dirt washboard, the remainder, worse. It was a dry riverbed. An hour in a cement mixer would be more pleasant. Next time I will bring a crash helmet and an athletic support. All was not lost, however, as we encountered this substantial snake along the way. We also saw a kangaroo, a dingo, a goanna and a wallaby. The guide said that on many trips, no animals are seen. At the end of the road is a magnificent stand of Red Cabbage Palms, the only place on Earth where they grow. We ended our amazing adventure with a visit to Standley Chasm, 80 meters high and only 9 meters wide. With the short drive back to Alice Springs, we had traveled 1600 kilometers in 5 days and had seen some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. What can’t be described in photos is the torment of the flies, the incredible heat and humidity, the exhilaration of the slightest breeze, the vast expanse of the bush land, the stillness of the night, the brilliance of the stars, the songs of strange birds, the intensity of the rain. You will have to come to Australia’s Red Centre to experience these for yourself.
Bob’s Blog