I just got back from a three day hiking trip through Toolangi State Forest, just northeast of Melbourne (in Australia). I ate 4g of dried subaeruginosa on the second day, probably some time around 11am while hiking through the forest, and what followed has got to be the most stunning and magical experience of my life.

The setting was perfect: the sun was shining, with some wispy clouds, the sky an electric blue; I was walking up a moderate incline on a forest road through mature mountain ash forest, which had to have been around 80-90m tall, and the bird life was incredible. There was a fairly large colony of yellow-tailed black cockatoos cawing and swooping through the forest, although they were very noisily feeding on/mangling a tree right next to where I initially collapsed as the physical effects of the mushrooms really began to come on. I eventually figured I'd try move on a little bit more to get away from the noise, and boy, I'm very very glad I did. A few minutes later I came to an absolutely spectacular scene, with very tall mountain ash in front of where I eventually set up, with an understory of smaller trees and tree ferns (I'll attach photos). The trip felt so utterly divine, and I remember just being to thankful that I was graced with such an experience. At some point, maybe 1 hour/1.5 hours in, a lyrebird began to slowly make its way through the dense regrowth behind be, mimicking the various other forest birds in quick succession and generally just sounding incredibly alien. It eventually stopped just out of view right behind me. I can't describe how incredible this thing sounded, it was like something that you would hear on the interior of some gargantuan trip, not something coming out of a real life animal. I'll attach a video of the bird; luckily it didn't begin mimicking chainsaws or something else alarming as it does in the video, although it wouldn't be out of the question considering the forest I was in is fairly heavily logged. There were some pretty impressive visions as well, the most distinctive of which was that of this stick-insect looking structure/creature, but only made of limbs, covered in geometric patterning, coloured in a bright orange against a backdrop of a bright flesh colour (I was looking at the sun with my eyes closed). This creature also looked like rolling hills on a sunny day, as if this vision had two distinct 'interpretations' that existed simultaneously. There were certainly others, but they are still quite hazy. In fact, the whole experience was quite hazy, and I only really remember the general outline of it, as well as how wonderful it felt. After about 3-4 hours, it felt like I came out of a daze, and I decided to continue on, although I was quite drained, making it hard to walk with my pack on without having to rest every few minutes.

I still feel giddy just thinking about the thing, and I'm so incredibly glad that I had the idea to go out there with a couple of mushrooms. I am very thankful to have even had the opportunity to experience something so divine, it felt so special.

bird video

Nice one! All of that makes me miss Australia. If you're into National Parks and a little travel you might like to take some time at the Bunya Mountains NP in Queensland. It's some years ago but last time I was there I was able to see a Platypus.