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Reñaca

Reñaca is a city to the north of Viña del Mar in Central Chile. This small beach town is a popular destination for Santiaguinos and Argentines from Mendoza in the summer months of January and February. The most "popular" section of the beach is the Quinta Sector to the north where most of the young, fashionable people can be found.

Understand
A residential area of high commercial value has been generated in the vicinity of the beach, with the characteristic step-shaped buildings. Reñaca is visited by people from all over the country and many foreign tourists, especially from Argentina.

Get in
By car or take a bus from the Plaza de Armas in Viña del Mar to Reñaca. It is about 15 minutes up the coast from the center of Viña on the way to Con Con.

Do

 * Reñaca Beach is the youth center of the Viña del Mar commune and the city of Valparaíso. For this reason, on Avenida Borgoño, which extends to the neighboring municipality of Concón, in the northern sector of the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, there are several bars, discos, restaurants, coffee shops, etc., as well as in other places in the town plan.
 * The Gómez Carreño Natural Park has 536 hectares of coastal sclerophyllous native forest, where you can see a large amount of endemic flora and fauna of the region, including the Zorro Chilla, Cururo, nd Quique (in danger of extinction). Birds include the Aguilucho, Tucuquere, Siete Colores, and Rara. You can also find one of the largest forests of Bellotos del Norte (more than 200 specimens), which is one of the trees in Chile declared a natural monument.
 * Reñaca is one of the many places where people gather on December 31 to see the Pyrotechnic Festival of Greater Valparaíso, which takes place every New Year in the communes of Valparaíso, Viña del Mar and Concón.
 * In January of each year, the international rugby seven (seven) championship is held at the Mackay School, attracting thousands of fans of this sport.

Buy

 * Reñaca Square: It is one of the 6 shopping centers in Viña del Mar. It has more than 60 clothing stores and other types of stores, including Sassy, Ficcus, Diva Secret, Espirit, Isabel Cordon, Core, Le Coq Sportif, among others.

Go next

 * Cochoa: A little further north, approximately 3 km away, is the small town of Cochoa. Cochoa beach is peaceful, with calm waters, and with a much more familiar atmosphere. But Reñaca's breakneck growth has progressed to Cochoa, where a host of real estate and commercial projects are under construction.

title: Reñaca


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Reșița

Reşiţa is a city in Caras-Severin County in Romania.

Understand
Reşiţa is the capital city of the Caras-Severin County. An important iron and steel centre, Reşiţa is the site of blast furnaces, iron foundries, and plants producing electrical appliances, chemicals and machinery. A locomotive museum featuring Romania's first locomotives is located in Reşiţa, in the Triaj neighborhood.

During the Austrian Empire's rule, Reşiţa was an important industrial center, focusing on heavy machinery, transportation technology and iron works.

Go next

 * Semenic-Cheile Carașului National Park
 * Anina
 * Oravița

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Reșița


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Recaș

Recaș is a town in Timiș County, Banat, Romania.

Understand
The first record of the settlement comes from the medieval chronicles in 1359 mentioned as Rykas. Over time, Recaș was first a feudal domain, fortress and fair. Also Recaş was administered by the Turkish, Austrian, Hungarian and Romanian states. From 1784 to 1786, as part of the colonization of the Banat, German colonists began to establish in Recaș.

Located on sunny hills, with a temperate continental climate, Recaş is the ideal place for viticulture. The town is famous for its rich production of wine.

Get in
Recaș is situated at a distance of 21 km from Timisoara and 37 km from Lugoj, on the national road DN6 (European E70). The city has access to Timisoara airport, located 20 km away.

title: Recaș


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Recanati

Recanati is a town in the Marche region of Italy.

See

 * Carabinieri barracks
 * Town Musemo of Collerodo Mels
 * Montefiore Castle
 * Church of St. Vitus
 * Church of Santa Maria di Castelnuovo
 * Church of Madonna del Grazie
 * Palazzo Mazzagalli
 * Church of San Domenico

Drink

 * Green Door, Recanati (Mc) An American bar serving good cocktails in a vaulted cellar space. Via di Porta San Domenico, Recanati (Mc)

title: Recanati


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Recife

Recife, the capital of Pernambuco, is one of the largest and most important cities on the northeastern coast of Brazil. This lively capital, founded by Dutch colonizers, is brimming with a vibrant culture, an interesting old town (which includes the oldest synagogue in the Americas) and some nice beaches.

Understand
Recife (Portuguese: "The Reef") is on the Atlantic coast, at the estuary of the Capibaribe, Beberibe and Jordão Rivers, close to the easternmost point of the Americas. The city, which is only two meters above sea level (some parts are below), is distributed across rivers, canals and islands.

Due to the prevalence of waterways in its geography, Recife is known as Veneza Brasileira (Brazilian Venice). Its 1.7 million inhabitants (2020), 3.7 million in the Grande Recife, are called recifenses. Services are the base of the economy. Despite the high incidence of poverty, the municipal Human Development Index (HDI) in 2000 (0.810) was above Brazil's national average (0.800). Recife is famous for its beaches, history, Carnaval, arts and cuisine.

Orientation
The city can be roughly divided in four major areas:

 * The Centro (Center) is composed of the neighborhoods of Recife Antigo (Old Recife), Santo Antônio, São José, Santo Amaro and Boa Vista, which are scattered through a couple of islands and part of the mainland. They are connected to each other by a series of bridges over the Capibaribe River.  The Centro contains most of the historic and government buildings in the city.  The port, which is in Recife Antigo, was once the most active in all of the Americas.
 * Zona Sul (South Zone) is the most modern and touristic part of the city, as it was built around the beautiful natural reef beaches that gave the city its name. This area has a great many hotels, restaurants, bars, the airport, and the largest shopping mall.  Its most important neighborhood is Boa Viagem, set along the beautiful Boa Viagem beach. Because of the beach and the skyline Boa Viagem is also called the Copacabana of the North East.
 * Zona Oeste (West Zone) is by far the greenest part of the city. It contains remnants of the Atlantic Forest that once covered most of the Brazilian eastern coast.  It contains two famous museums (Instituto Ricardo Brennand and Museu-Oficina Francisco Brennand), as well as the Federal University of Pernambuco, and the Recife Military school (2nd best school around all Brazil).
 * Zona Norte (North Zone) is mostly a residential area. Throughout the centuries, the neighborhoods along the Capibaribe River were home to the local aristocracy.  It contains the city's best schools and hospitals, and is also famous for its parks and bars.

The term Grande Recife is used to describe the Metropolitan Region of Recife, the fifth largest urban agglomeration in Brazil (after São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre) and the single largest in the Northeast. Grande Recife offers superb touristic attractions inside and outside the city limits. Do not miss Olinda or Porto de Galinhas. The first is famous for its natural setting, colonial architecture and carnaval, while the second has been consistently voted the best beach in Brazil. Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Itamaracá Island and Igarassu are known for their beautiful beaches and important historical monuments.

History

A collection of fishing shacks, inns and warehouses started on the delta between the Capibaribe and Beberibe rivers in the captaincy of Pernambuco, sometime between 1535 and 1537, at the long reef (actually a petrified sandbank) that runs parallel to the shoreline, enclosing its harbor. Here is found the city's. Eventually it became a port for the capital Olinda, which is just across the Beberibe. In 1630 came the Dutch invaders, establishing the colony of New Holland. They laid siege to Olinda, pillaging it in 1631, and built a new city on the island of Antônio Vaz opposite the first settlement, naming it Mauritsstadt, after count Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen, governor from 1637 to 1644. His Vrijburg palace was built at the spot where Republic Square is today. Mauritsstadt's map shows two large forts, built of earth and wood, on either side of the walled city; the four-pointed northern one, Fort Ernest, was demolished to make way for the present Princesses' Field Palace. The five-pointed southern one, Fort Frederik Hendrik, has survived, rebuilt in stone, officially renamed Five-Pointed Fort, and has long been home to the Recife City Museum.

Nassau was a tolerant man, and allowed freedom of religion, but the Dutch West India Company bosses were hardline Calvinists, severe in architecture and taxation. This frustrated Nassau, who went home and left the company to impose its own rule, which drove the natives to rebellion. After the Dutch West India Company's larger, better equipped army's defeat (albeit a narrow one) to a Portuguese and Native force in the 1649 Guararapes battle at Recife's outskirts, opinion in Amsterdam considered that "Dutch Brazil by now no longer has a future worth fighting for". The last invaders were expelled in 1654, and a sizable resident Sephardic Jew community moved to New Amsterdam.

Recife became the capital of Pernambuco in 1827.

Climate
The climate is tropical, with two main seasons: dry (September–March) and rainy (April–August). Average annual temperature is 26°C (78.8°F), with limited variation.

Tourist information centers

 * Recife Tourism information portal

From the airport

 * MetroRec Subway has an Aeroporto stop on its southern line which will take you directly downtown.
 * Bus 033 (Aeroporto) goes every 20 minutes to Boa Viagem (15 min) and to the city center (Av. Dantas Barreto, 30 min). You can also take the Aeroporto opcional which is a little bit faster. Stop in front of the airport building.
 * Bus 161 (Brigadeiro Ivo Borges) and Bus 163 (Cajueiro Seco) also go to the city center. Stop on the other side of the street opposite the airport building.
 * Taxis are also available.

You may also want to consider flying to the airports of Maceió, Natal or João Pessoa. From there you can take an intercity bus or shared ride with Blablacar to Recife.

By car

 * BR-101, also known as the Translitoranean, connects to the north with Natal and João Pessoa, and to the south with Maceió, Aracaju, and Salvador, as well as Vitória and Rio de Janeiro further down the coast.
 * BR-232 runs east-west across most of Pernambuco, connecting Recife with Gravatá, Caruaru and other destinations.
 * BR-408 connects Recife with Tracunhaém and with Campina Grande, Paraíba.

By intercity bus

Direct buses from all Northeast and many other capital cities:

 * From Fortaleza by Guanabara, R$90-120 (April 2021), 12 hours.
 * From Natal by Progresso, R$80 (April 2021), 4½ hours.
 * Hourly from João Pessoa
 * From Maceió from R$80 (April 2021)

By shared rides
Especially from Maceió and Natal you can get a better price from the frequent shared rides. Have a look on Blablacar.

