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Posted on 11/06/11 04:53:32 AM |
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Daniel
Poser Professor Posts: 192 Reply  |
Australia
I am traveling to Australia in August ... One of the places I am looking forward to visit is the so called Red Center. The nature there is unique and extremely fascinating. One of the Red Center's attractions is Ayers Rock (photo below) which is a large sandstone rock formation, and also one of Australia's natural icons. Today I spent a few hours trying to create an Ayer-Rockish kind of atmosphere! I know that the textures are not perfect, but this is as close as I can get to reality by spending only a few hours ... Vue, PS and Poser were used. 
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Posted on 11/06/11 04:54:29 AM |
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Daniel
Poser Professor Posts: 192 Reply |
Australia
http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff462/DanielTokyo/Australia_HR.jpg  |
Posted on 13/06/11 07:48:37 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7042 Reply  |
Re: Australia
Amazing work, Daniel! ButI'd take out the cartwheel - I think that's one element too far. This isn't the wild west! |
Posted on 13/06/11 10:15:52 AM |
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Daniel
Poser Professor Posts: 192 Reply |
Re: Australia
Steve, you are absolutly right (as usual) about the cartwheel ... I saw it myself, but somehow I couldn'r resist the temptation!  I guess this is the result of growing up during the era of spagetti western movies ...
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Posted on 16/06/11 10:16:32 AM |
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vibeke
Kreative Kiwi Posts: 2166 Reply  |
Re: Australia
Have a wonderful trip, it's an amazing place, don't miss the Kings Canyon, IMO it is even more interesting and beautiful. I'ts about half way between Uluru (Ayers rock) and Alice Springs. _________________ Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize. |
Posted on 16/06/11 3:51:22 PM |
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Daniel
Poser Professor Posts: 192 Reply |
Re: Australia
Thanks for the tip Vibeke. Kings Canyon is in my list. It looks amazing in the pictures. My plan is to fly from Sydney to Ayers Rock airport, rent a 4WD and explore the whole area between Uluru and Alice Springs. How are the road conditions there? Did you rent a car while you were there? Vibeke, snakker du dansk?
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Posted on 17/06/11 11:47:05 AM |
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tooquilos
Wizard of Oz Posts: 2899 Reply  |
Re: Australia
Hi Daniel This is the first chance Ive had to reply to you. You are going to have a unbelievably fantastic time! Over they years I have visited the territory many times and really…there is no other place on earth like it. Its rugged beauty is unsurpassed. I wont go on about that now though..you will see it for yourself. If you are going to drive from Uluru to Alice..its around 5-6 hour drive. You will see more nothing in between those two places than you have ever seen in your life. However the nothingness is beautiful. Quite a paradox..but that’s how it is. You will see Mt Connor along the way. It may be worth going for a closer look. Visit the Olgas while you are at Uluru. Take an MP3 player to listen to music (or cds). Counting the insects splattering on your windscreen is another way to pass the time lol. The really critical thing is..jokes aside…stop for no one. Regardless how dire you may perceive a situation to be..just keep driving. We stopped once..and I can tell you it was a very scary experience. If you continue north, after Alice, on the Stuart Highway…heading toward Darwin…a must see is Katherine and Mataranka. Look them up on google to see pics. Both of those places are beautiful. If you go into Darwin…head towards Jabiru which is in Kakadu National Park. That is an absolute must. Kakadu is the most stunning place on earth! The waterfalls are magnificent. Take care driving during dawn and dusk. That is when the wildlife decide to cross the road. If you hit a kangaroo or a stray cow at 100k’s per hour…your car will not be a pretty site. Lol The road trains are another issue there. They are these huge long semi trailers. They seem to go on forever. They reach incredible speeds. Overtaking them is very dangerous…and before you decide to overtake..make sure that you can see the horizon at the end of the road to make sure its all clear. The obvious..take plenty of water…stick to the designated areas for visitors. Don’t wander off the track. The dangers are very real. Don’t swim in any water holes. Crocodiles are a genuine threat up there. Take a first aid kit with bandages, antiseptic, scissors, gloves, tweezers, bottle of vinegar (for insect bites and leeches), sun block, antibiotics, pain relief tablets etc. If you are staying at a motel/hotel…always tell reception where you are headed and what time you may be back. That’s always a good practice for obvious reasons. I don’t know what phone reception is like there now. A few years ago..it was dreadful. Although Telstra (our main provider) claims that they have most of the territory covered. You may need to check what coverage they have now. But a phone is very important there. I'm sure there are a million other things we can go into..but these are the ones that have come to mind first. Let me know any other questions you may have and Ill try and answer them or find out the answer. You will have a ball! And it will be the experience of a lifetime. _________________ Wicked Witch of the West: I'm melting! I'm melting! |
Posted on 17/06/11 5:48:58 PM |
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Daniel
Poser Professor Posts: 192 Reply |
Re: Australia
Hi Anna, And thanks so much for such a comprehensive travel guide. It is really kind of you. I have been waiting for this trip for such a long time. I am going to love and enjoy the tranquility and the nothingness ... And I really need it! Thanks for the tip about not stopping for anyone. Being a dum and naive Norwegian I would have stopped for the first hitchhiker!
