7 Beautiful Canyons around the World

Canyons are also called as gorges; these are formed due to long time erosions of rivers. One can spot canyons in dry or parched areas as physical weathering conditions play a major role in the formation of canyons. The canyon walls are in general formed of resistant granite or sandstone. When talking about canyons one can never forget the “Grand Canyon” in Arizona; however, we are going to take a look at equally beautiful canyons around the world other than Grand Canyon.

7. Matka Canyon, Skopje, Macedonia

Matka Canyon, popular tourist destination in Macedonia

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Matka (means womb) Canyon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Macedonia. It is a home for 10 caves and the length of the caves vary between 20 meters to 176 meters. According to New7Wonders of Nature project, Vrelo Cave in Matka is one among the top 77 natural sites. There are lots of monasteries in Matka Canyon. One can spot lots of butterflies and bats at Matka Canyon; it is home for nearly 77 endemic butterfly species. This is one of the best spots for alpine hiking, kayaking, fishing and swimming; the best season is between April and November.

6. Kings Canyon, Northern Territory, Australia

Kings Canyon, Australia

Kings Canyon forms a part of Watarrka National Park in Australia and is a popular tourist destination for adventurous hikers or travelers. This is also a best place to watch rare and beautiful looking birds like Spinifex pigeon, black-breasted buzzard, dusky grasswren, etc. There are two walks in Kings Canyon; one walk takes you to the bottom of the canyon and the other to the top of the canyon. It is at the top walk that one finds “Heartbreak hill” that offers spectacular and scenic views of the entire landscape, a permanent waterhole, and sandstone domes; remember this is too steep and hence called the “Heartbreak Hill” or “Heart attack Hill.”

5. Charyn Canyon, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Charyn Canyon, best place to watch unusually shaped rock formations

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Charyn Canyon is located in Charyn River and is a part of Charyn National Park in Kazakshtan. This is the best place to watch unusual and oddly shaped rock formations; this is the reason why one part of it is also called as “Valley of Castles.” It resembles “Grand Canyon” in many ways even though it is much smaller in size; it is nicknamed “the little brother of Grand Canyon.”

4. Blyde River Canyon, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Blyde River Canyon, Second largest canyon in Africa

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Blyde (means happy or glad) River Canyon is believed to be the world’s largest green canyon as one can witness lush green scenery everywhere around the canyon and Africa’s second largest canyon. Due to the lush subtropical foliage, it is home for many species of birds, antelopes and fishes. Some of the bird species include the beautiful Narina Trogon, Bald Ibis, Green Twinspot, Wood Owl, Jackal Buzzard, etc. This is a most sought tourist spot or attraction in Mpumalanga.

3. Colca Canyon, Arequipa, Peru

Colca Canyon during winter

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Colca Canyon is believed to be the deepest canyon in the world and is the third most popular tourist destination in Peru. To watch the near threatened Andean Condor species, one must go to Cruz del Condor, which is nearly 3,960 feet below the canyon’s rim. One can also watch lots of other bird species like Giant Colibri, Andean goose, vicuna, etc. There are lots of other things one can do at Colca Canyon other than bird watching; this includes taking a dip in the hot springs, hiking, trekking, mountaineering, visiting archeological sites, etc.

2. Fish River Canyon, Namibia, Africa

Fish River Canyon during early morning

Fish River Canyon is the world’s second largest and the largest in Africa. This is one of the most sought after tourist attraction in Namibia. This is one of the best mountaineering spots, but the sad part is that hikers have to sleep outdoors during their trekking. The best time for hiking is between May and mid-September as hiking is prohibited in the summer season owing to very high temperatures.

1.Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, Tibet, China

Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, the deepest and the largest canyon in the world

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Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon is considered the deepest and the largest canyon in the world. Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon is place for unique plants, bird species and is home for King Cobra. Some of the unique species include Ice Mouse, Ice Flea, etc. This boasts of rich biological resources, spectacular scenery and a popular eco-tourism spot. It is a best spot for whitewater kayaking.