By boat
You can arrive in cruise ships at the Port of Recife. Cruises may come from other Brazilian states, from other countries in South America and the Caribbean, or from Europe. Transatlantic cruise liners include Holland America Line ms Rotterdam, Holland America Line ms Prisendam, Oceania Cruises Insignia, SeaDream Yacht Club, Royal Caribbean International Splendour of the Sea, P&O Cruises Artemis, Cunard Line Queen Elizabeth II, among others. Cruises from Recife to the Fernando de Noronha archipelago are also available.

By e-hailing
Uber and 99Pop operate in Recife.

By taxi
Look for registered taxi companies which charge standard rates. Ask for a car with air conditioning (especially in the summer).

By bus
Buses are the most useful form of mass transportation. The Sistema Estrutural Integrado (Integrated Structural System), known as SEI, has 119 bus lines which are integrated with the subway system at 13 points throughout the metropolitan area.

By subway
MetroRec, Recife's subway system, is the third largest in Brazil, although it covers only limited areas of the city. 13 of the 28 stations have connections to the SEI metro bus system and, depending on your destination, it may be possible to purchase a single combination subway/bus ticket. MetroRec has three basic lines:
 * Two Central lines run together from downtown to the west, where they split after Coqueiral station and go to Jaboatão dos Guararapes and Camaragibe respectively. It does provide a useful link between the city center and the TIP Bus Station in the outskirts, at the penultimate stop on the Camaragibe (Centro 1) line.
 * The South line provides direct access to the airport and Shopping Center Recife on its way to Cajueiro Seco.

Beaches
Recife is known for its amazing beaches.

Museums (historic interest)

Other historic buildings

Do

 * Maracatu Rehearsals (ensaios de maracatu). Some of the most traditional maracatu (Pernambuco-style carnaval dances and parades) groups include:  Leão Coroado (since 1863), Estrela Brilhante do Recife (since 1909), Porto  Rico (since 1916), Cambinda Estrela do Recife (since 1935), and Elefante, among others.
 * Volleyball and footvolley at Boa Viagem beach. The latter was first developed into a sport in the sands of Recife, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s.
 * Volleyball and footvolley at Boa Viagem beach. The latter was first developed into a sport in the sands of Recife, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s.
 * Volleyball and footvolley at Boa Viagem beach. The latter was first developed into a sport in the sands of Recife, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s.
 * Volleyball and footvolley at Boa Viagem beach. The latter was first developed into a sport in the sands of Recife, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s.

Theaters
Recife is the third largest theater production center in Brazil, after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The most traditional theater is Teatro Santa Isabel, while the most modern is the one at Convention Center of the Federal University of Pernambuco. <!-- Commenting out because: 1. There's no description for any of the theaters. 2. I remember it was discussed somewhere a few years ago that there's no point in listing theaters and the like if they don't have shows in English (per the talk section in Brazil's article this doesn't seem very likely), because most of this guides' readers wouldn't be able to understand them. The same goes for the movie theaters/cinemas; according to that same Talk section in the Brazil article, everything everywhere would be dubbed into Portuguese. 3. And the address was placed in the content parameter for many of these, so there's a chance they've simply been copied from somewhere.

Smaller theaters:

Cinema

-->

Football
Football (soccer) teams from Recife participate in the A-Series (First Division) Brazilian Championship, the Brazil Cup, Pernambucan Championship, and the Copa Libertadores da América.

The three most traditional teams are Clube Nautico Capibaribe (home: ); Sport Clube do Recife (home: ); and Santa Cruz Futebol Clube (home: ). Nautico and Sport are in the A-Series Brazilian Championship. Santa Cruz is in the C-Series.

Recife is home to internationally famous football players including Juninho Pernambucano, Rivaldo, Ricardo Rocha and Vavá.

Roller hockey
The city of Recife is home to some of Brazil's top roller hockey teams: Clube Portugues do Recife, Clube Nautico Capibaribe, Sport Clube do Recife and Associacão Amigos do Minho do Recife. Both Clube Portugues and Sport have been national champions.

Events

 * Recife's Carnaval is one of the country's busiest. Very different from its carioca counterpart, in Recife street shows and parades play contagious rhythms like frevo and maracatu, attracting more than 1.6 million people to celebrate and dance on the streets every year. Apart from frevo and maracatu, two other cultural manifestations that are typical of Pernambucan Carnaval include bumba-meu-boi and caboclinho. Recife's Carnaval is known for being multicultural, as people from different cultures, ages and likes gather around to be part of one of the biggest carnavals of the world.

Local specialties
Pernambuco has a multicultural gastronomy with African and indigenous influences, among others. The national dish Feijoada (a stew of beans, pork and beef, served with rice and Farofa) is not very popular in Recife. On the other hand some ingredients which are widely used in Recife are hardly found in the South of Brazil, as manioc flour (which is the main ingredient of tapioca), cuscuz (corn flour), pumpkin, jerked beef, goat or lamb. Seafood is exotic and delicious. The regional food has some peculiarities like Carne de Sol and buchada, a dish prepared with the stomach of billy goat.
 * Recife is the birthplace of two traditional and delicious cakes Bolo de Rolo and Bolo Sousa Leão.
 * Do try the snacks on offer from beach vendors---little chicken and beef kebabs, oysters, prawns, and grilled cheese. Just be aware that some of the vendors may have been carrying them around for hours--if it doesn't look fresh, it probably isn't.
 * A must try is Caldinho: a soup served all over the place (restaurants, dedicated carts and people with flasks selling it on the beach). Comes in a variety of flavors from black bean to shrimp. The person selling it will say "completa" when you order it. This simply means "complete", and if you say yes at this point you get a few added extras, such as a small boiled egg put into the cup of hot soup.

Restaurants
Recife is the gastronomic capital of the Northeast. There are more high-quality restaurants here than in any other city in Brazil north of Rio de Janeiro.

Budget

Mid-range

Beach food
Fancy sitting around all day on the beach under a beach umbrella? Well, you can! The chairs and the guy that moves the umbrella are free. All they ask in return is that you buy your food and drink from them.

They all carry a menu and the food arrives quickly and freshly made on the beach. Try the seafood. The fish is usually caught locally and earlier that same day.

Apart from your own vendor, there will be a variety of vendors walking up and down the beach, selling a variety of things. Learning the language for these items is useful but unnecessary as the vendor will take the time to show you what he/she has on offer.
 * Prawns (camarão) - Be careful of the prawns-- smell them before purchase. A free sample is available with the word provar. They might have been walked up and down the beach for hours in the hot sun. A quick sniff is enough to tell you if they are fresh or not. If you decide to eat them, here is a quick tip: hold the tail of the prawn, tear off and discard the head and leg sections, hold the very tip of the tail, pop the rest in your mouth and bite off the tip leaving it in your fingers. Yes, you can eat the shell; peel it if you wish, but you will not see the locals doing this.
 * Oysters (Ostra) - Vendors will be carrying a bucket full of ice and live oysters. They are prepared for you one at a time. Served with a squeeze of lime, salt and cumin powder.
 * Crab - They do not come prepared, so unless you know which bits to eat and which bits to discard, steer clear!
 * Grilled cheese (Queijo de Coalho) - No warnings here--just go ahead and enjoy. It's a real treat.
 * Kebabs (Espetinhos) - Grilled chicken or beef. Cooked fresh right in front of you.
 * Ice-cream - The prices are a lot more expensive than just off the beach. But you don't have to get out of your chair. In that heat, you will appreciate that.
 * Caldinho - you will notice guys walking up and down the beach with flasks. These are full of different flavors of a soup called caldinho. Try prawn one with hot pepper sauce.
 * Ovos de codorna - Small boiled quail eggs ready to peel, salt and eat.
 * Nuts - A variety of nuts is available, cashew being the most obvious, because it's grown right there in northeastern Brazil. Also, peanuts in 2 varieties: roasted or boiled.

Bars
There are many many bars in Recife, most, if not all, serving food as well as drinks. The prices are cheap.

At the less classy end of the market, there are some great bars. They don't have great signage to tell you that it's a bar. Basically, if you see some plastic garden furniture in the street, you are looking at a bar. These are usually the most fun places with the loudest people and the best vibe. Be careful of the ice in places like this as it might not be made from bottled water. It also helps to have a good constitution of you are going to eat in these bars.

 * There are huts selling food, beer, and the like about every half kilometer in the center of Boa Viagem beach.
 * Warning: It might not be safe to walk to and from all these nightspots. Ask around, and take a cab to escape muggings.

There are bars of varying quality up and down the streets of Recife. A few good picks include the following:

Sleep
Many tourists stay along the beach in Boa Viagem, 10 km (7 mi) south of the center. The area of Boa Vista just across the Ponte Velha from the train station has a number of budget and mid-range hotels.

Stay safe
Recife's reputation for safety is not one of the best. Robberies on streets and buses are fairly common. Do not be alarmed — odds are you will have a fabulous time here — but be aware of your surroundings and take the usual big city precautions.
 * While entering or leaving Olinda at dusk or dawn, you have an elevated risk of being ambushed. Taxis are recommended.
 * Beware of the unlicensed guides. Make sure you have the travel itinerary planned out and a price (including meals, fuel, etc.) agreed upon before starting out.
 * Watch out for shark warnings before entering the water at the Boa Viagem beach.
 * If you are carrying notes of R$ 50 or 100, be sure to tell the taxi driver before you get in because he might not have change. Some taxi drivers might not know how to get to where you are going, so make sure that you have the address written down. If you are a woman traveling alone, sit in the back as some drivers may try to take advantage of the situation.
 * Avoid Recife's downtown on Sundays. Streets are deserted all day long and are very unsafe. Consider taking a tour to a neighboring city or beach instead.

Cope
The Policia Federal for extending your visa or visa free stay is in the airport on the ground floor.

Consulates

 * 🇦🇷 Argentina
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇵🇹 Portugal
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Honorary consulates

 * 🇦🇹 Austria
 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
 * 🇨🇾 Cyprus
 * 🇩🇰 Denmark
 * 🇪🇨 Ecuador
 * 🇫🇮 Finland
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇬🇹 Guatemala
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇵🇦 Panama
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇸🇰 Slovakia
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland
 * 🇺🇾 Uruguay

Stay healthy
As elsewhere in Brazil, some beaches in Recife are not suitable for bathing, and conditions can change from day to day. On the day of your visit, check the map of the latest weekly bathing report (in Portuguese, informativo de balneabilidade) of the state's Environment Department (CPRH). There is also a mobile app called #deupraiaPE (in Portuguese) that provides an up-to-date map of polluted bathing sites.

