Rauru Cave and Parapa Desert

So this stint proves rather short.  We have no direct line from the North Palace area to the Parapa Palace, it is cut off by outcroppings.  So we have to travel through a dark, monster-infested cave to get there.  Since the item we need to light up caves is hidden within the palace we are going to visit, the cave is also dark, adding to our woes.  However, this is a comparatively simple task compared to those that are to follow.  This is the game saying: "if you find this overly difficult, stop playing now, I'm not the game for you."

The first Heart Container!

One way or another, finding our way through this relatively simple cave was easy, given that I already knew where and when enemies were going to be appearing in the dark.  The desert itself is fairly easy too if you know what you're doing.  While they look intimidating, the geldarms that appear in desert encounters are simple if you know what you're doing and since the desert is wide open, you can generally avoid encounters altogether.  The most significant thing of the Parapa Desert is finding, deep in an oasis, your first heart container: and every little bit helps us in this game, so each of these heart containers is a giant celebration.  Somehow though, a bunch of boomerang wielding  Goriya seemed to enjoy the comfort of the oasis as well and didn't seem too thrilled that I had paid them a visit.  Little do they know that a little bit later in the game, they will be one of my major grinding partners (easy enemies worth 20 experience points each).

One way or another, we quickly reach the entrance to the first palace...Parapa.