Adelaide's Animals and Where to Find Them

For over a week now, I can call Halifax Street in Adelaide my home, and by now I have survived the biggest part of the 'culture shock'. I quickly realized: if you want to save on rent, you have to say goodbye to the German standard of living. Giant cracks in the walls, a completely moldy bathroom, a dead cockroach right in front of my room door, all at an indoor temperature of 12-14 degrees - that was my first impression when I entered the house. My three roommates (from the Philippines and India) are all working, and we might meet in the kitchen in the evening when everyone is preparing their dinner - but we eat in our own rooms. 'Where have you landed here', I thought non-stop in the first few days - the exhausting journey around the world really wasn't worth it.

But: you get used to everything, and pretty quickly too. The big initial 'disappointment' disappeared with every parrot that raced past me in the middle of the city. Cockatoos sitting in the trees and turning the afternoon walk into a tropical adventure, and ibises catching my attention with their long beaks - yes, the journey was worth it after all.

I quickly got to know people from all over the world: India, China, Sweden, England, Romania, even one from the Maldives. But there is a group of people buzzing around everywhere and can be recognized from afar: of course, the Germans. Somehow we have this German 'appearance' that is unmistakable - or you can intuitively see who belongs to their country. In any case, everything is much more fun when you can share experiences and impressions with others - even if you share them with Germans 14,457 km away from Germany (according to Google).

The first trip to Glenelg Beach was a complete success. In just 30 minutes, you can take the tram from Adelaide directly to the beach for $2. This day was the first day in a week when the sun was shining and the thermometer showed 16 degrees. From a distance, we spotted a sea lion in the ocean, and a pelican watched the sunset with us from the pier.

On Saturday, the university organized a trip to the Adelaide Hills. The main goal was Cleland Park, where you can find kangaroos, koalas, wombats, and many other native animals. In pure sunshine, various kangaroo species were lying on the meadows, waiting to be fed. Nothing better than that - including petting.

It is even more beautiful to experience the animals in the wild. Thanks to the Adelaide Hills, there are many great hiking opportunities just 20 minutes outside the city. With the help of endless Facebook groups (Facebook is good for something after all), I found two girls who also want to see more of Adelaide's surroundings, so we joined forces and explored Morialta Park. After 13 km uphill and downhill, 3 waterfalls, and 3 koalas, it was a perfect Sunday in the mountains, and it definitely won't be the last hiking trip ⛰.