Go next

 * Olinda - This cute colonial town, just across the bridge from Recife, is a World Heritage Site. You can find hostels there.
 * Porto de Galinhas is the best beach in the vicinity of Recife. On New Year's this place is like a fantasy with amazing open-air parties and tourists from all over Brazil. In Porto de Galinhas and in the nearby Maracaípe are hostels.
 * Serrambi and Tamandaré are wonderful beaches. Further awesome spots are São José da Coroa Grande, Muro Alto, Cupe, Suape, Calhetas, Gaibu and Maria Farinha.
 * Itamaracá Island for its beaches, Coroa do Aviao islet, the 17th century Dutch Fort Orange, the colonial village of Vila Velha, and the IBAMA manatee nature center.
 * Maragogi with its famous swimming pools inside the ocean. Hostels are available.
 * São Miguel dos Milagres The 'Caribbean of Brazil'. It has a hostel. See Get In
 * Igarassu, home to Brazil's oldest church and Latin America's largest collection of baroque paintings.
 * São Benedito do Sul waterfalls.
 * Caruaru and Tracunhaém for their rich handicraft. Caruaru is also famous for its open-air market, the largest in Brazil.
 * Nova Jerusalém, the world's largest theater-city, famous for its enactment of the Passion of Jesus Christ during Easter (holy week).
 * Serrita, in the Sertão region, for its annual Missa do Vaqueiro, a religious-cultural event that honors northeastern cowboys.

title: Recife


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Recreational shooting

Recreational shooting can refer to several activities including hunting, participating in shooting competitions, or using firearms as a hobby. The laws surrounding firearms vary considerably between countries and bringing one nearly always involves some bureaucracy.

Stay safe
"It was a confusion of ideas between him and one of the lions he was hunting in Kenya that had caused A. B. Spottsworth to make the obituary column. He thought the lion was dead, and the lion thought it wasn't."

- P.G. Wodehouse, Ring for Jeeves

Firearms are inherently dangerous. Using them safely, even just on the range, requires proper training and using them for hunting or self-defense has additional hazards. Among the basic precautions:
 * Never assume a weapon is not loaded. It should become a reflex to check any gun you touch, before doing anything else.
 * Control where the weapon is pointed! Outdoors, keep it aimed at the ground except when there is good reason to point it elsewhere.
 * Practice "trigger discipline". Your finger should never touch the trigger except when you are about to fire.

Singapore
With some of the strictest firearms laws in the world, and the death penalty being prescribed for unauthorised possession, firearm ownership is not very common in Singapore. That being said, it is possible to get a licence to buy and own firearms in Singapore after passing background checks if you are a registered member of a shooting club. Firearms must be stored securely at the shooting range, and cannot be brought out without a valid reason (for example, if you are travelling for a shooting tournament).

Thailand
Firearm ownership is primarily open to Thai citizen or persons holding permanent residence in Thailand. Despite this, firearm rentals and shooting training are widely available in various cities in Thailand, ranging from sport shooting to fully equipped and tactical trainings.

The law in Thailand separates a firearm into a short and long gun by barrel length. Firearms with a barrel length less than 15cm is considered a "pistol" and a "rifle" otherwise. Rifles are generally restricted to manual only.

Europe
Legislation differs from one country to the next, but many countries are much stricter than the USA, while the Czech Republic is moderately strict by US standards.

The European Union, covering many European countries, has harmonized some of the legislation around bringing firearms. There is a European Firearm License ("firearms passport") meant to ease crossing borders inside the union with a firearm. In addition to the licence you need an invitation to a hunting or sport shooting event or similar documentation showing your need of the arm, a description of your coming participation and, for some countries, advance acceptance from the country in question. For carrying the firearm for other purposes you have to apply separately for permission (for a certain occasion or repeatedly), you may also need permission to get the firearm out of your country.

Czech Republic
The country has a fairly strict licensing system—strict enough that when Norwegian domestic terrorist Anders Breivik was planning his 2011 attack, he tried to illegally obtain firearms in the Czech Republic and was unable to do so. However, individuals who obtain a license face relatively few restrictions on the number or types of firearms they may own. While permission to possess fully automatic weapons is granted on a discretionary basis and only to collectors, permission to possess semi-automatic firearms is on a "shall-issue" basis for gun license holders. Concealed carry is fairly common.

Finland
If you have a firearms licence of a Nordic country and an invitation to a hunting or sport shooting event, you need no other paperwork to transport and use the weapon as allowed for local residents and needed for participating in the event. Without a Nordic permit you need licence and documentation in accordance with the EU regulations.

A firearm under transport must be unloaded and in an envelope. It must not be transported around needlessly. When stored, it must be in a place where not easily stolen, and additionally locked in or with some piece stored separately. Carrying the weapon for hunting is also regulated in the hunting law (you may e.g. mostly not transport it in a motor vehicle in the terrain). You may not give the arm to anybody else, except someone else with the required licence or under your close supervision.

France
All firearms in France have to be licensed and must have a unique identifier.

Germany
In general, Germany is a very restrictive country when it comes to firearms; however, since the Weapons Act (Waffengesetz) was enacted on April 1, 2003, the regulations affecting hunters and recreational shooters have been significantly relaxed.

German law raised the minimum age for the purchase and possession of weapons from 16 to 18 for hunters, and 18 to 21 for marksmen.

Iceland
Hunters with a European Firearm Licence may transport a documented firearm to Iceland and hunt with a stay no longer than 3 months. Hunters from other countries need an import permit from the Icelandic police in addition to a fire arms permit and a hunting permit.

In order to get a fire arms permit and a hunting permit the hunter needs an Icelandic supporter that is over 20 years of age, the hunter may not have a criminal record and the hunter needs a medical record specially intended for hunting. These documents need to be sent to the environmental agency of Iceland and the Icelandic police. Classes for both permits are held by the environmental agency.

A firearm under transport must be unloaded and in an envelope. When stored, it must be in a locked locker.

Sweden
You are never allowed to carry any kind of shooting weapon without a special permit, and failure to observe Swedish law in this case may incur severe fines, permanent confiscation of the weapon and possible imprisonment, as the carrying of a weapon without permit is considered a criminal offence.

If you have a firearms permit from any Nordic country and an invitation to a hunting or sport shooting event, you need no other paperwork to carry the weapon as allowed for local residents.

United Kingdom
The UK has very strict gun control laws. Handguns and semi-automatic assault rifles are illegal in the UK, even for sporting purposes, and special dispensation had to be gotten for the pistol shooting events to go ahead for the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. These restrictions also mean that the pistol shooters in the national team have to live and train outside the country. Rifles and shotguns may be owned with a permit, which is granted if you have a valid reason, such as for sport shooting. Even police officers (with the exception of Northern Ireland) are forbidden from carrying firearms during their regular patrols, and must request for special armed units to be dispatched when necessary to carry out their duties.

Canada
Hunting and fishing are big business in Canada and they attract many tourists, especially from the US and Japan. Typically the companies that provide services to hunters can also help customers comply with Canadian laws. You need a hunting or fishing license and may also need a gun license.

Canadian weapons laws are considerably tighter than the US. Regulations on firearms are federal, leaving little room for variation between provinces.

 * The Canadian Firearms Centre administers the gun regulations.
 * Canada Customs have a page on import regulations.

A number of weapons are classed as prohibited. Getting a permit for these is generally impossible. Prohibited firearms include short-barrelled guns, fully-automatic weapons, rifles with collapsible stocks, and most 25 or 32 caliber pistols. Various other things are also prohibited — including mags with over 5 rounds for a long gun or 10 for a pistol, silencers, replicas such as Airsoft guns, switchblade knives, teargas or pepper spray (unless sold as dog or bear repellent). In the wake of the mass shooting in Nova Scotia on 18th and 19th April 2020, firearms regulations have been tightened, with military-style assault rifles now being prohibited.

There are also restricted weapons — any pistol that is not prohibited and various others. Permits for these may be possible, but there is considerable bureaucracy to be dealt with.

The only weapon that would be relatively easy to import, or to rent, is one that is neither restricted nor prohibited, such as the typical hunter's rifle or shotgun. Even for that, there would be paperwork. There is no equivalent to the US second amendment in Canadian law; four-figure fines for any undeclared firearm at Canadian customs are not uncommon and jail terms are possible.

Most Canadian national parks ban firearms entirely, with a rare few exceptions in Northern Canada for licensed guides in specific parks in polar bear country and native first nations on native land. As the polar bear is protected, use of lethal force in self defence is very rare – park officials monitor bear activity to help visitors avoid bear encounters and guides attempt other things — a warning shot, flares, air horns, perhaps bear spray/pepper spray — before escalating to gunfire.

Mexico
Mexico has strict gun laws. Bringing guns into Mexico is illegal in most circumstances. Permits can be issued, in advance, for foreigners to bring certain types of guns into the country for what the law considers legitimate use, such as hunting (usually on an organized hunting trip) or participating in sport shooting. Be sure to carefully research the current legal requirements for permitting and documentation, and for transport and storage of the gun while in Mexico. Even if you obtain the necessary permit for a firearm, there are strict laws regarding ammunition.

Guns for personal protection are not allowed to be carried or kept on private boats without a Mexican permit. Mexican authorities do search boats that dock in Mexican harbors or enter Mexican territorial waters, and if they find guns, the boat owner can find themselves in serious trouble.

Concealed carry permits issued in the U.S. are not valid in Mexico: if you try to cross the border with a concealed firearm, even inadvertently, you will almost certainly end up in a Mexican jail.

United States of America
The United States has a strong gun culture, and the right for US citizens to own and bear firearms is enshrined in the constitution. However, the regulations are much more restrictive with regard to foreigners.

Shooting sports such as hunting and competitive shooting are widely practiced. Rifle ranges often offer shooter safety and other classes for beginners.

US citizens and legal permanent residents (green card holders) can legally purchase or own firearms without any special permit. Foreigners who are illegally or unlawfully in the United States are specifically prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition, as are any individuals who have renounced US citizenship even if they are legally in the country.

Foreign tourists who enter visa free on the Visa Waiver Program may possess firearms. Other tourists who obtained a tourist or other non-immigrant visas who wish to import guns for hunting or competitive shooting must file Form 6 NIA with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as have a valid hunting license. Approval generally takes 6-8 weeks, so plan ahead. Any guns purchased by foreign hunters while in the US are likely to be subjected to export restrictions. Another option is to borrow or rent guns from the shooting range of your choice to shoot on premises – call ahead to see if this is an option.

