Day 12, Friday 8/7/2016, Glen Helen

 It was cold at about 1am but I woke up quite warm this morning. It's 8 degrees C and meant to get to 28 degrees C today!

During breakfast on our riverbank, we checked in with Gary at our pre-planned time on the walkie talkie.

We hiked over to Glen Helen, met up with the others and booked in for helicopter flights! Yay!

Jordan came up with me on the first flight. The landscape is spellbinding! Mountains, caterpillar ranges, comet crater, the oldest river in the world (Finke), and the beautiful gorges it has carved. It was such a tiny helicopter. My feet were in the nose section. I so want one!

Everyone had a fantastic experience. There was a bit of a wait between ours and Morgan's, so we went for a walk to the Glen Helen Gorge with them and then waited at the bar overlooking the river eating hamburgers.

It was so hot by the time we walked back to our bush camp that we ripped shoes off and sank into chairs in the shade with a book. Jordan and I ended up asleep on the sand.

The Morgan/Davies crew came over to visit us in their car. Checking out our spot for future reference. Amara and Eliza had been for a swim in the icy water.

Jack and Sian went for a walk to a waterhole further north. Col and I followed once our visitors had gone. We found the tree that we camped near in 2002. It's like a big arch. 

Day 11, Thursday 7/7/2016, Finke Gorge to Palm Valley to Glen Helen

 Happy birthday Katie!

It was so hot this morning that I had to get up early, which allowed me to see the sunrise colours in our private little gorge.

Morgans and Davies broke their record today, packed up by 0815hrs. A great start to a huge day. I did the 4WDing out of the Finke Gorge today! Yay!! Siân started off driving in the kid's car but quickly swapped to Jack.

So much fun, and such a beautiful place! Col got some photos of wild horses on the way out.

We arrived at Hermansberg at 1100hrs and had scones, tea and other assorted pastries, before heading into Palm Valley. Col drove this section, and Leah had a turn 4WDing in 'Silver'.

So back into another section of our beloved Finke River. It is much drier than last time we were here of course, but still some water to drive through. I forgot just how bumpy the last 4km were.

Everyone was suitably impressed by the cabbage palms, cycads, Finke River and the towering red gorge walls of Palm Valley.

We did the 1hr hike and got some gorgeous photos!

Lunch was on a sand bank in the middle of the river, under a river gum halfway back out. Soccer shots were had before heading for Goss Bluff. Gary's highlight. Peter was a bit stressed about the timing today, but it's all under control.

Goss Bluff (as Gary read to us) was formed 142 million years ago by a 1km diameter comet. Remaining is the impact zone only. The melted rock. Another huge ring of dirt was also formed but has since weathered away.

After getting the required rim shots we made it to our bush camp on the Finke River again, north of Glen Helen by 1715hrs. There was over half an hour of light remaining. Parkes crew were in the bush camp, while the Davies/Morgan crew were booked into Glen Helen Resort on the southern side of the road. We walked over to have hamburgers for tea but the cafe was shut at 2pm. So back to our lovely sandy bank river camp to make 2 minute noodles, then a nibbles platter and card night.

Finke River you are awesome! I have had an absolutely incredible 3 days!!