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Top 5 World’s Fastest Roller Coasters

Roller coasters, aren’t they the first thing we look forward to ride when visiting an amusement park or a theme park? Do you feel a lump in your throat when these roller coasters drop vertically from a great height? Even though for many the height of the roller coasters makes them dizzy, the popularity of roller coasters haven’t diminished; take a look at the fastest roller coasters in the world and make sure you visit them during your holiday. Majority of these fastest roller coasters are in the USA; however, some are in Asian countries too.

5. Name: Tower of Terror II

Location: Dreamworld Amusement Park, Coomera, Queensland, Australia

Speed: 100 miles per hour

Tower of Terror II, the fourth tallest and fastest roller coaster with a speed of 100 mph

This was considered the fastest and the tallest roller coaster when it was constructed in the year 1997. This roller coaster was called Tower of Terror II after its modification and launch in September 2010. Tower of Terror II holds other records like fourth tallest and fastest roller coaster and third tallest roller coaster drops. It reaches the maximum speed of 100 mph in just 7 seconds and has a maximum G Force of 4.5. A total of 14 passengers can be seated in one single vehicle; this passenger vehicle is called the “Escape pod.”

5. Name: Superman: Escape from Krypton

Location: Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California, USA

Speed: 100 miles per hour

Superman: Escape from Krypton, the world's fifth tallest and faster roller coaster

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

This roller coaster shares the 5^th spot with Tower of Terror II in terms of speed. This was opened in the year 1977 and is very similar to the Tower of Terror II. This was originally called the Superman: The Escape and after redevelopment called the Superman: Escape from Krypton. This roller coaster was closed almost all through later half of 2010 and was opened only on March 2011. This too reaches the maximum speed in about 7 seconds and the maximum G Force is 4.9. For about roughly 6.5 seconds, riders of this roller coaster feel weightless and are believed to be one of the loudest roller coaster rides. The other record this roller coaster holds is that it is the world’s fifth fastest and tallest roller coaster.

4. Name: Dodonpa

Location: Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan

Speed: 107 miles per hour

Dodonpa Roller Coaster, world's scariest roller coaster

Image source: themeparkreview

This roller coaster made its debut with two records; one being the faster roller coaster and second is the fastest acceleration of just 1.8 seconds to reach the maximum speed of 107 miles per hour. This is considered to be one of the scariest roller coasters in the world. The maximum G Force is 4.3. Drum beats are put through the entire session of boarding to landing where the riders can hear three consecutive drum beats called Do-don-pa. There is a false start feature that gives riders a feel of failed launch and this is followed by the surprise accidental launch.

3. Name: Top Thrill Dragster

Location: Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, USA

Speed: 120 miles per hour

Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster; the tagline is "Race for the Sky"

The tagline of this roller coaster is “Race for the Sky” and it surely gives this experience to its riders. This is the second tallest roller coaster in the world. It reaches the maximum speed at 3.8 seconds. When debuted, it holds the records for tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coaster. The theme of the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster is Top Fuel Drag Racing motor sport. There are a total of 6 trains with 5 cars and each train can accommodate 20 riders. The speed of the launch is controlled by a computer.

2. Name: Kingda Ka

Location: Six Flages Great Adventure, Jackson Township, New Jersey, USA

Speed: 128 miles per hour

Kingda Ka, the tallest roller coaster in the world

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

It was the fastest roller coaster until November 2010 and is still the world’s tallest roller coaster. The maximum speed of 128 mph is reached within 3.5 seconds. It made its debut in the year 2005. This roller coaster suffered various setbacks and was closed at various points of time in the years 2005 and 2009. There was damage in 2011 shortly before the Hurricane Irene and was re-opened on April 2012. The theme of Kingda Ka is a mythical tiger. There are four trains with 5 cars and each train can take a maximum of 18 riders at a time.