Individual US states have a significant say over most of the regulations of firearms within their state. Travelers will want to check with individual states to make sure other restrictions will not apply to them.

Australia
While it is not illegal outright to own a firearm in Australia, you generally need a reason to be granted a licence to buy one. In general, licences are only granted if you are a farmer who lives in a rural area, or if you are a member of a legitimate sport shooting club. Carrying a firearm down the street in an urban area is rare, and might draw some unwanted attention to you. The carrying of semi-automatic assault rifles and other military-grade weapons by private citizens is illegal in Australia.

New Zealand
Although gun ownership is not outright illegal in New Zealand, gun laws were tightened considerably in the wake of terrorist attacks on two mosques in Christchurch in 2019. It is illegal to possess semi-automatic weapons and military-grade assault rifles in New Zealand, and ownership of any other type of firearm requires a firearms licence.

title: Recreational shooting


text:
Pulau Redang

Pulau Redang (or Redang Island) is an island in Kuala Nerus District, Terengganu, Malaysia. It lies about 45 km off the coast of mainland Terengganu.

Understand
Redang Marine Park (Taman Laut Pulau Redang) covers all 9 islands in the Redang Archipelago.

Redang Island is famous for its crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches, and the tropical fish that inhabit the numerous reefs, many within 15 m of the shore.

In contrast to the neighboring Perhentian Islands backpacker hangout, Redang has a more upmarket image, as almost all accommodation on the island is resort-based. The largest beach is Pasir Panjang on the east side, featuring half a dozen resorts. However, on the south end this beach usually has more choppy water and the beaches will have more debris than the beaches around the bend to the north. The snorkeling is also found to the north of Pasir Panjang. Scheduling your vacation around the summer school break will mean drastically fewer people at the resorts and it would not be uncommon on the beaches on the north end of the beach for you to be one of only a handful of people if not the only person on the beach.

Climate
Redang has a tropical climate with temperatures steadily around 30°C and frequent but brief thunderstorms. Like the rest of Malaysia's East Coast, Redang is affected by the northeast monsoon in winter, so most resorts are closed and ferry transport schedules are severely restricted between November and February.

People
The people here are mainly Malays who grow crops and raise cows, goats and chickens.

Get in
No matter which way you choose to arrive, a marine park fee (RM5) is levied on all visitors to the island. Transfers can be arranged directly with resorts.

By plane

As of 2023, SKS Airways flies small turboprops from Kuala Lumpur-Subang a few times a week, with promotional fares as low as RM100 (but usually much more).

A cheaper if somewhat less convenient option is to fly to Kuala Terengganu, a one-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur, and continue from here by boat. There are half a dozen flights daily on MAS and Air Asia, with a full one-way fare costing around RM170, but advance fares can go as low as RM80.

By boat
The traditional way to get to Redang is by boat. The main jetty is at Merang, 30 km north from Kuala Terengganu. From Merang, the trip to Pasir Panjang takes about 40 minutes on comfortable, large speedboats and ferry boats with prices are more or less standardized at RM40/80 one-way/return.

In season (March-October), there are also ferries directly from the Shahbandar Jetty in central Kuala Terengganu to the Berjaya Jetty on the south side of the island, with approximately 1 hour 15 minutes journey.These are operated by and intended primarily for guests of the Berjaya resorts, but they'll take non-guests on board if there's space available. Ferry Fare (two-way) is chargeable at RM100 per adult and RM50 per child aged 2-12 years. Resorts can schedule onward travel and can accommodate early departures from the resort area.

There are no scheduled ferries between Redang and the Perhentian Islands, however day-trip and dive boats are constantly travelling between the two, particularly during high season, so a relatively economical transfer can usually be arranged if you have the time, inclination, patience and flexibility to ask around and wait for a boat that's departing with seats still available. Where a day-trip is not available, it should be possible to arrange a trip from with a local boat owner on the Perhentian Islands. A boat will typically cost around RM400 for up to 6 people, with the journey taking approximately 60 minutes.

Get around
In a word, you don't get around Redang much. Roads on the center of the island connect together the airport, Berjaya's jetty and two Berjaya resorts as well as the southern fishing port, but provide no connectivity elsewhere, and there is no public transportation along them either. While the main strip of Pasir Panjang is easily covered on foot, travelling from one beach to another will require either chartering a boat (there are no organised water taxi services) or clambering across the 1½-hour jungle trails (actual crossing time is 30-40 min) leading from Pasir Panjang north to the Berjaya Beach Resort and south to Redang Kelong Resort.

See
Redang is very low on sights and most visitors spend their time lazing on the beach or exploring the corals. There's some fairly active wildlife, though, including inquisitive monkeys (don't feed them), energetic squirrels and large monitor lizards.

Do
Snorkeling is the number one activity on Redang and rightly so as the coral reefs are quite spectacular. Many resort packages include snorkeling tours by boat to nearby islands, but there are some decent reefs right off Pasir Panjang. The best of the lot is at the southern end next to the aptly named Redang Reef Resorts, and the small hill/island in the middle of Pasir Panjang is a nesting ground for baby sharks. It is very important to be conscious while snorkeling if you are using fins as it can take many years for the coral to re-grow. The snorkeling is quite protected making the water quite calm and fins are not necessary.

Running a close second in the popularity contest is scuba diving. The waters around the island are usually crystal clear - although visibility can drop dramatically after a storm - and home to a host of sea creatures including turtles and reeftip sharks. While Redang caters to divers of all levels and is a popular place to complete a diving course, some of the sites further out can have fairly strong currents. More or less every resort on the island has its own dive shop, but it may be worth looking beyond the house shop as quality varies considerably.

 * Coral Redang Divers, Pasir Panjang (at Coral Redang Island Resort). Professionally run PADI outfit with custom-built dive boats. Single dives from RM90 and an extra RM45 for gear hire.
 * Redang Bay Divers, Pasir Panjang (at Redang Bay Resort). Dive station here is not as sophisticated as that in Coral, but the friendly and helpful staff make up for it. Only MAUI instructors on the island. Single dives from RM90 and an extra RM60 for gear hire.

Other available sports options include beach volleyball and sea kayaks, but jet skis and water skis are mercifully absent (banned to protect the coral). Fishing within the marine park is not permitted, but fishing boats can be hired for excursions beyond the 3.2-km (2-mile) park limits.

Underwater cameras also available for rental at RM30 per day with pictures burnt to CD at the end of the day. Walk in to Redang Pelangi to enquire for more.

Buy
Shopping opportunities on Redang are largely limited to touristy gewgaws in the resorts' little convenience stores. One of the larger operations, open until 23:00, can be found at the Redang Bay Resort with one store for food and drinks and another for clothes and souvenirs. Similarly, in Redang Pelangi Resort, the convenience store opens until midnight, offering a variety of snacks, can drinks, and toileteries; and the sourvenier shop which offers a wide range of unique sourveniers. The smaller souvenir shops that are not attached to the convenience shops are frequently closed during off-peak seasons.

Eat
Every resort has its own restaurant, serving up burgers, pizza and bland local food at outrageous prices (at least by Malaysian standards); a few better options can be found lurking in the gaps.

 * Redang Laguna Food Court, Pasir Panjang (at Redang Laguna Resort). Don't be put off by the name, this is a simple full-service restaurant offering the some of the most authentic local food on the island. The menu covers the usual Chinese and Malay favorites, but throws in spicy Thai-style salads (called here kerabu, RM10) as well as Terengganu's state dish, the fish sausage keropok lekor (RM2). Still, the best deal here is the curried fish heads, a huge bowl of which costs just RM8 and feeds three (reservation 24 hr in advance required). Open for dinner only.
 * Sandfly Cafe, Pasir Panjang (next to Redang Bay Resort). Serves up basic local fare at half the price of the hotel restaurants as well as a limited Western menu, and the second-floor seating is pleasantly breezy.  Try the beehoon ikan masin (fried rice vermicelli with fish, RM5) and the ais kacang (shaved ice with syrup and goodies, RM3.5). Open all day.

Drink
The tap water is salty and not drinkable. Bottled water is widely available at around RM3 for a 1.5L bottle.

Unusually for Terengganu, alcohol is widely available both in convenience stores and the resort restaurants (probably because most resorts are run by Chinese businessmen), although it's not exactly cheap. A can of beer purchased at a store starts at RM7.8 and a flask of cheap Malaysian vodka at RM15, but the restaurants will happily gouge you over RM100 for a bottle of wine. Self-catering aside, nightlife on Redang is limited to resort bars offering blinking lights and Chinese tour groups belting out karaoke.

Sleep
Redang does not have any backpacker accommodation. Most resort charge about RM200/night, always quoted for two people staying together, but steep discounts are available if you book a package or visit in the off or shoulder seasons.

Mid-range

 * Redang Pelangi Chalet (formerly Ayu Mayang Resort), Pasir Panjang. A basic operation offering simple but functional chalets with air-con & hot water. Friendly staff with basic service. Ideal for snorkeling and diving packages. Contact: +609 6242 158 or reservation@redangpelangi.com

Stay safe
There are no unusual health risks on Redang. Wear sunscreen and heed the warning flags on the beach, although they're more or less permanently set on green. Asian women travelling solo or in pairs may at times find themselves getting unwanted attention from local men working at resorts but it is relatively harmless and probably has its roots in cultural perceptions of gender roles.

Respect
Wearing bikinis and skimpy beachwear is acceptable and going topless is not. However, due to the culture it is preferable to dress a bit more conservatively.

title: Pulau Redang


text:
Red Bank

Red Bank is a hip city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, in the United States of America. It is the Garden State's answer to Greenwich Village. Red Bank is famous for being the home of legendary big band leader Count Basie and the stomping grounds of celebrities Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and raunchy filmmaker Kevin Smith. Several of Kevin Smith's movies are set or filmed in Red Bank, most notably Chasing Amy and the TV series Comic Book Men. In 2012, Smithsonian Magazine listed Red Bank as the 3rd best small town in America, citing its numerous theaters, galleries, and art festivals. It is home to about 13,000 people (2022).

