10 places to visit before they disappear forever

There are a few places on Earth that may not be around in the next 100 years. It is sad, but true. Some of these places will be lost due to climate change, pollution, changes in the natural environment and changes in man made infrastructure. Science shows that these places will actually disappear for ever.

Below a list of places you have to visit in your Lifetime before they disappear forever.

1.   Dead Sea

The salty lake lies between Israel and Jordan and is 400 meters below sea level.  The tourist love to swim over the mineral-rich water. The tourist believes that water is beneficial for their health.

The water is draining up to 1 meter every year. Therefore, the time is near when the Dead Sea will be gone forever.

Plan a trip to The Dead Sea and enjoy the swim before it disappears forever.

2.   Belize Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef aligns the coast of Belize. It is very popular for snorkeling and diving and has a wide variety of sea life to experience. However, due to coral bleaching, a lot of coral life is dying. Some parts of the coral reef are finding hard to recover due to pollution and from hurricanes and natural disasters in the past.

In addition the rising temperature of the sea is wiping the world largest reef system. Which is killing the coral reef at an alarming rate.

There is no end time on when the Belize Barrier Reef will still be around (as ecosystems can still repair themselves), but try to plan a trip before it disappears.

3.   Maldives

Everyone wishes to enjoy the sunset in the Maldives. However, the reality is that the island is getting vulnerable to rising sea levels.

According to scientists, the island will be submerged in next the 100 years. So now is the best time to  visit Maldives and enjoy the sunshine.

4.   Taj Mahal

India’s famous Mughal building Taj Mahal is turning yellow. Air pollution is staining the white marble of Taj Mahal. The cleaners are using chemical-free scrub to restore 350-year old building. But the increasing air pollution still proves to be a challenge and still staining the building.

However, it is not too late to explore Taj Mahal. There is still a small window of opportunity to experience this wonderful piece of architecture in all its glory.

5.   The Great Wall of China

 The Great Wall of China is getting eroded brick by brick. The original wall was 2100 kilometers in length. Unfortunately, only 10 percent of the original wall is preserved.

Now is the time to visit the place before the wall is completely eroded.

6.   Cambodia

Cambodia is a place to visit before the land vanishes from your feet. The Cambodian government sold the natural resources to expand the landmass.

The sand industry has contaminated the villages and wildlife. It’s not too late to enjoy cheap food, parties and terrific temples like Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

7.   Venice

Italy floating city, Venice is gradually sinking into the Adriatic each year. The biggest risk of the town is flooding. A recent study states that the city will be fully underwater by 2100.

Pay a visit to the city before the city of canals turns into a real-life Atlantis.

8.   Great Pyramids of Giza

The Great pyramids of Giza might not survive in the 21st Century. The construction of restaurants, buildings and sand erosion are responsible for the gradual extinction of pyramids.

Visit the pyramids of Giza before they disappear or lose their original appearance.

9.   Patagonia

The second-largest ice field on the earth lies in Patagonia. The glaciers are melting due to global warming.

Make sure you visit before it’s too late.

10.   Vienna

The baroque architecture of Vienna is being slowly overtaken by rise of skyscrapers. The elegant and classic aesthetic of the city and the skyline is changing very rapidly.

If you want to still capture a sense of the Baroque age. Ensure you visit the historical city today to see the real beauty before it turns to any other artificial city.

Top 10 Tips for Travelling as a Vegan/Vegetarian

(1) Learn Useful Phrases

This tip is very important when you are travelling to countries where English is not the national language. You will have to learn some phrases such as ‘I do not eat meat, fish or cheese.’ 

Saying that you are vegan or vegetarian in the local language is not enough. In some cultures veganism and vegetarianism is still a new concept, so you will have to be extremely clear on your dietary requirements. Keep in mind that in some cultures, refusing to eat someone’s food can be seen as offensive. When requesting a vegan or vegetarian meal in the local language please be apologetic and polite and they will be happy to help you.

(2) Find Local Vegans

Before travelling to your destination, do your research on the Vegan and Vegetarian community in the country or city you are visiting. See if there are any events happening where you can meet other vegans that can further help you enjoy the local cuisine in the vegan/vegetarian way.

(3) Pack Your Emergency Food Stash

While you are out exploring, vegan and vegetarian snack options will not always be readily available. In response to this, we would suggest for you to carry around granola, dried fruits, or energy bars. So when you randomly get hungry you can quickly grab one of your snacks. In addition, always ensure you pack up a larger stash of vegan/vegetarian snacks in your luggage as back up.

Bonus Tip -

Pack a snack or two for the flight. Don’t rely on plane food, as they most likely will not have vegetarian or vegan options in their menu.

