eful information

Money: Australian dollar = 100 cents. 1 $ = 1,58 AUD / 01.03.99 /. importation of domestic and foreign currency is unlimited. In circulation are banknotes in denominations of 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 dollar coins in 1, $ 2, as well as in 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents. Exchanging money is best carried in banks, their branches at the airport or exchange bureaus Thomas Cook and American Express. Somewhat less favorable the exchange rate hotels. All major international credit cards and traveler's checks (on cards "Visa" can not withdraw more than $ 500 at a time, Visa Premier "- not more than $ 2500) for their conversion into cash is usually charged to 15%. Operates an extensive network of ATM cash machine. In nebolshth private shops, especially in the province, pay with plastic cards is often impossible. Traveler's checks to pay quite profitable, some banks set for their relatively high cashing fees. Permit the withdrawal of foreign and local currency - not more than 5 thousand Australian $. Timezone: Sydney + 9 \ + 8 hours Cairns to Kyiv time. Customs control: is forbidden to import food. Fruits, vegetables, wood products, plants and seeds are subject to inspection. Also prohibits the importation of weapons and drugs. Prohibited the export of specimens under the state protection of plants and animals, as well as leather, bones, feathers of birds, shells, corals, etc. Allowed duty-free import of goods worth 400 AUS. USD (200 - for passengers under 18 years), 1125 ml. alcoholic beverages (for persons over 18 years), 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco products, personal items, as well as goods purchased in the 12 months prior to arrival (confirmation of the date of purchase can be claimed), computers and similar equipment with a guarantee of their provenance. Hours: institutions, shops and museums Mail: from 9.00 to 17.00. Banks from 9.30 to 16.30. Shops are generally open from 9.00 to 17.30, Thursday to 21.00 on Saturday until 16.00. Restaurants: Lunch is usually served from 12.00 to 15.00 and dinner from 18.00 to 21.30. Pubs are usually open from 10.00 to 23.00. Kitchen: Australian cuisine - is adapted to local conditions, the British. Each state is famous for its brand product: Queensland - exotic fruits (boenskoe mango, papaya), ocean fish, crabs and mortonbeyskimi beetles (a shellfish); North. Territory - the white meat, barramundi and mangrove jack (tropical fish), Darwin - steak and hamburgers from the buffalo and crocodile meat, New South Wales - wine from the Hunter Valley, balmeynskim beetle (molluscs) and Sydney rock oysters, Victoria - gippslendskoy beef and mereditskoy lamb, malliyskimi capons and fat broilers; Tasmania - the center of fishing for salmon, trout, oysters, cheese production and the cultivation of raspberries, South Australia - wine making, fishing for tuna and koffinbeyskih scallops, olive oil production, Western Australia - feta cheese and new varieties of wine. In addition to cooking vegetables (tomatoes are most common) are used tropical fruits -- inyam, taro, papaya, bananas (fried and served with meat dishes), pineapple. Only in Australia can also try dried fillet of kangaroo, emu pate, smoked possum. Favorite hot drink - tea. Tips: In the restaurant - 10% of the account, the porter at the hotel - 1 AUD for each item of luggage, taxi drivers and other support staff - on request. Transportation: Most remote settlements from each other made the flight most convenient means of transportation. The largest domestic company: Anset Austral Airlines - under the auspices Kuontas, Istuest and Sansteyt Airlines. It should be mentioned, and numerous aircraft-taxi, which serve both city and countryside. The railway network does not cover the entire country. Not one line does not intersect the whole Australia. Only the Indian Pacific, which runs from Sydney to Perth (4000 km), can be considered a transcontinental. Each state builds roads for transportation of raw materials to the ports with a view to its further outward, not thinking about the neighbors and taking into account only their own interests. However, the total length of railways is still small for such a huge country. A fairly dense network of automobile dorogimeetsya only in the south-eastern part of the country, particularly in Victoria and around the major administrative centers.