Australia

Australia:

Australia is the only country that has a whole continent to itself. World famous for its natural wonders and wide open spaces, its beaches, deserts, "the bush", and "the Outback", Australia is actually one of the world's most highly urbanised countries. It is also well known for the cosmopolitan attractions of its large cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

Climate:

As a large continent a wide variation of climates are found across Australia. Most of the country receives more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. Generally, the north is hot and tropical, while south tends to sub-tropical and temperate. Most rainfall is around the coast, and much of the centre is arid and semi-arid. The daytime maximum temperatures in Darwin rarely drop below 30°C, even in winter, while night temperatures in winter usually hover around 15-20°C. Temperatures in some southern regions can drop below freezing in winter and the Snowy Mountains in the South East experiences metres of winter snow.

As Australia is in the southern hemisphere the winter is June-August while December-February is summer. The winter is the dry season in the tropics, and the summer is the wet. In the southern parts of the country, the seasonal temperature variation is greater. The rainfall is more evenly distributed throughout the year in Sydney and Melbourne, while in Adelaide and Perth, the summers are dry with the bulk of the rainfall occuring in winter.

Destinations:

Australia is a very big country, therefor it is almost impossible to visit the whole country. The distances between cities are enormous and I didn't want to spend the whole trip in a car, plane or bus. I decided to go first to see Sydney and then fly to the south west coast. Then travel along the west coast to Darwin, my final destination.

Sydney is the Harbour City. It is the largest, oldest and most cosmopolitan city in Australia with an enviable reputation as one of the world's most beautiful and liveable cities. Brimming with history, nature, culture, art, fashion, cuisine, design, and set next to miles of ocean coastline and sandy surf beaches. The city is also home to the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, two of the most iconic structures on the planet.

The Blue Mountains is a mountainous region in New South Wales, Australia.
Consisting mainly of a sandstone plateau, the area is dissected by gorges up to 760 metres deep. The highest point of the range is 1,190 metres above sea level.

Albany in the Albany region you can find the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. A walk on high altitude, where you can walk among huge trees.

The Pinnacle Desert is in the heart of Nambung National Park close to Cervantes. In the park you can find thousands of huge limestone pillars rise out of a stark landscape of yellow sand. In places they reach up to three and a half metres tall. Some are jagged, sharp-edged columns, rising to a point; while others resemble tombstones.

Coral Bay is a small settlement that lies protected from the Indian ocean by the Ningaloo reef. It is Australia's only fringing reef. In contrast to other locations the coral starts right at the water's edge.
Whale sharks come to the area between March and June. The largest fish in the world, they can grow to 14 meters in length. It is completely safe to swim with the whaleshark.

The Kimberley is one of Australia's hidden treasures with an immense and complex landscape that encompasses spectacular gorges, waterfalls and cave systems