1. Name: Formula Rossa

Location: Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Speed: 150 miles per hour

Formula Rossa, the fastest roller coaster in the world inspired by Italian racetrack Autodromo Nazionale Monza

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

Formula Rossa is currently the world’s fastest roller coaster and reaches the maximum speed of 150 miles per hour within 4.9 seconds; the maximum G Force is 4.8. The shape of the track was designed or inspired by the legendary Italian racetrack called Autodromo Nazionale Monza. As it rides very fast, the riders in the front row are requested to wear protective glasses to avoid insects or any airborne particles entering their eyes. There are 2 trains with 4 cars with a maximum seating capacity of 16 riders per train.

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Australia: 10 Major Tourist Attractions in Sydney

Sydney is not only a big city in Australia, but also a great place for scenic views, nightlife, aquariums, parks, and much more. It was found that in the year 2008, Sydney received close to 2.7 visitors from all over the world. When talking about Australia or Sydney, the first point of visitor attraction that comes to our mind is the Sydney Opera House. It is definitely one of the major attractions, but there are other tourist attractions too. Discover some of the major points of tourist attractions in Sydney here.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Panoramic view of Sydney Harbour Bridge from the north shore of Kirribillli

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

Sydney harbour is one of the world’s most beautiful natural harbours and the Sydney Harbour Bridge carries almost all modes of transportation between Sydney Central Business District and the North Shore; it is a steel bridge. Sydney Harbour Bridge holds a Guinness World Record for the widest long-span bridge in the world. One of the major tourist attractions of the Sydney Harbour Bridge is the south-east pylon; one can access this through a pedestrian walkway. It is a major tourist attraction almost all through the year, but it is at its best during the New Year Eve.

Sydney Opera House

View of Sydney Opera House at night

When talking about Australia can anyone forget the famous Opera House? Sydney Opera House is the one of the most distinctive buildings of the 20^th century that was conceived by a Danish Architect named Jorn Ultzon. This building entered the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the year 2007. There are multiple performing avenues in this building and is a chief tourist attraction in Sydney. One can find a lot of recording studios, cafes, retail outlets, restaurants, and much more in this distinguishing building.

Royal Botanical Gardens

A pond at the Royal Botanical Gardens

Image courtesy: wikipedia

The total area of the Royal Botanical gardens is 30 hectares and is the most central of the three botanical gardens present in Sydney and maintained by the trust of “The Domain.” It is situated east of Sydney Opera House. If you wish to see fruitbats and grey-headed flying foxes, the best place to visit is the Royal Botanical Gardens; however, for the past couple of years, huge recorded sounds are played to drive away the fruitbats as they destroy the trees in the garden. The garden is opened on all days throughout the year.

Luna Park

The current face at the entrance of Luna Park

Luna Park is an amusement park located at Milsons Point, the northern shore of Sydney Harbour. This amusement park was opened in the year 1935, which was then opened to the public only for nine months a year; however, after 1972, this park is opened all year-round. This park was closed often for repair works and renovations, but is now functional till date from 2004. This amusement park holds a place in the New South Wales State Heritage Register. The main point of attraction is the Luna Park’s face; it is 30 feet wide. There are a list of rides like Rotor, Flying Saucer, Tango Train, Wild Mouse, and Tumblebug to name a few. There are also separate rides for kids like Whirly Wheel, U-Drive, etc.

Sydney Tower

Sydney Tower, tallest free standing structure in Sydney

Sydney Tower is the tallest free-standing structure in Sydney and the second tallest in Australia; it is called by various names such as Sydney Tower Eye, AMP Tower, Centrepoint, etc. This is one of the major tourist attractions of Sydney and can be seen from various vantage points across the city. The construction of the tower was over in the year 1975; public access was given only in the year 1981. The shopping center was connected to other areas of the tower in the year 2009; this is when the large illuminated “Westfield” logo came into place. Four sections of the tower are opened to public; this includes restaurants, observation deck, etc. The famous 360 revolving restaurant is at Level 1, Sydney Tower Buffet and Level 2 and Sky Venue, the highest event space in the entire southern hemisphere is at Level 3.

