Smoking in public places, governmental buildings, public transport and internal air trips is forbidden.

Sun radiation in Australia is extremely intensive, that’s why the sunburns are really dangerous. It is recommended to avoid the sunbeams during the first days of being in this country, use special protective creams and wear light white clothes from cotton (it, by the way, will help to avoid supercooling in the strongly conditioned apartments which are so common for this region). At any time it is recommended to wear sunglasses.

[b]Bathing.[/b] People should bathe in the most quiet (because of strong flows) areas of coast, marked by green or red-yellow flags. Plain red or yellow flags mean danger!

Also it is not recommended to walk barefoot on a grass and to go for a walk in parks in the evening, because there are various poisonous insects and snakes active in the night-time there.

It is also necessary to show maximal carefulness at socializing with marine inhabitants.

The history of Australian wine making is more than two hundred years old. Comparing to European one this is almost nothing. The same ages are also the oldest settlements of European newcomers, where immigrants planted grapes, brought here from their motherland. Because of it many Australian wine making dynasties have truly European last names, and an original division of wine sorts historically set on the continent.

Wine making is mostly concentrated on South - East, approximately from Adelaide to Sydney. There are also several vineyards on far South – West, in the region of Pert, but far north grounds are useless for planting grapes due to climate and weather conditions. Barossa Valley is known as a place of German immigrants settlement, and as a consequence it became famous for Australian wine makers with German origin. And Yarra Valley, not far from Melbourne, can be easily recognized for its French-style wine.

Classic sorts of wine, like Cabernet, Shiraz, Chardonnay and Riesling have shown themselves perfectly in Australian land. But due to climate change the taste of wine a little bit changed: it seems like the titles are similar, but the result is originally Australian. For example, the skin of grapes, brought from Germany, became thicker; the consecutive result is more tart wine.

One of the oldest wine making regions in Australia is famous Hunter Valley (to the North from Sydney). The first vine was planted here in 1828. The climate is subtropical here: very hot summer and humid autumn. Upper Hunter is generous for white wines, and first of all it’s famous for Chardonnay.

Nearly in 450 kilometers from Alice-Springs there is situated one of Australian famous nature wonders. Uluru (this is how Ayers Rock called in aborigines’ language) monolith played a great part in myths of tribes, which lived in its numerous caves; nowadays we can also see the pictures, made of ochre, on the caves’ walls. The monolith is 348 meters high, the length of circuit is 9 kilometers.

This place is the most saint for aborigines, it is nearly five hundred million years. Tourists and photographers from all over the world come here to view the fantastic color changing at sunrise and sunset, when the rock’s coloring can vary from dark brown to bright red and then “calm down”, turn into a huge black shadow…

Nearly half of the century ago Ernest Giles one of the first Europeans was standing there, totally amazed in front of red giants and did not believe his own eyes, watching those unimaginable mountains. Inspired by them, Giles made a note in his diary: “For thousands of years they stand, like majestic monuments of virgin world, never changing from the moment of their birth. Time, this ancient and mysterious magician, haven’t touched them yet…”

Many years before the white man appeared in that land, little aborigine kids used Ayers Rock in a very interesting way. In 1925 there was made a note about it by an explorer: “At the Kurrekapinnia water source, in the ridge of Ayers children use bare skates of granite rock for riding. The chamfer is perfectly polished. A child takes some reed, climbs up the mountain, puts that reed at the top of a mountain, sits on it and then goes down…” The speed is really amazing and will take your breath away!

Every year all aborigines gather near Uluru, which, as the legend says, was created by ancient giants, who lived at the time when nobody and nothing existed. Inside Uluru lived Vanambi, a serpent, Supreme Judge of all mortals. Then giants created a human and gifted him the Earth. Soon many Urulu people inhabited it and incorporated themselves in many different tribes, which went to live in different parts of the world, but always have been returning to the saint mountain to honor their ancient creators and obtain fresh powers. Nowadays old hunters don’t come here, and the writings are slowly disappearing. There is no place for old rituals in new, modern world.

