The Augrabies Falls South Africa

The Augrabies Waterfall is possibly the most impressive thing you’ll see anywhere out there. The Augrabies Falls is an eye-catching waterfall on the Orange River, South Africa, within the Augrabies Falls National Park. The waterfalls are about 60m in height. Augrabies Falls is definitely among the major large-river waterfalls in the world. Among the Waterfalls of the World this is such a great waterfall, because the volume of the Orange River varies so greatly between the wet season and the rest of the year, and ultimately because it is so hard to appreciate the falls from the ground, Augrabies Falls can't be considered more than a second-tier world class waterfall. 

The locals Khoikhoi residents named the waterfall "Ankoerebis" which translate into means is "place of big noises" from which the Trek Boers, who settled here later on, derived the name, "Augrabies". The waterfalls have recorded 7,800 cubic metres of water every second in floods in 1988 and 6,800 cubic metres in the floods of 2006. This is more than three times the average high season flow rate of Niagara Falls of 2,400 cubic metres per second, over four times Niagara's annual average, and greater than Niagara's all-time record of 6,800 cubic metres per second. The gorge at the Augrabies Falls is 240 m deep and 18 km long, and is an impressive example of granite erosion. Well if you’re planning to visit South African then the nest time to visit begin from February to September. The waterfall is at its fullest in April. However from December to March is extremely hot, but the falls are lit up from 8 pm – 10 pm at night so you can visit after dark when it’s cooler. Source: CP

Mysterious Frozen Crater in Northern Siberia

These superb images have released by the Russian Centre of Arctic Exploration capture the poignant beauty of a mysterious crater that made in recent times on the Yamal Peninsula in northern Siberia. The photographs were taken during an expedition to the gigantic hole in an icy area that locals call “The End of the World," where a team of researchers used climbing equipment to reach the sunken base of the crater for the first time.

The researchers waited until winter to descend since the hardened ground made it easier to scale 16.5 meters down the funnel of the crater. Moreover at the bottom, the experts examined the frozen surface of a lake at least 10.5 meters deep. They used probes and other tools to make measurements and record data, which need to be processed before any conclusions can reach.

Vladimir Pushkarev says, (Director of the Russian Centre of Arctic Exploration and the leader of the mission) it is too early to verify or deny theories on the crater's formation, including one proposal that climate change caused unfamiliar heat on the surface and below, leading to a release of gas hydrates and a colossal eruption. Likewise, Vladimir Pushkarev is wary of drawing conclusions comparing the crater to the eruptions beneath the Atlantic Ocean that caused the Bermuda Triangle phenomenon. In his words, "As of now we don't see anything treacherous in the sudden appearance of such holes, but we have got to find them accurately to make absolutely sure we understand the nature of their appearance and don't need to be afraid about them.

Lochnagar Crater Somme in France

It is really astonishing that how much the humanity can alter the face of the earth. Not only can it create massive craters, which seems a crater from meteors, they leave a great impact that it can be seen from space. However this crater, caused by a huge explosion on 1 July 1916, looks extremely large, being 90 feet deep and 300 feet across; it is nowhere large enough to be viewed for space even. A widespread misconception is that the Great Wall of China can be seen from space. In reality, though, it is impossible. Not only is it of the same color as the earth near it, it is also not that wide. Deforestation, on the other hand, can be visibly seen from space. Moreover at night, all the lights that the large cities produce are also very visible.

The Lochnagar mine crater in the 1916 Somme battlefields in France is actually largest man-made mine crater made in the First World War on the Western Front. It was laid by the British Army's 179th Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers underneath a German strongpoint often called “Schwaben Höhe”. The mine was exploded two minutes before 07.30 am Zero Hour at the launch of the British offensive against the German lines on the morning of 1st July 1916.

There’re number of memorials at the site of the crater, as well as memorial seat. Therefore an annual ceremony takes place every year at a wooden cross at the crater on 1 July to commemorate the first day of the Somme offensive. So, it is a popular place in Western front because crater receives around 75,000 visitors a year. The crater itself was caused by two charges of ammonal, of 24,000lb and 30,000lb. Moreover debris from the explosion rose some 4,000ft into the air.

 

Source: Charismatic Planet

South Coast of Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan south coast is one of most beautiful places in Asia; the region's has stunning diverse attractions make it one of Sri Lanka's most rewarding areas to visit. Gateway to the south and one of its highlights is the atmospheric old port of Galle, Sri Lanka's best-preserved colonial town; though beyond Galle stretch a string of picturesque beaches in the world, including Unawatuna, Weligama, Mirissa and Tangalla. Moreover nearby, the little-visited town of Matara, with its picturesque Dutch fort, provides a further taste of Sri Lanka's colonial past, while ancient Tissamaharama makes a good base from which to visit two of the country's finest national parks: the placid lagoons and birdlife-rich wetlands of Bundala, and Yala, famous for its elephants and leopards. Beyond Tissamaharama lies the fascinating religious center of Kataragama, whose various shrines are held sacred by Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims alike.