We are used to the occasional sight of a deer in our part of the world, or similar animal. As soon as they notice us, they disappear.

One thing we enjoyed a lot in South Australia is that this isn’t always the case there. Apart from nosy birds begging from food, there were also several cases of very close encounters with Kangaroos and Emus in particular, which weren’t bothered or interested in us at all.

A simple case of peaceful coexistence, how nice. One morning, we had breakfast just outside out tent, and right next to us, a pair of Kangaroos also nibbled away on their breakfast. We met Emus at very close distance, and even shared a track with an Emu dad and his eight chicks once.

Most other animals escaped quickly (or felt safe, such as Koalas 20m up in a tree, or seals sleeping on an inaccessible rock), but the experience of some that were simply there – that was quite some experience. Probably the nicest single aspect of the whole trip.

So, we went to Australia for holidays, and back. While the Missus stays on for a little longer for work, I have returned a week ago. What can I say in a few words?

It’s a 30-hour pain in the back to get there, and the same thing back. ‘There’ being Adelaide in the state of South Australia. Nice town, and nice to see our friend there.

As far as towns go, Adelaide is pretty much all that South Australia has to offer. Leave Adelaide, and all you find are comparatively tiny towns, far apart, all sharing the same sense of perpetual dust, dryness and remoteness.

In culinary terms, we’d be in for a disappointment, if we hadn’t known it from our previous visit to Australia: instead of benefitting from the best of the old and the new world, from the Indian sub-continent, Indonesia and south-east Asia, Australia, on a whole, seems to have opted for the least common denominator. Fish and Chips and Steaks and Chips are abundant, and everything else is rare and far between.

Just as well that we came for a nature experience more than for a culinary one. True wildlife spottings (i.e., not in a zoo or sanctuary), include Fur Seals, Sea Lions, Opossums, Wallabies, Kangaroos, tailless lizards, Monitor Lizards, Koalas, Emus, Goats, Rabbits, Dolphins, a snake, and an ever-present, colourful and abundant bird life with Pelicans, Rosallas and a selection of other parakeets (including the beautiful ring-necked green ones depicted here), all kinds of sea birds, Oyster Catchers, … you name it.

Oh, and black swans, too.

You can see all 916 photos right here, but don’t worry. There’s also a tiny 64 image selection for a quick impression.