…Next to Ayers Rock the airplanes fly here and there, the cars ride on the mountain roads. Buses convey many tourists from Alice – Springs. Every morning people, who wish to climb the Ayers Rock, gather near it – but many of them feel really sorry at the process of climbing. It is really hard! Is it worth your life? You don’t need to climb up to see the ancient writings on that mountain. They are the same they were thousands of years ago…

Australian kitchen is one of the most various and tasty kitchens in the whole world. Basing on English and Irish traditions, it absorbed into itself enormous culinary traditions of the Asiatic kitchen, especially Japanese, Chinese and Malay.

Meat products take the key part in Australian culinary; along with traditional Australian stake with blood, pork people cook meet of rabbits, kangaroos, opossums and “local delicacies” with beetles. Many different dishes enjoy wide popularity, such as meat pie made of puff paste, pickled beef filet with karri – spinach and thick sauce called “bitrut”, large beefsteak "kapit", kangaroo meat in "kvandong" sauce ("dessert peach"), some kind of "Bush Tucker" dishes (on coals), "Melbourne" chickens under a sauce, beefsteak of kangaroo meat with mushrooms, and also lettuce from thin tube pieces of ham, Asiatic "sate". Smoked ribs are popular along with bacon or pizza, Chinese fried rice with hen goes in addition to Chinese soup "tom-yam", and Mediterranean "dolma" can be met not rarer than the Russian meat dumplings. As a snack "roll-sandwiches" are very popular here: they are twisted up in a meat loaf with the various filling; and also "vegemit" is a thick dark mass from vegetables and test, spread on bread.

Fish, oysters, mussels, scallops, crabs, shrimps and other various sea products are inalienable parts of Australian kitchen. There are many different methods of cooking them, but Asian recipes become more popular. According to them the dish is eaten almost raw, or it passes treatment till its complete cannot be recognized, but it is accompanied with excellent sauce and rice. Barracuda is the Australian national dish (especially the one which is caught in Cleveland region), and also trout, baked on coals and herbages, salmon fish from Tasmania and “barramundi”. Fish is often served with “chutney” – a spice made from apples, ginger, carnation and winy vinegar.

Wonderful local vegetables are used in cooking of lettuces. And due to an enormous amount of berries Australia became one of the world leaders: blackberry, kiwi, mango, papaya, litchi, avocado, lemons, oranges and other tropical fruit are not only used as an independent dessert, but are used as components of different dishes. Nearly 20% of Australian plants are edible. “Reberries”, seeds of Australian acacia, “bunya” nuts, pepper leaves and other great deals are used in many dishes.

As national desserts people eat “pavlova” – a kiwi with meringue and fresh creams, filled with chocolate; biscuits, filled with coconut crumb, Arnotta biscuits, and also “antsaks” – cookies, made of oat flakes and coconut.

The Sydney Festival ( which is hold in January) – is the main cultural event in Australia, which includes in itself many street performances, obligatory premieres in Sydney Opera House, a huge army parade and theatrical performances on the theme of arrival of the first settlers to Australia. The biggest festival of sexual minorities – is famous “Mardy Grass” is held in February, Sydney.

Traditional tennis tournament “Australian Open” is hold in Melbourne at the end of January. The Australian grand-pry of worldwide Formula-1 races is hold every year in Melbourne in February or March. “Australian International Airshow” – is a famous aviation salon, which takes place in Avalon airport every year. Among the sports competitions the most remarkable is the Darwin’s Beer Regatta, when people can spectacle water races, in which take place “ships”, made of beer barrels and cans. On Thanksgiving Day eve the famous Australian race Sydney – Hobart is hold, and on the 26^th of August the yacht regatta round Australia starts. And almost all Australian life stops on the day of Melbourne Football Cup (the first Tuesday of November).

Chinese New Year is celebrated in February by all Australians. “Adelaide Arts Festival” is hold at the beginning of March in even years. In non-even people enjoy the Adelaide’s music and dance festival. Melbourne holds the Comedian Festival in February and Melbourne International Festival in October.

Clothes.

Free style is accepted in clothes, except business meetings and visiting restaurants.

The prices are:

Shoes – 50 – 200 AUD

Costume – 200 – 700 AUD

Jeans – 30 – 80 AUD

T-shirts – 7 – 20 AUD

Sweaters – 20 – 100 AUD

Men shirts – 15 – 60 AUD

Trousers – 40 – 100 AUD

The commodity market of Australia is extremely narrow and is monopolized by some large producers and importers. Commodities are all mostly Chinese, but don’t hurry to look down on them. Each company carries huge responsibility for their commodities’ quality.

