Palm Valley − August, 2000

We went with Jim and Judy (coworkers/friends/neighbors/fellow Yanks) out to Palm Valley for a day of hiking. Good-freaking-god, no one told us it was a rough road going out there. Saying that the road was "4x4-only" would be a massive understatement. And this place is a fairly popular tourist destination and campground.

Damn. Aussies don't fuck around. No one in their right minds would attempt this trip in the US. And we're in a big 4x4 truck. I looked around the trailhead where we parked (once we actually made it to Palm Valley) and -- I shit you not -- I saw several sedans. Sedans! There were also tour buses, but these things were massive, Mad Max buses that could probably cross the Grand Canyon without a problem.

Palm Valley was a literal oasis. It was primarily a river-cut canyon full of palm trees -- which was really weird to see in the middle of the desert outback. We hiked through the bottom of the "valley" then up along the ridge. The natural beauty of the area was stunning.

There are so many places like this to visit around the Alice Springs area. That's why it always amazes me when I hear someone comment about what a shit-hole Alice Springs is and that there's nothing to do there. Dude, get off your fucking ass and get out there to places like this! You could spend many years in the area and not see all these places.