“[...] As I make my way farther inland, the landscape grows increasingly empty and the forests give way to pastureland. After passing through a few small towns, I decide to take a shortcut, which, as it turns out, leads partly along gravel tracks and dirt roads. Out here there are no houses, no farms. Nothing. Just thousands of sheep grazing across an endless open landscape. The wind blows mercilessly across this wasteland, once again tossing the motorcycle from side to side. The first wild kangaroos begin to appear, but that’s nothing compared with what I’m about to see when I enter the national park. Even though it’s getting late, I have to slow down. Kangaroos are hopping dangerously close to the road. Many haven’t been so lucky and lie dead along the roadside. Every time I stop, the kangaroos immediately bolt and disappear into the bush. They’re definitely much harder to approach than their domesticated cousins back at the wildlife sanctuary. After a long ride among the wild creatures of the forest, I approach Halls Gap, a tourist village right in the middle of the park, where I’ll be spending the night. I’m almost there when I spot something strange beside the road. It looks a little too big to be a kangaroo... I stop, and an impressive-looking ostrich turns around, runs straight across the road in front of me, and trots off into the distance. I finally reach the village—and there’s another shock waiting for me. A kangaroo invasion. The animals here have obviously grown accustomed to people, because entire mobs of them occupy yards, roads, and roadsides. They’re even hanging around the gas station... Basically, they’re everywhere. Time to check into the motel and go hunting for dinner. Fortunately, there’s a pretty decent restaurant here where I finally manage to break my streak of eating fish. I devour a plate of lamb ribs, washing them down with a local beer. After dark, I walk back to the motel, trying not to step on a snake, although my chances of spotting a black tiger snake against the asphalt in almost complete darkness are approximately zero. All around me I can hear kangaroos hopping through the night, following my progress with more than just their eyes. One last look at the magnificent star-filled sky, and I dive into a deep sleep. I’m spending two nights in Halls Gap, which gives me a chance to take the panniers off and let the naked GS loose in the wild. I wake up without much urgency. After all, I have the entire day to explore the park. I dump the luggage and, with the bike suddenly light again, take off at full gallop. Today it’s mostly gravel, sand, and clay beneath my wheels as the roads cut through mountains covered in dense forest. The birdlife doesn’t disappoint either. Birds appear in front of me in just about every color imaginable, and there’s no shortage of variety in size either. By sheer luck, only a few minutes after I switch on the camera, three ostriches appear in front of the speeding motorcycle. They take off at full gallop as well, making their escape. For the next several hundred yards, the four of us race down the road together—the ostriches in front, bombarding my visor with gravel kicked up from under their ‘hooves,’ and me right behind them, hot on their heels. Eventually, the ostriches dart between the trees and finally shake their motorcycle-riding tail, leaving me to continue alone. Every now and then, a wild kangaroo takes pity on me and briefly keeps me company. By early evening, I return to the village exhausted. It’s been a hell of a lot of fun, but I can definitely feel it. Back in Halls Gap, I’m once again greeted by bouncing hordes of kangaroos. Kangaroos generally seem like very likable creatures. What’s more, as I discover over dinner that evening, they’re remarkably easy to like. The tender kangaroo fillets practically melt in my mouth, especially when paired with the last few varieties of local beer still remaining on my list to sample. One final glance at the colorful birds outside the window, and with tomorrow’s return journey ahead of me, I hit the sack early. [...]”