What about fashion? Yes, Australia has fashion too. It comes there from England, but it is always two months late. So, modern business fashion:

For men – strict trousers, plain colored shirts, and ties with big pictures.

For women – strict costumes, also they can wear mini-skirts.

Breeches for women are very popular in informal vogue. They are beautifully accompanied with high-platform shoes. The typical clothes of informal young lady – jeans plus skirt, slipper-style running shoes, a short t-shirt, so the stomach can be seen clearly, and a jacket, buttoning on a top button.

Automobiles.

 In Australia you can buy the automobile near large highways, where vast number of autos is sold. If you buy the car by private announcements, the price will be one or two thousand AUD cheaper. The price of a used auto is nearly 1000 – 20 000 AUD. New automobile costs 20 000 – 50 000 AUD. The most popular car brands are “Toyota”, “Mitsubishi” and “Nissan”.

Sports.

In Australia people of all ages are mad about sports. They really love it. As a result the Australians won the Olympic Games in 2000. Although it has a small number of population, Australia presented many sportsmen of worldwide fame. It has a strong swimming team. Australian tennis players repeatedly won the international competitions, including the Davis Cup. Golf and cricket are very popular in Australia.

National mentality.

The main rules, which are followed by all Australian people – “don’t mind”, you’re not the best and not the worst. They’re very inventive people: combine, penicillin, caterpillar tank, free style swimming, first cartoon hero Cat Felix and many other interesting things were invented in Australia.

There is great honesty in business and people. It’s unknown here about false money, lacerated dollars – people take money not even looking at them. Couriers can bring something to someone and leave it at the gate - an owner will come and take it. The cars are parked peacefully in the streets. To sum up: people trust each other.

Australian holidays.

The official holidays in Australia are: the Day of Australia (January 26), Easter (the beginning of April), Anzac-day (April 25), the Queen’s birthday (June 10), Bank holiday (August 2), Labor day (the first Monday of October) and Christmas (December 25, 26).

Furthermore, there are other holidays, which are celebrated in Australia:

1) Mardi Gras – costumed gay parade, which is celebrated in February

2) Chinese New Year, celebrated in February in whole Australia

3) Yacht racing around Australia

4) The final of Rugby Cup

5) The start of yacht racing from Sydney to Tasmania

Children’s birthdays are celebrated in establishments like “McDonald’s” or “KFC”, also in bowling and sport clubs.

Cultural life.

The cultural life of Australia offers you a world class opera, symphonic and chamber orchestras, theatres, rock concerts, modern dances and classic ballet, galleries of art and folk art, comedies and cabarets, musicals and Broadway shows.

You can visit nice foreign exhibitions. The personnel of local art galleries is full of clever, interesting and hard-working people. So they always have to choose the very best material from European and American museums. It is a good idea, because you can see works of professional artists.

                                                    AUSTRALIAN CULTURE

The Main Art Festival is held in Adelaide one time per two years.  Annually in February the festival of arts is conducted in Perte, and in January – in Sydney.

Literature. Poetry.    The early Australian poetry was under the strong influencing of the English romantic poetry of XVIII century. Hereupon, as a result, the first lyric poets, for example Barron Fild (1786 – 1846), William Charles Ventvort ( 1790-1872) and Charles Kherpar (1813-1868). The first considerable poets are natives of Australia: Henry Kendol (1839-1882) and Edam Lindsey Gordon (1833-1870) – popularized ballads about rural life in Australia. However not many poets could surpass Kennet Slessor (1901-1971), whose “Five bells” occupy an unique place in Australian literature. Thomas Kenilly, one of the most hard-working authors, purchased fame because of his novel "Shindler Ark" (1982г.).

Executive art. Theater. The first play, shown in Australia, is "The Recruiter of Soldiers", a comedy, which was written in times of Restoration, and created by George Farker. It was carried out by the group of convicts in 1789. In the XIX century the standard English repertoire held out with predominance of popular melodramas. Presently there are some theatrical companies in Australia, and also small troupes, such as The Australian Shakespearian Company and Melbourne theatre "La-Mama".  