Get in

 * By bus (New Jersey Transit)
 * Train (Red Bank Station on the New Jersey Transit Coast Line)
 * Taxi/Limo service (Red Bank Yellow Car Co. +1 732 747-0747, Rumson Yellow Cab +1 732 671-4600, Arrow Limousine Nationwide +1-800-882-776, Red Bank -  Middletown Yellow Cab Red Bank area +1 732-671-4600
 * Airports: Newark International Airport, Newark, NJ; La Guardia New York, New York; J.F. Kennedy Airport, Queens, NY

Get around
Walking is also an option. The downtown section of Red Bank is perfect for walking.

There is a large municipal parking lot located in the block bounded by Monmouth Street, Broad Street, White Street and Maple Avenue, as well as at the Red Bank Train Station.

There are seven municipal lots in downtown Red Bank providing 4-hour metered parking Monday to Friday from 9AM to 6PM, and free parking is available on Sundays.

Central Parking System provide paid parking in their 330-space parking garage of the Red Bank Corporate Plaza, 2 blocks from the Count Basie Theatre at the intersection of West Front Street and Pearl Street (Route 35).

You may enter the garage after 5PM and exit before 1AM on Fridays and Saturdays, and midnight Sunday through Thursday. Garage parking is not available for matinee performances at this time.

There is permit parking spaces on Monday-Friday from 9AM-2PM on Gold St, Great Swamp, Mechanic St, Union St, Wallace St, White St. After 2PM these spaces become metered parking and after 6PM on weekdays and Sundays they are free parking.

See

Also, if you're looking for a great park Count Basie Field is a large recreational park consisting of two basketball courts, a football field with running/walking track, baseball and soccer field, a playground, and a small pond with a picnic area. Also, Count Basie is home to the Bobcats pop warner football team and to other intramural sport teams. A lot of locals come to this part so visiting Count Basie is a great way to get a feel for the local population.

Also if you are looking to see a great attraction, check out Red Bank Catholic High School. This school is very old but still remains perfectly maintained to this day and holds a lot of tradition. It is now a private Catholic school.

Eat
Red Bank has a lot of choice in restaurants.

Coffee

 * There is a Starbucks on the corner of Broad Street and White Street. On the opposite side of Broad Street almost across the street is
 * No Ordinary Joe's cafe. Its menu is smaller than Starbucks, but is an independent place. This is a good place for those sick of the taste of or disillusioned with Starbucks. Also serving good java is Zebu, on Broad Street. There is a Dunkin Donuts on Water Street by the river.

Bars and nightlife
The Globe, 20 E. Front St, at the corner of Globe St. and West Front St., is an old, very popular bar. Drink prices are average.

The Fix, 26 W. Front St, was known as Chubby's up until 2009. It's more greasy than swanky, but still a cool place to go. A great place to meet young people.

Ashes, 33 Broad St., a cigar bar/restaurant on the lower level and a dance club on top. Look for the lower level to be populated with successful, middle-aged men while the upper level may have more young people. Not a place to go if you don't want to spend a lot of money.

The Downtown, at 8 W Front St., is a popular spot. It is swanky by nature of its nonchalant brick walls and black painting, and is small and noisy. If you enjoy a happening scene, go here. Drinks can be expensive.

The Dublin House, on 30 Monmouth St., is a popular place, especially in the summer. It has a large outdoor table area, which usually fills up quick on most summer weekends. Drinks here a reasonable, and expect the place to be crowded and full of good looking locals.

Sleep
Red Bank banned hospitality exchanges in 2023.

 * The Blue Bay Inn is a boutique hotel in Atlantic Highlands (a 10-minute drive). It is very upscale and is also close to the Sandy Hook beaches.

Stay safe
Red Bank is generally considered a safe town. Known for having an active police force accessible by dialing 911. Certain residential areas may seem unsafe, and locals will warn you of parts to avoid but most attractions are in the downtown area, well light and clean, there is no need to go to residential neighborhoods unless visiting people there. Even if you do wonder into questionable residential areas, nothing bad is likely to happen to you. Use caution as you would in any major city: stay in groups, stay in well lit areas, do not flash expensive accessories or cash, and ask for help from local business owners if you get lost or feel unsafe, they are mostly friendly and willing to help.

Downtown area has Riverview Hospital, a major medical center that serves much of northern Monmouth County. The Red Bank Police Station is across from the Count Basie Theatre.

Go next
Red Bank is in central New Jersey, although it does not border the ocean, it is considered a popular point on the Jersey Shore and has several public beaches within a few minute's drive. Closest and most popular beaches are
 * Sandy Hook: a barrier split part of Gateway National Recreational Area, great for views of New York City
 * Seven Presidents Park: A park in nearby Long Branch named for being a popular resort spot for many US presidents in the late 19th century
 * Sea Bright: a nearby town with numerous public beaches and private beach clubs.

Red Bank has its own historical sights on a local level, but nearby are more significant national historic sights.

title: Red Bank


text:
Red Bluff

 * For the park in Australia, see Red Bluff (Western Australia)

Red Bluff is in Tehama County in California.

By car

 * I-5.svg Interstate 5 bisects Red Bluff offering access from Redding to the north and Sacramento to the south. Red Bluff is accessed from Exits #647-653.
 * California 36.svg goes north/south through town as Main St. It goes east to Susanville and  west to Fortuna
 * California 99.svg The Golden State Freeway goes down towards north of Sacramento through Chico and Yuba City.

Stay safe
Call 911 for all emergencies

 * Fire and emergency medical services are provided by the
 * Law enforcement is provided by the
 * Law enforcement is provided by the

title: Red Bluff


text:
Red Bluff (Western Australia)

Quobba and Gnarlaroo are farming ranges on the coast of Gascoyne Region in Western Australia. The coast has a series of attractive natural features and camping areas, with Red Bluff roughly midway between the two homesteads. There's great surfing, snorkelling and fishing but very few visitor amenities - you need to be self-sufficient.

The coast at Gnarlaroo is part of Ningaloo Marine Park; the rest is not within a designated park but is protected by government and by the landowners.

Get in
There's no public transport and the distances are too long and hot for cycling. You need your own vehicle: 2WD drive suffices for much of the area, and caravans and camper vans can get in (and more importantly, subsequently get out again) but 4WD is better.

From Hwy 1 ten km north of Carnarvon, branch west on Blowholes Road, which is a good tarmac road. (From town, Bibbawarra Road looks like a shortcut but is a rough dirt track.) You meet Gnarlaroo Road on the coast at Point Quobba, 83 km from Carnarvon. Gnarlaroo Road is unsealed but is regularly graded, so it's reasonably smooth going. The problem is the side roads to access the northern beaches and campsites: these are rough dirt tracks with gradients, so you're safer with 4WD.

is sometimes used by private airtours.

Get around
As above, you need a vehicle and preferably 4WD.

See

 * would be the main settlement here, if there was a settlement here. The lighthouse by the T-junction is an 18 m tower built in 1950 and still active, no tours. The blowholes just south are where the Pacific swell forces water jets up through the cliffs. They're at their best, spouting as high as the lighthouse, when the tide is rising - at the top of the tide their entry vents are submerged.
 * Aquarium is a snorkelling area 1 km south of the junction near the campsite, and sheltered by a chain of islets. Lots of tropical fish and coral, but at low tide it's too shallow to snorkel.
 * is a saline lagoon 100 km long and 20 km broad. It lies just below sea-level and is mostly dry - the Blowholes Road crosses its southern tip. Its northern reaches are hypersaline, with commercial extraction of salt and gypsum. Once every few years, the Lyndon and Miniliya river catchments get rainfall and the lake floods again. So it's a complex salt-wetland eco-system with rare bird life. Multiple access points, seek local advice on the likeliest bird sightings.
 * commemorates this wartime battle loss. HMAS Sydney was a Leander-class light cruiser launched in 1934. She was in action in the East Med in 1940 then returned to Australia for escort and patrol duties. On 19 Nov 1941 she was heading home to Freemantle and saw a merchant vessel, which turned and bolted. This was supposedly the Dutch Straat Malakka but it couldn't give the friendly code, and turned out to be the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran. The ensuing gun battle sank both ships: all 645 on Sydney were lost, while 318 of the 399 Kormoran crew came ashore by lifeboat near Quobba. Later there was disbelief that the small German vessel had sunk the better-armed Australian, and all sorts of dingbat theories were invented to salve national pride. But that was indeed what happened - Sydney gave the other vessel the benefit of the doubt for too long, and came in too close. In 2008 both wrecks were located in deep water 300 km west of Carnarvon.
 * Quobba homestead is 1 km north of the cairn.
 * is a small cove with beach access. Its jetty is used for shipping out salt and gypsum - this is off limits to the public. Just east is the scattered wreck of MV Korean Star, which in May 1988 was anchored awaiting a cargo but was driven ashore and broken up by storms. It's just 56 m offshore and can be done as a shore dive: follow the track helpfully called "Korean Star Road".
 * has a camping area and a beach with surf, for skilled surfers only. Although it's called a "bluff" it's not cliffs, but a steep descent to the beach.
 * , usually just called "Turtles", is reached by the same turn-off, with the fork for Red Bluff turning back south to hug the shore. Turtles likewise has surfing for the experienced and a camping area.
 * is the last accessible wilderness spot going north. After another 5 km the public road ends at the gate of Gnarlaroo Homestead.
 * Wild life close inshore includes dolphins, turtles, and reef sharks. June to Sept the humpback whales are migrating south. On land are wallaroo (a distinct species, they're not a wallaby-kangaroo hybrid), echidnas, bungarras (giant monitors or sand goannas) and the occasional droll goat.
 * Night skies are impressive, as there's no light pollution.

Do

 * Snorkelling lets you enjoy most of the underwater scenery. It's hardly worth lugging dive kit all this way.
 * Surfing at Red Bluff and Gnarlaroo is renowned, but not for beginners.
 * Doing sweet nothing is a more rewarding pastime here than just about anywhere else in the world.

Eat
Bring everything you need for your stay, including water. Quobba Station shop has a few bits and bobs but isn't a grocery store.

Drink
A good WA beer or wine at sunset is mandatory, but BYO.

Sleep
Quobba Station manage the campsites at Point Quobba, the station itself and Red Bluff. They also have chalets, cabins and tents, or pitch your own. There's no booking for camping but May-Sept ring ahead on to confirm availability.

Gnarlaroo Station manage Three Mile Camp, Turtles and their own station.

Stay safe
Remember camping, surfing and fishing etiquette, and everyone stays happy.

Dogs are welcome in most outdoor areas but must be kept on the lead. Let loose, they'll harry livestock or gobble up the rat poison.