Taronga Zoo

Rustic Bridge at Taronga Zoo, designed with reminiscent of Italian grottoes

Taronga Zoo is yet another tourist attraction situated in the shores of Sydney Harbour and was officially opened in the year 1916. Taronga means “beautiful view” in the aboriginal word. This is one of the largest zoos in the world with over 2,600 animals spread across an area of 52 acres. The rustic bridge of the zoo was designed with reminiscent of Italian grottoes. There is a taronga ferry wharf available for the tourists to go around the zoo and is one of the preferred modes of transport.

Sydney Aquarium

Sharks at Sydney Aquarium

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

Sydney Aquarium is opened to public and is situated on the east side of Darling Harbour. This aquarium holds the largest collection of aquatic species of Australia with nearly 6,000 fishes. How will it be if sharks swim above your head? Does that sound terrifying? Don’t worry…this aquarium has acrylic glass tunnels and this is where the sharks move; this gives the visitors an impact of sharks moving above their head. Sydney Aquarium also holds a miniature or a recreation of “The Great Barrier Reef.”

Bondi Beach

Panoramic View of Bondi Beach

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

Bondi Beach is a popular name in the area and one of the main points of tourist attraction. In the aboriginal word, bondi mean “water breaking over rocks” and according to the Australian Museum, bondi mean “place where a flight of nullas took place.” This beach holds a place in the Australian National Heritage List. Surfing is a major sport in this beach. Surf Live Saving Australia has given a rating of 4 to the northern end and 7 to the southern side in a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 mean safe and 10 mean hazardous.

Darling Harbour

Panoramic View of the Darling Harbour

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

Darling harbour is situated very close to Sydney city center and one of the largest recreational areas on the outskirts of Sydney Central Business District. There are lots of tourist attractions near Darling harbour; some of them include: 

• Harbourside Shopping Centre
• Tumbalong Park
• Powerhouse Museum
• Sydney Aquarium

Blue Mountains

Panoramic view of the Blue Mountains with Three Sisters on the far left

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

The foot hills of these Blue Mountains starts roughly around 50 km west of the state capital and extends towards the west of Coxs River. At different elevations, one can experience different climatic conditions; the weather ranges from subzero to 22 degrees centigrade. At the higher ridges, major vegetation is eucalyptus plants and on the sheltered gorges, one can witness rainforests. Blue Mountains became a part of UNESCO World Heritage list on November 2000. What is there for tourists at Blue Mountains? There are a number of tourist attractions like: 

• The Giant Staircase; this provide natural walk along the valley and passes very close to Three Sisters, the natural sandstone rock formation.
• Limestone caves called the Jenolan Caves.
• Toy museum
• Apple orchards at Shipley Plateau.
• The Zig Zag Railway

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10 Beautiful and Stunning Sea-Stack Formations

When talking about beautiful geological landforms stacks definitely hold an important place. Stacks are formed due to a variety of natural phenomena like wind, water and time; hydraulic actions during erosion play a vital role in the formation of sea stacks. They have steep and vertical columns of rock in the sea. These can be found very close to the coast of the sea. Stacks are a popular destination of rock climbing.

Ball’s Pyramid, Lord Howe Island, Australia

Ball's Pyramid, erosional remains of shield volcano and a caldera.

Ball’s Pyramid is in reality the erosional remains of a shield volcano and a caldera; caldera is created when a land collapses due to volcanic eruption. It got its name as it was discovered by Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball in the year 1788; it was he who discovered the Lord Howe Island around the same period. Ball’s Pyramid is 1,844 feet high and therefore the world’s tallest volcanic stack.

Old Man of Hoy, Orkney Islands, Scotland

Old Man of Hoy, A prominent landmark when ferrying from Thurso to Stromness

Old Man of Hoy is a 449 feet high red sandstone sea stack in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. This is a prominent landmark when ferrying from Thurso to Stromness. There were no indications of a sea stack in the maps drawn between 1600 and 1750; this leads to the belief that this was discovered 400 years back. This sea stack is in the verge of collapsing.