Opera. Australian Opera in Sydney and state opera of Victoria state in 1996 were united into a large company called «Opera Australia». Its basic stage is the Sydney opera theatre.  

Ballet and choreography. The "Australian ballet" group, founded in 1961, shows plays mainly in Sydney and Melbourne. The Australian Theater of Dance was founded in 1965 in Adelaide, he is headed by Meril Tankart, a famous  choreographer. The Sydney choreographic company organizes presentations in the Opera theatre, conquering wide confession in the country.

Fine art. The first considerable Australian artists were Tom Roberts, Arthur Striton, Charles Konder, John Longstaff. After testing the influencing of the European art in 1880th, they were instrumental in penetration this art to Australia. Among the young artists we can see James Glison, the surrealist; Donald Frend, a founder of difficult landscape styles; Sydney Nolan, who developed the special method of presentation the Australian mythology. Albert Namadzhira is an aboriginal artist, he became famous because of his talent to draw Central Australian landscapes. Among the known modern Australian artists we will mark Bret Whitely, Pro Khard and John Olsen.

Architecture. At the beginning of the history of Australia its architecture had an utilitarian character. William Wardell (1823-1899) and Edmund Blecket (1817-1883) were the main defenders of revival the gothic style in Australia.  The modern leading architectures are Dig Grounds and Harry Sadler.  

Libraries. The library of the Victoria state (Melbourne), The National library (Canberra),  The Library of the New South Wales state (Sydney) and The Fisher Library at the Sydney university. They contain more than two million different volumes and books. The Mitchell library in Sydney is a basic source on history of Australia.

If you need to forget about the world of office and work – go to the islands of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

The Great Barrier Reef is a unique alive creature with length for more than 2000 km. It started to form 10 000 years ago and this reef continues forming nowadays.

The situated along the reef tropical islands attract the tourists from all over the world because of their beauty: bright corals and coral reefs, the white sand of the beaches, an amazing life of water creatures and wonderful opportunities of active rest.

Because of never-ending summer warmth, the water remains warm and transparent the whole year. The most magnificent thing in the Great Barrier Reef is its climate. It is very hot, subtropical with constant temperature during the whole year.

This eighth world’s wonder is the biggest coral reef in the world, consisting of 2500 reefs – from small to huge ones.

These reefs make up 71 coral islands. Most of the reefs are under water, they only can be seen during the ebb. They make up an opal colored chain among the blue ocean. Some reefs surround white coral islands with amazing flora and animals like crown-of-thorns starfish, green sea turtle, and so on. Around 125 species of shark, stingray, skates or chimera live on the Great Barrier Reef. The irukanji jellyfish also lives on the reef. Over 5000 species of mollusk have been recorded on the Great Barrier Reef.

Billions of coral polyps form the basis of the Barrier Reef. This is an amazing colorful world of tropical fish, mysterious caves, beautiful corals and wonderful plants.

Due to its various biodiversity this reef system has become the center of ecology and tourism. There are more than 400 kinds of corals and 1500 kinds of tropical fish – this is a dream of a scuba diver! Daily offered boat trips are also offered there. Queensland government control the fishing industry in Barrier Reef.

The wombats are the biggest marsupials in Australia. It is an amazing animal one meter in length with a very short tail and covered with thick fur. Its color can vary from a sandy to brown, or from gray to black.. Name “wombat” comes from the Eora Aboriginal community, the inhabitants of the Sydney area. Wombats are usually found in South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

Most of their lifetime wombats spend under the ground, digging small caves in the ground with their sharp nails, some of them form tunnel systems. The back legs are used to push earth and take it out of the way. As a rule, some of the tunnels are 20 m long and 3,5 m deep. Wombats are active in the night, when they start searching the food. They have very slow metabolism, so it takes them 14 days to complete digestion. Although wombats look very big, phlegmatic and seem to be very slow,  they can run very fast forming speed at around 40 km per hour. In the daytime wombats rest in their caves.

Wombats are not afraid of the people. There are many Australian reservations where these animals can be met close. Unfortunately many people's only contact with wombats is on highways at night, when many are killed in accidents, often doing considerable damage to vehicles.  Wombats are animals, protected by the law.

An adult wombat doesn’t have natural enemies except the dingo, which was brought to Australia by human. The most guilty things in wombats’ deaths are the automobiles and the people.