Given the distances between places it's a good idea to let someone know if you're heading off for the day or longer.

Connect
As of 2022, there is no mobile signal once you turn off Highway 1.

Go next
There's no road north to Exmouth so you have to return to the junction with Hwy 1 near Carnarvon.

title: Red Bluff (Western Australia)


text:
Red Carpet Country

Red Carpet Country is a region in northwestern Oklahoma and includes the panhandle.

Understand
This is essentially land that became the Cherokee Strip after being relinquished by the Cherokee, and the Oklahoma panhandle (historically known as the Cimarron Territory or even more colorful, "No Man's Land") further to the west. It was more or less a free for all by homesteaders, known as Sooners and Boomers, when it opened up to land grabs by the 1890s, just prior to Oklahoma statehood in 1907. Cattle drives along such historic paths as the Chisholm Trail then gave way to fenced homesteads and oil booms. In the 1930s, these parts came to be known as the Dust Bowl because of severe drought that compounded the problems of the Great Depression, as depicted in The Grapes Of Wrath.

By car
Take the Oklahoma Highway 81 from Oklahoma City

By car
There are some major Oklahoma routes that traverse RCC like OK51.

See
Contrary to what it might seem like when Oklahoma comes to mind, Red Carpet Country is actually quite replete with historical and natural attractions. In particular, the topography and geography has a rather surprising amount of variation, so you can visit a prehistoric salt plain near Enid, sand dunes and caverns further west, artesian springs in Woodward, and the anticline of the Rocky Mountains at Black Mesa State Park in the very tip of the panhandle. This along with Chisholm Trail monuments and remnants of Army outposts meant to safeguard westward expansion against Native American reprisals make for an intriguing study of the American West.

 * Fort Supply Historic Site, near Woodward, is where the US Army had its base camp in the area during its expeditions against the tribes of the Cherokee Outlet
 * Fort Supply Historic Site, near Woodward, is where the US Army had its base camp in the area during its expeditions against the tribes of the Cherokee Outlet
 * Fort Supply Historic Site, near Woodward, is where the US Army had its base camp in the area during its expeditions against the tribes of the Cherokee Outlet
 * Fort Supply Historic Site, near Woodward, is where the US Army had its base camp in the area during its expeditions against the tribes of the Cherokee Outlet
 * Fort Supply Historic Site, near Woodward, is where the US Army had its base camp in the area during its expeditions against the tribes of the Cherokee Outlet
 * Fort Supply Historic Site, near Woodward, is where the US Army had its base camp in the area during its expeditions against the tribes of the Cherokee Outlet
 * Fort Supply Historic Site, near Woodward, is where the US Army had its base camp in the area during its expeditions against the tribes of the Cherokee Outlet

Do

 * Black Mesa, the highest point in the state of Oklahoma at just short of 5000', is in Black Mesa State Park, and is accessible by an easy, scenic trail.
 * The Cimarron Bypass of the Santa Fe Trail passes through this region. Trail ruts and artifacts are visible in a few places (e.g. near Boise City).
 * Rent a dune buggy or explore the natural sand dunes at Little Sahara State Park or Beaver Dunes State Park.
 * Tour the World's only Gypsum Cave that is open to the public at Alabaster Caverns State Park. See Osage native bison hunting grounds and more of a prehistoric ocean scene apart from Salt Plains State Park by visiting the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

title: Red Carpet Country


text:
Red Centre

The Red Centre is the colloquial name given to the southern desert region of the Northern Territory in Australia.

Towns

 * — heart of Australia and hub of the region.
 * — the town that provides accommodation and services to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Other destinations

 * — a spectacular solitary column towering 40 metres above the Simpson Desert plain.
 * — following Ross Highway to the east, you will find awesome gorges, gaps and rock formations.
 * — gain insight into an ancient culture as you explore the small, 6-hectare Ewaninga Rock Carvings.
 * Finke Gorge National Park — this ancient landscape includes desert oasis Palm Valley, home to a diverse range of plant species, many of which are rare and unique to the area.
 * — a scenic natural reserve consisting of various formations of sandstones and rocks.
 * — home to Australia's most recognisable natural icon.
 * — home to Kings Canyon, a mighty chasm reaching a depth of 270 metres with some great options for the less energetic to explore.
 * — following Larapinta Drive westwards, it offers easily accessible swimming holes, chasms and gorges, bush walking, camping and four-wheel-driving.
 * — following Larapinta Drive westwards, it offers easily accessible swimming holes, chasms and gorges, bush walking, camping and four-wheel-driving.

Understand
The Red Centre is the place where you will find the most famous monolith of Australia, Uluru and it is where the heart of the outback beats. The only town with a sizable population is Alice Springs, the remainder of the population being scattered in smaller communities. The oxidized iron in the soil gives the whole area its distinctive and immediately recognizable reddish glow. Here you can connect with the oldest living culture on earth or listen to colourful yarns of the pioneering days at an outback pub.

Indigenous history
The Arrernte Aboriginal people have made their home in the Central Australian desert in and around Alice Springs for more than 50,000 years. The Aboriginal name for Alice Springs is Mparntwe. Three major groups Western, Eastern and Central Arrernte people live in Central Australia, their traditional land including the area of Alice Springs and East/West MacDonnell Ranges. They are also referred to as Aranda, Arrarnta, Arunta, and other similar spellings.

Arrernte country is rich with mountain ranges, waterholes, and gorges; as a result the Arrernte people set aside 'conservation areas' in which various species are protected. According to the Arrernte traditional stories, in the desert surrounding Alice Springs, the landscape was shaped by caterpillars, wild dogs, travelling boys, two sisters, euros, and other ancestral figures.

There are many sites of traditional importance in and around Alice Springs, such as Anthwerrke (Emily Gap), Akeyulerre (Billy Goat Hill), Ntaripe (Heavitree Gap), Atnelkentyarliweke (Anzac Hill), and Alhekulyele (Mt Gillen). Many Arrernte people also live in communities outside of Alice Springs.

Talk
English is the most common language spoken in the Red Centre; in addition, hundreds of different Aboriginal languages are spoken by the Indigenous peoples of the Red Centre.

Get in
If you travel into an Aboriginal Community, you are not allowed to take alcohol or pornography. There are severe fines if caught. Also, when visiting Arts Centres, do not travel into residential areas (these are well sign-posted).

By plane
There is an airport in Alice Springs. Qantas has connecting flights to Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Cairns and Perth. There is a flying shuttle to Uluru/Ayers Rock but airport (Ayers Rock (Connellan) Airport) too, so if you're just flying in to see the rock, you don't have to stop off at Alice (although you should!).

By train
The Ghan is Australia's Orient Express, a long train ride right across the continent from Adelaide to Alice Springs, and it got even longer in 2004 with an extension right through to Darwin. Don't expect luxury on the Ghan, however. The rolling stock is rather dated, and while adequate, it was purchased used, and has not been highly refurbished. The scenery is nice though. Expect to pay a premium over the airfare. The Ghan is also the only train line into the NT.

By car

Alice Springs is 17 hours drive from Darwin, and 18 hours drive from Adelaide. The Stuart Highway from Adelaide is well-maintained and goes right through Coober Pedy, an underground town famous also for being the opal capital of the world (and worth stopping off for a visit on the way). It continues through Tennant Creek and Katherine all the way up to Darwin.

It is worthwhile reading the safety tips for Driving in Australia and always carrying water and ensuring you know the location and opening hours of your fuel and food stops.

Read the rental car conditions carefully. Cars rented locally in Alice Springs usually do not offer unlimited free kilometres. Rental cars hired outside of the Northern Territory may not be able to be driven into it. Driving after dark outside of the city limits may be prohibited.

By bus
Greyhound ply the route to Alice Springs daily from the north and the south.

Get around
The paved Stuart Highway running from Alice Springs to Adelaide crosses the area and is the major artery for local traffic (meaning you can cross several vehicles per hour). The A4 Lasseter Highway is also paved, and links the Stuart Highway with Uluru.

Consider renting a 4WD to explore areas beyond the A87 Stuart Highway and Uluru. Several destinations can simply not be accessed by conventional vehicles. If you run out of fuel here, you're in big trouble. It is advisable to travel with other vehicles, the more the better.

The big rocks are a little distance from Yulara. where the accommodation and facilities are. If you are not with a tour, or didn't bring your car, you will need to decide how best to get to these locations. Hire cars can be expensive, and have limited kilometres; however shuttles to and from the rock are also expensive, so do the maths and see what works best for you.

Distances in the Red Centre can be greater than people think. For example, people think that Uluru is an easy day trip from Alice Springs. But the time between Alice and Uluru is about 5-6 hours each way.

See

 * Alice Springs, an oasis in the middle of nowhere, and the link to the outer world for locals, and the natural choice to start your exploration of the region. Framed by the MacDonnell Ranges and an intense desert landscape, Alice Springs is Australia’s most famous outback town.
 * Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Few are ever prepared for a visit to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Uluru is Australia's most recognisable natural icon. Standing 348 m high, the monolith has a great cultural significance for the traditional Aboriginal owners, the Anangu people. The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is 440 km south-west of Alice Springs near the town of Yulara. A three-day permit to enter the National Park costs $25. A permit to enter the park may or may not be included in a tour you book. Ask your booking agent if your tour fee includes the permit to enter the park. Since 2019, climbing has been banned.

Itineraries

 * Red Centre Itinerary - This itinerary will lead you through the best of the Red in a few days, however you will need a 4WD, so make a reservation beforehand. Make sure there is a little fridge with your vehicle to keep your supplies fresh.

Eat
Alice Springs has a large variety of restaurants, cafes and popular fast food chains.

Drink
There is no drinking alcohol in public places in Alice Springs. You must be on private premises or in the selection of bars and restaurants.

Stay safe
The Australian Outback, although very beautiful is also very dangerous due to its extreme conditions. Be prepared and plan your trip before you start it. Plan fuel stops and always carry extra fuel as on some highways fuel and towns can be up to 800 km apart. It is advised to carry a satellite phone or HF radio for emergencies if leaving the major roads. Water and food are also very important. If you become stranded in the outback stay calm and stay with your vehicle so emergency services are able to locate you. If you have communication devices use them. Mobile (cellular) phone coverage is limited to the regional centres.