Old Man of Stoer, Sutherland, Scotland

Old Man of Stoer, a famous climbing route in Scotland

Old Man of Stoer is a 197 feet high sea stack close to the villages of Culkein and Stoer. Old Man of Stoer is famous for its climbing route; however, it is believed that it is very tough to climb when the weather is windy.

Lange Anna, Heligoland, Germany

Lange Anna, famous tourist attraction and a natural monument of Germany

Lange Anna is also called as Long Anna or Tall Anna; it is 154 feet high sea stack in the North Sea island of Heligoland in Germany. It is a point of tourist attraction in Germany; however, tourists are not allowed to climb the rock. Lange Anna in many ways resemble Old Man of Hoy sea stack of Scotland. Lange Anna was declared natural monument of Germany in the year 1969.

The Twelve Apostles, Victoria, Australia

The Twelve Apostles, a popular limestone sea stack tourist attraction

These are a group of Miocene limestone rocks with a height of 147 feet; these are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Australia. These were called as the Sow and Piglets until 1922; it was changed to The Twelve Apostles for tourism purposes even though there are only nine sea stacks. These rocks are in the verge of collapsing and already one stack collapsed on July 2005. Helicopter tours are arranged for tourists and are believed that nearly two million people visit this site.

Sugar Loaf, Mackinac Island, Michigan

Sugar Loaf, a place for ritual burials in the earlier periods and now a famous tourist attraction

Doesn’t the name sound yummy? Sugar Loaf is a sea stack in the Mackinac Islands and is 75 feet high and is believed to be the largest post-glacial erosion in the Straits of Mackinac. This consists of resistant limestone rock consisting of various broken mineral fragments. Why is it called Sugar Loaf? People who live near the frontier Great Lake loves maple sugar, which is packed in cone-shaped baskets; as the rock resembles this shape, the rock got its name as Sugar Loaf. In earlier periods, this area was used for ritual burials.

Ko Tapu, Phang Nga Bay, Thailand

Ko Tapu, became a popular tourist spot after featuring in a James Bond movie

One can witness the Ko Tapu sea stack in the Khao Phing Kan or ko Khao Phing Kan Islands of Thailand. These islands are popularly known as the James Bond islands after featuring in a James Bond movie.

Ko Tapu is a 66 feet high limestone rock; the diameter of this sea stack increases by 4 meters from 13 feet and by 8 meters from 26 feet. There is a local legend about Ko Tapu’s formation. It explains that a fisherman once didn’t get any fishes even after numerous attempts and got only one nail. It seems he kept throwing this nail and catching it and finally cut the nail into two halves as he was very furious that he was not able to catch a single fish. One half of this cut nail rooted itself and became the Ko Tapu sea stack. There is also a scientific theory explaining the formation of Ko Tapu which is the constant erosion.

Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick, Canada

Hopewell Rocks, on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean

Hopewell Rocks is known by various other names like “The Flowerpot Rocks” or “The Rocks.” This is a sandstone rock. You can find these sea stacks at the upper reaches of Bay of Fundy at Hopewell Cape. This area experiences a heavy tidal range and therefore the base of these rock formations get covered with water almost two times a day.

Old Harry Rocks, Dorset, England

A view of Old Harry from the north Studland Bay

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These are a set of two chalk sea stacks; chalk is a soft, porous and white sedimentary rock containing mineral calcite. One can get a spectacular view of these rocks from the Dorset division of South West Coastal Path. It is believed that earlier this was an arch formed due to erosion and in the long run, the arch collapsed to form two rocks. A research team headed by Dr. C.P. Buckle is trying to protect this rock as it is in the brink of collapsing.

The Needles, Isle of Wright, England

The Needles, featured as a natural wonder of Southern England in a TV programme.

