Back on a Bike

When I lived in Japan, my main mode of transport, other than riding the the subway, was a bicycle. There is a great feeling of freedom to hop on a bike and cycle with the wind on your face and your troubles blowing away in the breeze behind you. It also reminds me of the feeling of childhood when riding up and down the street felt like a daring adventure away from home. When I first returned to Adelaide, it was hard to get used to the speed of traveling by car - everything whizzes by in a blur and there isn’t time to take in the details of your surroundings or easily stop to get a closer look at the plants and trees. But the lifestyle here with a couple of kids demands us to be constantly behind the wheel of our vehicles as we taxi them to schools and activities too far to cycle to. And so I have driven past many a tree full of gum blossoms that I wished I had stopped to photograph and many a garden full of plants that were missed.

But over the Summer holidays, I finally got myself a bike again - a belated birthday combined with Christmas present of sorts and a means to keep up with the kids who left me behind a few years ago when I was no longer able to jog alongside them to keep up as they learned to cycle. And now a new way to get around the neighbourhood in search of some local botanic inspiration.

I made a short escape after lunch today to see what inspiration I could find. It’s not the best timing for all the colourful gum blossoms in our area but when you look, there is always something to see. Below are some of the gems I discovered and the picture above taken when I cycled down a random street and looked up to be rewarded by these yellow beauties. As an added bonus, I am also getting some exercise!