 * Sun protection  Travellers should always wear a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, sunglasses and at least an SPF 30 sunscreen when outdoors. You should also be sure to drink plenty of water; a minimum of two litres per day is advised.
 * Dehydration  Early symptoms include feeling thirsty, excess sweating, headache, dizziness and nausea. If dehydration continues, it can result in seizures, a loss of consciousness and even death.
 * Insects  The Territory is home to mosquitoes and other biting insects, so a reliable insect repellent, mosquito coils and appropriate clothing will make travelling more comfortable. If camping, keep your tent zipped and tap your shoes out before putting them on.

On the road
As with all things in the remote desert, some care should be taken in planning to go out of town. A few of the trips listed are four-wheel-drive (4WD) only and should only be undertaken by experienced 4WD drivers, with proper supplies and equipment. There are a number of tour companies available to help with this. Things to remember:
 * Either go with a local guide (best) or ensure someone checks over your itinerary and gear. This is a harsh environment!
 * You'll need a lot more water than you might think, and you may need extra fuel.
 * It's illegal to drive with uncovered firewood on your roof, so if you need to put it up there put a tarpaulin over it and secure it tightly.
 * When bush walking, wear long pants and closed-toe shoes; Central Australia is home to some of the most deadliest snakes in the world, but these snakes have very small fangs - a good pair of shoes or long pants will stop them from harming you.
 * Make sure someone knows you're going out and when to expect you back.
 * Beware of fire! Make sure your campfire is under control at all times, and put it out completely before you leave. Do not throw your cigarette out the window in this area, for your own safety.

Comfort notice: If you are leaving to go out bush and it is not the dead of winter (July), you should bring a flynet. Flynets are fine mesh nets which cover your head. The flies don't bite but they do make a very enthusiastic attempt to get up your nose, in your ears and at your eyes; not being prepared can spoil what would otherwise be a wonderful experience.

Respect
You may not take alcohol or pornography into Aboriginal Communities, even as a tourist passing through. This applies for the Historical Precinct at Hermannsburg also. Travellers are not permitted into residential parts of the communities. These areas are well sign posted, so keep your eyes open and you will be fine.

Go next
The Stuart Highway is the only sealed option. Drive North, you will reach the tropical Top End and Darwin. To the south, you will enter South Australia, with Port Augusta at the end of the road.

If you have a 4WD, you can cut Northwest directly to the Kimberley on the Tanami Track, a relatively well graded dirt road crossing the Tanami Desert. It is an 800-km drive to Hall's Creek in Western Australia, with very little supplies along the way, and only a single fuel station at the remote Rabbit Flat Roadhouse (which is not open all the time, on top of that), roughly midway between Alice Springs and Hall's Creek.

To the west, you can take the unpaved Gunbarrel Highway starting at Kata Tjuta, and with a lot of patience and a good 4WD you could drive all the way to Perth (something like 2500 km away).

To the east, the WAA line or the French line are 4WD tracks crossing the Simpson Desert to Birdsville in Queensland, some 500 km east. Be extremely well prepared if you wish to tackle those routes.

 * Coober Pedy — spend the night in an opal mine
 * Darwin — The tropical capital city
 * Katherine — nature and culture, history and heritage, and gateway to the spectacular Katherine Gorge
 * Tennant Creek — Aboriginal culture, gold mining and pastoralism

title: Red Centre


text:
Red Centre Itinerary

This itinerary is an 8-day plan for exploring the Red Centre of Australia, where you will find the country's most famous monolith, Uluru, and it is where the heart of the outback beats.

Understand
The only town of sizable population is Alice Springs, the remainder of the population being scattered in smaller communities. The oxidized iron in the soil gives the whole area its distinctive and immediately recognizable reddish glow.

By plane
There is an airport in Alice Springs. Qantas has connecting flights to Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Cairns and Perth. There is a flying shuttle to Uluru but Uluru has an airport (Yulara) too, so if you're just flying in to see the rock, you don't have to stop off at Alice. (Although you should!)

By train
The Ghan, like the Orient Express, is a legendary long train ride over a large land area. In 2004, it was extended right through to Darwin. Don't expect complete luxury on the Ghan, however. The rolling stock is rather dated, and while adequate, it was purchased used, and has not been much refurbished. The scenery is nice though. Expect to pay a premium over the airfare.

By car
Alice Springs is 17 hours drive from Darwin, and 18 hours drive from Adelaide. The Stuart Highway from Adelaide is well-maintained and goes right through Coober Pedy, an underground town famous also for being the opal capital of the world (and worth stopping off for a visit on the way). It continues through Tennant Creek and Katherine all the way up to Darwin. Most backpackers and travellers rent either a car or a campervan, given that insurance is included and you'll most likely get a reliable vehicle. Before renting, consider comparing campervan rentals and ensure you get the best deal possible.

It is worthwhile reading the safety tips for Driving in Australia and always carrying water and ensuring you know the location and opening hours of your fuel and food stops.

Read the rental car conditions carefully. Rental cars in Alice Springs do not offer unlimited free kilometres, however the government tourist office, Territory Discoveries can offer them. Rental cars hired outside of the Northern Territory may not be able to be driven into it. Driving after dark outside of the city limits is generally prohibited.

By bus
Greyhound ply the route to Alice Springs from the north and the south.

Day one
Make your way into Alice Springs. There are no international flights landing the Alice, so you will have to change planes at any of the big Australian cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Adelaide, Perth or Darwin). Being in the middle of Australia, it takes more or less two hours to get to Alice Springs from any of the aforementioned cities.

In Alice Springs, walk to the top of the Anzac Hill to get a good view of the town, and pay a visit to the Royal Flying Doctor Service  or the School of the Air. They will give you an idea of the vastness of the surrounding areas and how the locals cope with it.

In the evening, take a bite at a restaurant on the Todd Mall.

Day two
In the morning, pick up your 4WD (you will of course have made your reservation beforehand on the internet at Thrifty, Britz or any of the companies offering 4WD rental). Buy your supplies for the coming days (including a lot of fluids).

Head West on the Larapinta Drive, and make your first stop only a few km outside Alice at the very interestingAlice Springs Desert Park, where you will learn a lot about the flora and fauna of the Australian Desert. Allow at least two hours for the visit.

Continue West, enter the West McDonnell National Park. The mountain range is dotted with gaps, waterholes and gorges, (Simpsons Gap, Ormiston Gorge, Stanley Chasm...), making for refreshing short walks. If you have your bathing suit, you can even swim in some of the waterholes (for instance the permanent Ellery Creek Big hole). The water can be very cold compared to the outside air. Make a stop at the Ochre Pits, used by Aboriginal people to get ceremonial ochre.

Make a stop for the night at Glen Helen Resort, a very casual but clean little place in magnificent surroundings, and actually the only option for a roofed accommodation around.

Day three
The real outback driving begins here. Wake early, walk to the Glen Helen Gorge, and take back your 4WD to continue on the Larapinta Drive, which becomes unsealed. Make a stop at the Redbank Gorge, and walk the 1-hour return trail (without forgetting to take water with you).

Continue on the Mereenie Loop Road, an unsealed dirt road crossing Aboriginal lands, with nice desert scenery around you. Try to take your lunch at the viewpoint of Tyler's Pass, from where there is a truly breathtaking view over the area. You should also be able to see the eroded crater of Tnorala, a truly gigantic comet impact dating from the Cretacean period.

Descend from Tyler's pass, and take a short walk inside Tnorala. The sheer size of what remains after million years of erosion puts the imagination at test about the energy of the original impact.

You should be able to reach Watarrka National Park before sunset, and even have enough time to take the short walk at the bottom of King's Canyon and admire the sunset on the canyon. Take a good night of sleep at the King's Canyon Resort.

Day four

Leave just before sunrise (at least during the hotter months), and head for the Canyon, walk the Rim Walk while it is still not too hot, with plenty of water with you. Admire and absorb the magic of the scenery around you.

After the walk, head for Uluru. Slowly, you will notice that the soil gets sandier and sandier, and soon the (fortunately sealed) road will lead you through dunes. A hundred kilometers before Uluru, you will see Mount Conner in the distance, an anvil shaped mount with a flat top. From the dune on the other side of the viewpoint for Mount Conner, you will also see vast salt lakes spotting the plains. These are all on private property, so admire from afar.

Curtin Springs is the next attraction you will come to. They say home is where the heart is, even if it is spread over a million acres of remote Central Australia! Curtin Springs balances beef production with a million acre wildlife corridor, and offers many ways for visitors to connect with the spectacular landscape. Curtin Springs (the first Wayside Inn in Central Australia), 100 km east of Ayers Rock, offers a base from which to visit the Ayers Rock and Kings Canyon areas. It offers experiences, tours and hospitality. Curtin Springs Wayside Inn: 27 accommodation rooms, campground, store, bar, meals. Curtin Springs Paper - handmade paper from native grasses. 1-hour tours operate daily at 10:30AM or 4PM. Curtin Springs Walks - private guided walks around the salt lakes on Curtin Springs or the base of Mt Conner.

Day five
After some more driving, you will see both Uluru and Kata Tjuta rising in the distance. No matter how many times you have seen the Rock in photographs or videos, the first time you see it rising from the plains truly leaves a strong impression. Get in the park (there is a fee), visit the tourist center, eventually take one of the short walks around the rock, but be at the designated parking spot for the sunset. At the last moment before the sun goes down, it reflects in the rock. The rock then "shines" for a few seconds, producing a truly mesmerizing effect. Head back to one of the accommodation at neighbouring Yulara.

Drive to Kata Tjuta (45 km from the entrance of the park), make a brief stop at the view point and walk the Valley of the Winds, a 7-km loop between the red domes of Kata Tjuta. The trail is not too difficult, but it is sometimes closed in the summer days to the excessive heat (whether the walk in closed or open is indicated at the entrance of the park, so you do not have to drive the 90 km return just to check). If it is too hot or you do not feel like walking 7 km, there is a shorter treck (2 km return).

After Kata Tjuta, head back to Uluru and Yulara. You can make a brief stop at the bottom of the climb to the top of the rock, the climb will be closed in 2019, so there is limited time left to do this bucket list climb.

Anyway, return at Yulara, and take the Sounds of Silence dinner experience. It is quite popular and you will probably have to make a reservation in the morning.

Day six
Wake early, try to be at the sunrise viewing point at Uluru for a reverse effect of the sunset glow. Return to Uluru, and Walk around the base of Uluru. It will take two to three hours, there are many stops with explanations about the aboriginal mythology linked with the rock, as well as rock paintings. Some features are sacred, respect the place and do not take pictures.