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The Needles too are chalk sea stacks similar to the Old Harry Rocks; the only exception is that this is a set of three sea stacks unlike the Old Harry Rocks which is a set of two sea stacks. At the end of this sea stack is the lighthouse built in the year 1859. This was featured as a natural wonder of Southern England in a TV programme. There is small amusement park at the Needles Pleasure Park located at the top of the cliff. This is one of the most famous tourist attractions in the Isle of Wright region.

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Remarkable Roadside Animal Attractions around the World

Everyone of us love to see the popular tourist attractions when traveling to various travel destinations like Europe, Australia, Asia, America, etc. These popular visitor attractions may be monuments, museums, parks, beaches, and much more. Many travelers love visiting the countryside, but how many love visiting a strange yet different attraction on the roadside. Yes, know some of the most amazing work of art on the roadside, popularly known as the roadside attractions around the world. Know the roadside animal attractions (listed in alphabetical order) around the world.

1. American Bison, Jamestown, North Dakota

World's Largest Buffalo (Dakota Thunder), Jamestown, North Dakota

This tallest American Bison was built by Harold Newman, a businessman. This statue is 26 feet tall and 46 feet long. This statue was created mainly to attract visitors to Jamestown and I am sure they have succeeded.

This American Bison stands on the National Buffalo Museum and is one of the major roadside animal attractions around the world. Jamestown is nicknamed “The Buffalo City” after this giant American Bison structure; this structure itself has another name, which is Dakota Thunder.

2. Big Duck, Flanders, New York

The Big Duck, Flanders, New York

Farmer Martin Maurer created big Duck in Flanders as a part of advertising. He and his wife were looking for a best place to sell their ducks and duck eggs. I would have never thought of creating a structure like this to sell duck eggs…amazing creativity, am I right?

Big Duck, why called so? The size of this unusual structure is 18 feet wide, 30 feet long and 20 feet tall. Over the years, Big Duck has been shifted to a few places; however, it was first constructed at the busy street of Riverhead town in New Jersey between 1930 and 1931. Big Duck is a structure made of ferrocement, a combination of Portland cement and sand. This roadside attraction was listed in 2008 on the National Register of Historic Places.

The advertising campaign of Martin Maurer was a great success as people started to throng Big Duck not only due to its prime location, but also because of its unusual and remarkable structure.

3. Big Merino, Goulburn, New South Wales

World's Largest Sheep, Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia

Image source: Flickr

Big Merino is nicknamed “Rambo” by locals and has two shops in it; gift shop at first floor and wool display on the second floor. How big is Big Merino? It is 15 meter tall and is situated very close to the Hume Highway. This is one of the biggest roadside attractions in Australia. To get a clear view of the local area, you just have to climb to the top of the Big Merino and look through its eyes.

4. Big Sheep and Sheep Dog, Tirau, New Zealand

Big Sheep and Dog, Tirau, New Zealand

Image source: Flickr

Big Sheep and Sheep Dog is the information i-SITE Visitor Center of New Zealand and is a major roadside attraction. This is a large corrugated iron building; it is also called as the Big Dog Information Center.

This information center contains lots of mural paintings painted by Fred Luckman, a Tirau artist.

5. Dinosaur, Drumheller, Alberta

World's Largest Dinosaur, T-Rex

Image source: Flickr

This is the largest dinosaur in the world when it comes to roadside attractions and is actually a model of the dinosaur Tyrannosaurus Rex, or shortly T-Rex. This is made of fiberglass and is 25 m high and the length is 46 m. It is said that this structure is 4 times bigger than the size of an actual dinosaur.

There are 106 stairs in total, which the visitors can use to climb to reach the jaws (approximately 8 to 12 people can stand at the jaw at any given point of time) of the world’s largest dinosaur. From there, visitors can view the badlands; on the way to the top of the jaw, one can enjoy the mural paintings and fossils.

Hope you enjoyed these stunning animal roadside attractions across the world! Stay tuned for more roadside attractions.

References:

World’s Largest Dinosaur

Hampton Landmarks

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Australia

Find out travel destinations in Australia

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