Your Very Own Red Hot Amazing Race Quiz

Answer: Queensland

The Great Barrier Reef, located in the Coral Sea along the coast of Queensland, is the largest reef system in the world. It stretches from Cape York in the north to Bundaberg in the south, a distance of 2300 km (1430 mi). The reef system is made up of 3000 individual reefs as well as several hundred coral cays and islands. A vast and diverse collection of marine life inhabit the reefs. These include corals (more than 400 kinds), rays, dolphins, some 1500 species of fish, sharks, molluscs, and the list goes on. Several species of turtles also breed on the reefs. Apart from marine animals, land creatures such as crocodiles and seabirds can also be found on the reefs and islands. Universally acknowledged as a wonder of the natural world, a large area of the Great Barrier reef has been gazetted as a marine park to protect it from damaging human activities.

This question was written by Phoenix Rising team members 1nn1 and purelyqing.

Answer: Uluru

Almost all of Australia's rivers have their headwaters in the range, including the Murray River, the longest in the country. The range runs from the tip of Queensland, to the western part of Victoria, and is the fourth-longest in the world. Mt Kosciuszko is the highest point of Australia and is located in the southern part of New South Wales. The Three Sisters are a very popular rock formation in Katoomba, only a short drive from Sydney, and The Grampians is a large National Park at the western end of the Range, in mid-west Victoria.
Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock, is a stand-alone monolith in the centre of Australia, and a long way from any mountain range.

This question was scaled and conquered by Phoenix Rising team member ozzz2002.

Answer: It was hit by an atomic bomb

Hiroshima was bombed as one of the final acts of World War II. Over 70% of the buildings were totally destroyed. When the Japanese city was rebuilt, it introduced wide avenues and many graceful bridges crossing the six rivers. One bridge is Y shaped and it is possible to turn right or left in the middle of the bridge. There is a peace park and museum in the centre of the town near the preserved bombed out schoolhouse as a reminder of the city's past.

This question was contributed by 1nn1 whose favourite city in the world is Hiroshima.

Answer: Petronas Twin Towers

Construction of the Petronas Twin Towers was completed in 1998. At 451.9 m (1483 ft), they surpassed Sears Tower (now Willis Tower; 442.1 m, 1450 ft) as the tallest building in the world. That title passed to Taipei 101 (508 m, 1667 ft) when it was built in 2004. As of 2018, the tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa at 828 m (2717 ft).

The Petronas Twin Towers is located in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. There is a posh shopping centre at the feet of the towers while various companies occupy the office spaces in both towers. A double decker skybridge links both towers at the 41st and 42nd floors. Lifts are also double decked so two floors can be served at one time.

Phoenix Rising team member purelyqing scraped the sky with this question.

Answer: Palestine

It is unusual to say that a whole city is a landmark. However, as the place in which Jesus was (reportedly) born, it becomes such a significant place of reverence within the Christian faith. This also makes it a major tourist drawcard and, tourism is the major creator of income for the city. The Gospels of both Matthew and Luke describe Bethlehem as Jesus' birthplace.

This question was created by Phoenix Rising team member pollucci19 who alleges that his surname is the same as one of the Wise Men.

Answer: Table Mountain

Table Mountain is easily the most iconic landmark of South Africa. It is a popular tourist attraction and offers magnificent views and a remarkably rich biodiversity.

The New 7 Wonders of the World campaign conducted a global poll between 2007 and 2011 to create a list of seven natural wonders. After more than 100 million votes, the final selections included the Amazon Rainforest and River, Halong Bay, Jeju Island, Iguazu Falls, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Komodo Island, and Table Mountain.

This question was put on the table by Phoenix Rising member JCSon, who, returning to his native land for a visit, stood atop the plateau for the first time in 2011.

Answer: Gherkin

The Gherkin, or more correctly 30 St Mary Axe, is used mostly for offices and residences. The lens at the top of the building has curved glass and acts as a type of observation deck; but all other panels are flat. It is constructed with light wells to allow natural light in all areas, even behind the darker glass panels. It's a great vantage point for New Year's Eve fireworks!

Gari is a pickled ginger that is often eaten with sushi, while sauerkraut is pickled cabbage. Piccalilli is a relish of vegetables and spices, and gherkins, of course, are pickled cucumbers.

This question was preserved by Phoenix Rising member Vegemite Kid.

Answer: Boston

Renamed Boston by its Puritan settlers in 1630, it was called Shawmut by the Algonquin. Boston was originally more like an island - an 800-acre parcel surrounded by water and connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Eventually, much of its nearby mountains was excavated and used to fill in the bays, increasing the size of Boston many times over. It is home to the US's first public school, first public park and first lighthouse.

This question was incorporated into the quiz by Phoenix Rising team member Mike32768

Answer: Charles Lindbergh's first solo, non-stop transatlantic flight

Charles Lindbergh's historic transatlantic flight in 1927 was undertaken from Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York. Cape Canaveral is part of an area known as the Space Coast that also includes the Kennedy Space Center. The site was frequently used for missions during the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab programs. In 1963 the area was renamed Cape Kennedy in honor of the president who was tragically assassinated just six days after his final visit to Cape Canaveral. However, in 1973 the name of Cape Canaveral was restored due to public demand.

Answer: Arizona

Although it is the Colorado River that runs through the Grand Canyon, the canyon actually lies in the state of Arizona. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (466 km) long and 18 miles (29 km) wide at its widest point. It also reaches a depth of over 1 mile down (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters).

As a native Arizonan I have been fortunate to visit the canyon numerous times over my life. At age 7 I hiked it rim to rim with my father, brother, and uncle. In my teens I hiked part of the canyon called the Havasupai Trail to Havasupai Falls. They are some of the most spectacular falls in the the Grand Canyon. In my early 20s I rafted from the bottom of the canyon out on a week long trip. The beauty of the area never gets old.

Creating this question brought back fond memories for Phoenix Rising member tazman6619.