Take your vehicle, time to hit back the road. Head back towards the Stuart Highway on the Lesseter highway, take the turn on the Luritja road, but take the unsealed and rough Ernest Giles Road. The track will take you into some barren scenery. Just before reaching the Stuart Highway, turn left to enter the tiny Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve. The short loop trail into the reserve will bring you close to very visible craters left by pieces of a meteorites that disintegrated over the desert. One of the craters was deep enough to create some shadow and a temporary waterhole, so the bottom is a bit greenish compared to the incredibly flat and barren surroundings.

Drive back to the Stuart Highway, head back towards Alice Springs, but turn right to get to the Rainbow Valley before sunset (it is a 4-wheel drive with sandy spots from the Stuart highway to the reserve). The colors of the sandstone and rock formations are simply splendid. If you are lucky enough to get there just after the rain, you might get the chance to view the reflection of the rocks over the water.

For the night, head back to Alice, or stay at Jim's place, 90 km south of Alice, a rustic roadhouse with a local attraction, Dinky the Dingo, a dog able to play the piano.

Day seven

From Alice Springs, take the dirt road towards Finke (the entrance of the road is close to the Airport) and head towards Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve | Chambers pillar. Make your first stop at the Ewaninga Conservation Reserve, a small reserve only 30 km from Alice Springs (the entrance of the park is easy to miss). You will see some aboriginal carvings dating from the prehistoric times, that are still sacred.

Hit the track back. You can make a brief stop at the Maryvale Station, an outback fuel station with some refreshment available. Depending on how confident you feel with your driving skills over sand, you might want to tell them you are heading to Chamber's pillar.

The drive from Maryvale to Chamber's pillar starts gently, but slowly becomes a hell of a 4WD track over rougher and rougher terrain. You will then have to drive over a rocky hill, which is really steep. No conventional vehicle can cope with this climb, and even with the 4WD you will have to be in very low gear. On top of the hill, you can have a view of the pillar rising above the desert.

After descending the other side of the hill (which is as steep as the climb, by the way), you will drive the last few kilometers over sand dunes. Take care at the top of each dune, as frontal accidents may happen.

The pillar was used as a landmark for pioneers, and bears some century old graffiti. There are furthermore fantastic views of the desert.

Head back to Alice for the evening, and eat your belly out at the Todd Mall.

Day eight

Last day in Alice. Take your time to pay a visit to the Old telegraph station and buy the necessary souvenirs for the family, but most of all look back at your week and wonder how early explorers did what you did without a 4WD (do not forget to wash it, and return it). Take a shuttle bus to the airport to take your flight.

Stay safe
This is a desertic area, so always bring a lot of water with you if you go out hiking, and in any case bring a lot of water with you while you are driving. It can get dramatically hot in the summer, and even during other seasons, when it is only very hot during the day you should be wary of dehydration. Always wear a hat, and put on strong sunscreen.

Some unsealed roads are fairly remote, so take extra care, as mechanical problems can mean big trouble if you are not prepared. The distance between fuel supplies is not to be underestimated. Check the autonomy of your vehicle, and refuel accordingly.

Remember that most of the land you are driving through is private property. Unless it is specifically marked as national park, it is someones home and their business. Please don't drive off the designated roads, do not camp outside of designated camps, do not cut down trees or other vegetation. There is plenty of deadwood on the ground. Your fire must be totally extinguished before you leave - fires in Central Australia are devastating and it could be another 7 years before it rains again.

Please remember to take all your rubbish with you, including any used toilet paper. Other visitors do not need to see this as part of their holiday!

Remember your rubbish could have a disastrous impact on the biosecurity of the pastoral stations and businesses you have the privilege of driving through.

For more information, carefully read Driving in Australia.

They are not directly life-threatening, but flies can become annoying when they buzz around you by the dozens. You may want to buy a fly-net for your head.

Go next
Having just spent a few days driving around the Red Centre, you probably won't want to drive anywhere. However, if you do want to take your car out, the Stuart Highway runs from Darwin to Port Augusta via Alice Springs.

Alice Springs also has an airport, with flights to Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Cairns and Perth.

You could also catch The Ghan north up to Darwin, or south to Adelaide.

title: Red Centre Itinerary


text:
Red Deer

Red Deer, Alberta's third-largest city, is in the Central Corridor between Calgary and Edmonton.

Understand
Red Deer (pop 100,800, 2021) sits in aspen parkland, in a region of rolling hills. The city is a centre for oil and natural gas extraction and related industries and also for agriculture and agricultural services. It is also a regional centre for administration with a courthouse and provincial building. There is a large commercial district/business park called Gasoline Alley just south of the city limits.

The Cree peoples called the river on which Red Deer stands Waskasoo Seepee, which translates to "Elk River". However, British traders translated the name as "Red Deer River", since they mistakenly thought elk were European red deer. Later, the settlers of the area named their community after the river. The name for the modern city in Plains Cree is a calque back from English of the mistranslated, mihkwâpisimosos, literally "red type of deer", while the name of the river is still wâwâskêsiw-sîpiy or "elk river".

History
Prior to European settlement, the area was a gathering place that was inhabited by Aboriginal tribes including the Blackfoot, Plains Cree and Stoney. European fur traders began passing through the area in the late 18th century. Into this ethnic mix, the Métis peoples also emerged.

A native trail ran from Montana in the south across the Bow River near Calgary and on to Fort Edmonton. About halfway between Calgary and Edmonton, the trail crossed the Red Deer River at a wide, stony shallow used by First Nations peoples and bison, commonly known as buffalo, since ancient times. The shallows, now known as the Old Red Deer Crossing, are about 7 km (4.3 mi) upstream from the present City of Red Deer.

With the establishment of Fort Calgary by the North-West Mounted Police in 1875, traffic increased along what was by then known as the Calgary and Edmonton Trail. After the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in Calgary, traffic along the C & E trail increased substantially. A trading post and stopping house were built at the Crossing in 1882 and a permanent settlement began to develop around it.

During the 1885 Riel Rebellion, the Canadian militia constructed Fort Normandeau at the Crossing. The fort was later taken over by the North-West Mounted Police who used it until 1893.

With the decimation of the bison by hunters, the Aboriginal tribes who relied on them for food, clothing and shelter were also in decline. The fertile lands around the Red Deer River were attractive to farmers and ranchers. One early settler, the Reverend Leonard Gaetz, gave a half-share of 1,240 acres (5.0 km²) he had acquired to the Calgary and Edmonton Railway to develop a bridge over the river and a townsite. As a result, the Crossing was gradually abandoned. The first train from Calgary to Edmonton passed through Red Deer in 1891.

Red Deer had a massive influx of settlers in the early 1900s. Because of its location midway between Edmonton and Calgary and the fertile land that supported profitable mixed farming, Red Deer developed primarily as an agricultural service and distribution centre. A further boost came in 1907 when it was chosen as a major divisional point for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Two other railways, the Alberta Central Railway and the Canadian Northern Railway, entered the community in 1911. Red Deer underwent a large land boom.

World War I brought a sharp end to the boom. Red Deer emerged as a small, quiet, but prosperous, prairie city.

Growth returned to the city with the outbreak of World War II. Red Deer was chosen as the location of a large military training camp, the A-20 Camp which was located where Cormack Armoury, the Memorial Centre and Lindsay Thurber High School are now. The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan built two air bases to the south of the city at Penhold and Bowden.

By roughly 1991, the Canadian Pacific Railway had been removed from the inner city; the track now runs parallel to the city outskirts. The most prominent landmark of the railway remaining is the CPR bridge spanning the Red Deer River, converted to a walking trail shortly after the track removal.

By car

 * The Queen Elizabeth II highway (Highway 2), allow about 1 hr 20 min to drive from either Edmonton or Calgary main airports.

By plane

 * Red Deer Regional Airport does not have scheduled airline service (as of June 2020). It serves charter flights and general aviation. The nearest commercial airports are Edmonton and Calgary.

By bus

 * A Red Deer Shuttle Service offers door-to-door service to/from Calgary or Edmonton.
 * Operates a bus route between Calgary and Edmonton including a stop in Red Deer. Travel time to Red Deer from Calgary is 2.25 hours and from Edmonton is 2 hours. Operates several days per week.
 * Operates a bus route between Calgary and Edmonton including a stop in Red Deer. Travel time to Red Deer from Calgary is 2.25 hours and from Edmonton is 2.5 hours. Operates multiple trips daily.
 * Operates a bus route between Calgary and Edmonton including a stop in Red Deer. Travel time to Red Deer from Calgary is 1.75-2 hours and from Edmonton is 1.75.
 * Travel time to Red Deer is 1.75-2.25 hours from Calgary and 2 hours from Edmonton.
 * Operates a bus route between Calgary and Edmonton including a stop in Red Deer. Travel time to Red Deer from Calgary is 2-2.25 hours and from Edmonton is 1.5 hours. Operates several days per week.
 * Operates a bus route between Calgary and Edmonton including a stop in Red Deer. Travel time to Red Deer from Calgary is 2-2.25 hours and from Edmonton is 1.5 hours. Operates several days per week.

By taxi
A couple of taxi companies (Alberta Gold and Associated Cab) operate in the city. They can get busy during rush hours or Friday nights, but are usually fast.

Eat
As the hub of Central Alberta, Red Deer has a lot of great places to eat.

Microbreweries
Like much of Alberta, Red Deer is experiencing a thirst for local craft beer.

Connect
Most phone numbers in Red Deer are in the 403 area code (+1 403). but numbers are now being assigned in three other area codes—587, 825, and 368. Since Alberta has required 10-digit dialing since 2008, advertising signage should include the area code. If an older sign lacks an area code, assume 403.

Go next

 * Sylvan Lake. About a 20 minute drive west, this is Central Alberta's summer playground with a relaxed beach town atmosphere and fun on the water.
 * Lacombe. To the north, this town features charming well-preserved brick buildings and a popular microbrewery. Nearby Gull Lake also has pleasant beaches.
 * Rocky Mountain House and David Thompson Country. Alberta's Rocky Mountains, but far less busy than the national parks.
 * Stettler. To the east on the dry prairie. Features a heritage railway with steam locomotives, and beaches at nearby Buffalo Lake.
 * Calgary. The gateway city to Banff and the Rocky Mountains.
 * Edmonton. Alberta's capital city, variously branded as the 'festival city' and 'winter city'.

title: Red Deer