I am planning to spend a week in the Red Center, and then fly from Alice Springs to Cairns and spend a few days there. And Finally I will fly back to Sydney and stay there for a few days before heading back to Tokyo. I will of course follow your advice about not swimming in water holes. I know that crocodiles are dangerous but I am not actually scared of them. There is however another animal in your country that I am really scared of and that (as you might guess) is the white shark.
I am a pretty good swimmer but I don't think that I am going to take any chances while I am there. A few years ago one of my old friends got a job in the company Google and moved to south africa. A few days after his arrival he was attacked and killed by a white shark! You just don't mess with these animals! What do you think? One question Anna, how is the weather there in August? |
Posted on 19/06/11 11:18:01 AM |
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tooquilos
Wizard of Oz Posts: 2899 Reply |
Re: Australia
You are welcome Daniel. As far as sharks are concerned…you can never say never…however the waters are a lot warmer up towards Cairns..you get a different species there. Again..the rule of thumb dusk and dawn. If any attacks will happen its generally at that time. http://sharkattackfile.info/shark-attack-queries-general/complete-shark-attack-file.asp Here is a website that lists all shark attacks. May be worth just having a browse. My son goes surfing every day and he has had a few close encounters with sharks, but that’s the nature of the land and sea. You learn to co exist with them. I don’t know if you are aware…but the greater danger up in the tropical waters are Box Jelly Fish. They are deadly. From memory I think they are more prominent in the summer time. If you go snorkelling..always wear a wet suit. Some areas have been netted off and are deemed safe for snorkelling. But once you are there just check with the locals. And if there are no people in the water…there’s probably a very good reason as to why not LOL. As far as the weather goes…in the tropics it’s a steady 32-33c degrees everyday. The year is divided up by the Wet Season and the Dry Season. In August, when you are going..you will be at the tail end of the Dry. Which means very little humidity – and that makes the days so much more pleasant. In the peak of the Wet..its unbearable the heat and humidity. So you are going at a good time. Alice and Uluru however, may be another story. It gets frightfully cold there. Temperatures just plummet. Its an extreme weather pattern for the Centre. Summer is 40+c and winter is in the minus. In August, it will still be cold .. so make sure you bring suitable clothing for that. _________________ Dorothy: "there's no place like home!" |
Posted on 19/06/11 12:28:47 PM |
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powerslave
Custom Cobber Posts: 136 Reply |
Re: Australia
Box Jelly fish should be dead in August Cant handle the cold water
Have a good one mate  Great time to be up North Aus, bit cooler _________________ Go Hard or Go Home! |
Posted on 19/06/11 1:17:42 PM |
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Daniel
Poser Professor Posts: 192 Reply |
Re: Australia
Thanks a lot for the information Anna. I just took a look at the shark attacks web site.Under the activity column of some of the incidences it says "fishing"! I wonder how that can happen! I didn't know that jelly fishes could be deadly. I was in Thailand in december and did quite a lot of snorkeling. Locals told me to be careful with Jelly fishes there too, but I guess those ones were not as dangerous as the ones you have in Australia. As for the whether, I can tolerate the cold ... No problem ... I am a Norwegian after all! The hot and dry is ok too. But hot and humid is not my favorite whether. Happy to hear that it is quite dry there in August.
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Posted on 19/06/11 1:23:38 PM |
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Daniel
Poser Professor Posts: 192 Reply |
Re: Australia
Thanks Powerslave. I guess it doesn't hurt to take some percussions and wear a wet suit anyway!
What part of Australia do you live in mate? 
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Posted on 21/06/11 11:17:23 AM |
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tooquilos
Wizard of Oz Posts: 2899 Reply |
Re: Australia
Happy to help Daniel. )
_________________ Dorothy: Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore |
Posted on 28/06/11 04:48:55 AM |
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powerslave
Custom Cobber Posts: 136 Reply |
Re: Australia
I am in Coffs Harbour. About halfway (500kms) between big cities Brisbane and Sydney, home of the Big Banana 
 _________________ Go Hard or Go Home! |