Ahh Im back :) Had a great week in South Australia... We drove to Tanunda in Barossa Valley on Sunday and the conference started Monday. Lots and lots and lots of mammal presentations, some more interesting than others. I was glad to hear that koalas in over"koala"populated Kangaroo island were not going to be killed like they said in the news few months ago... And it was interesting to hear that contraception has been produced for kangaroos... they also talked about truckdrivers moving feral pigs between places (very strange and NOT easy to move grumpy feral pigs), neonsticks put on little gliding marsupials (like flying squirrels) to see where they fly to and radiotracked cats who go once a week to a football practice because they have sausage sizzles after the game... They kept the best presentation for last and the conference ended with everyone wetting themselves and crying of laughter listening to a very special french lady speaking about the Echidna Spike and orchid seeds, with french accent and high pitched voice... I know it may not sound very funny but it was priceless... We could not go to Barossa Valley withouth doing some wine tasting so that is what we did :) Lots and lots of wine drinking and I bought a lot of bottles of course... I dont regret buying them though because it is the best wine I have ever tasted, nammmmm... We went on a half day tour on thirsday to a sancturay where they have bilbies, voylies and bandicoots hopping around in feral free areas. And we got a special treat, the guid had rescued a baby wombat when its mother was hit by a car and had it in his beanie (hufa), it was the cutest thing I have ever seen... :) When the conference was finished we drove to Adelaide and spent one night there in a bit dodgie motel and then we went to HAHNDORF... yes it is a litle german village with bradwurst, sourkraut, lederhosen, coockoo clocks, rauchmannschen and old fashioned candy (lollie) shops and ice cream shops... I was in heaven and it felt like Christmas because as you perhaps know my family still celebrates german Christmas since we were there in 1982... We stayed in a very cute hotel called Zorro where there were Zorro posters everywhere and the owner was called Zorro and the cook was called Mama... Warrawong earth sanctuary was next and there I saw PLATYPUS for the first time in my life... jibbiiiii, it was very cute :) Yesterday we drove back home and it took the whole day. The highlight on the way back was driving past a group of EMUUUUS which completely made my day :) I cannot understand people who dont love them...