Beware of the swoopers

There is this bird called a magpie. It is a territorial, aggressive bastard. It attacks ciclysts. I started riding my bike this year as I got a new bike as a gift from my family. On the same week I got my Australian right to vote and do jury duty, I also got introduced to a common Australian situation: being atacked by a magpie.

These birds are protected species therefore it is a crime to kill them. All my dreams and scheming to get rid of one (which used to swoop at me around my house) were shattered when I read the penalty. Either $100,000aud or 1 year in prison for killing these feathered varmints.

And this are the suggestions for how not to get swooped by them in the entrance of the botanical gardens of Adelaide.

Random homes

When I first heard about the “tree house where a family lived”, I pictured one of those you see in movies with layers and stairs. I never expected this tale like place to be an old and ancient river red gum hollowed out by the fires of Aboriginal hunters.

Almost 200 years ago, this tree saw the births of two of the Herbig children, in Springston, South Australia. This tree was the home for two years of Friedrich Herbig, a 27-year-old tailor,and his wife Caroline.

Impressive stories you hear on the road right?

With wild rosemary

Claiming to be the best Australian gin and tucked in the middle of nowhere is this gin distillery. Having become a fan of G&Ts only fairly recently is always good to try the new flavours. The hidden secret to their gin flavour is Olearia axillaris – or, Kangaroo Island coastal daisy bush as it’s more commonly known (or also known as “wild rosemary”). According to much more professional gin drinkers than I, this daisy bush gives this Gin a distinctive floral and heath like aroma which balances the juniper and orange. Im totally not at those proffessional levels but a gin and tonic on a sunny evening and good company is always welcomed!

The sound of the Orcs

Koalas are random creatures. They spend most of their time sleeping because the food they eat is toxic. Seeing them is a an increasingly rare and extraordinary experience. Especially when they start grunting at you for disturbing their peace. The grunt is actually the sound used for the Orcs in the Lord of the Ring.

The question is … can you spot it before anybody else?

There is always time for wine

For a moment I thought we weren’t going to make it. But who can say no to wine?

Needing to make a ferry and having a flight redirected via melbourne it looked like we would end up missing out on Mclaren vale wines. And I was really looking forward to it because nothing tastes as much as holiday as a first gulp of otherwise restricted beverage. Luckily there was a five star winery on the way and it was well worth the time. Good wine, friendly service, random stories and Norwegian cheese.