(4) Research Vegan Restaurants at Your Destination

Look up the vegetarian restaurants and cafés in your destination. There are apps/websites such as Happy Cow or Vegan Passport. These apps/websites give you a full comprehensive list of vegan restaurants in your destination.  In addition, the online platforms also have honest reviews, so this will give you a clearer idea of which restaurants to visit during your trip.

(5) Check Vegan/Vegetarian Options with Hotel

When booking accommodation remember to check to see if they provide any vegan/vegetarian options in their menu.

(6) Book Accommodation with a Kitchen

If you want to have more control over your vegan/vegetarian options. You can book apartments or hotels with kitchens. You can book this type of accommodation through AirBnB.

This will give you the opportunity to shop for your favourite ingredients and it will enable you to have more control over what you are eating. You can also pack some food for when you are going out.

Bonus Tip:- If you are going to be cooking often during your trip, you may want to book accommodation near a supermarket.

(7) Book a Vegan Friendly Hotel

Alternatively you can find vegan friendly accommodation if you want the full vegan/experience. In the hotel it is very likely that the guests will also be vegan so you will have a greater chance of meeting new people that will share advice, recommendations and tips during your trip.

(8) Be Clear and Ask for what you want

When you visit a restaurant. Please be aware that you do not have to order what is on the menu. The chef can create a vegan/vegetarian dish for you according to your request.  Please ensure that you are nice, respectful and polite and they will be happy to help you out.

(9) Eat Little Amounts Throughout the Day

Get used to eating small amounts throughout the day. Fruits, nuts, vegetables always take food with you. This will keep the hunger away and keep you satisfied.

(10) Get Involved In the Culture

Before booking your trip ensure that you research the all the national local vegan/vegetrarian dishes and make sure you try them all. See it as one big adventure and remember to fully enjoy the moment.

TOP 10 FESTIVAL HACKS

Festival season is upon us. Epic music festivals will be happening all over the World. In the spirit of that we decided to share with you our Top 10 Festival Hacks. See below. Enjoy! :-)

(1) Make your tent stand out

Make a huge flag to attach right next to your tent (it could be a huge beach towel attached to a nearby pole). Alternatively you can attach really bright balloons to your tent so you will be easily able to find your tent.  If you can’t be bothered with the extras, try and get a really colourful tent that helps you stand out from the crowd.

(2) Pick a spot

Try to get to the festival as early as you can so you can claim your spot. Make sure it is a spot that is on higher ground. This is to protect your tent and other stuff from getting flooded if it rains heavily. In addition, pick a spot close to something that is memorable so you and your friends can use that spot as a checkpoint just in case you lose each other in the crowds.

(3) Keep some emergency cash

Not all the shops and food stores in the festival grounds will accept credit cards, so just in case have some cash hidden in your phone case. This hack will also help you to avoid waiting for hours in a queue to use the cash machine.

(4) Bring a reusable water bottle

Bring a reusable water bottle. Bottled water can be so expensive at festivals and you are going to need water to stay hydrated. So to save some money bring a reusable water bottle so you can fill it up at the taps that will be available.  Also, remember that you will be on your feet a lot of the time so there will be times you will be hungry. As a quick solution, bring snack bars, nuts and bananas.

(5) Carry your Anti-Theft Backpack

Having your anti-theft backpack will always help in keeping your stuff safe from theft and loss while you are out and about enjoying the music and getting lost in the crowds.  This will be very useful for those that don’t want to leave certain important things behind in their tent.

(6) Toilets

The queues for festival toilets can be really long, so locate the nearest restaurants and cafes near to the festival and go there instead. Some of the local businesses nearby will have toilets. Due to the fact that you will have your festival wristband, you will be able to come and go as you please. This will give you the opportunity to use the toilet in a less crowded and cleaner environment.

(7) Use Airplane Mode

Setting your smartphone to airplane mode will help your battery save more energy, especially while you are using Snapchat and taking pictures. You will still be able to upload all your snaps and images to social media once you are connected to the Internet. Remember to save that battery energy.

Please Note: Don’t forget to bring a battery pack for your phone.

 (8) Carry a pillowcase

Carrying a pillow will take up too much space in your luggage.  You can simply make a pillow by stuffing a lot of your clothes into your pillowcase and…voila! You have a pillow.

(9) Carry a rubbish phone

By having a non-smartphone (that only calls and texts) you can use that phone as a back-up/emergency phone just in case your smartphone runs out of battery and you need to call your friends or home.

(10) Leave Early

Make sure you wake up really early so you can pack all your stuff and leave the location before it gets extremely crowded with everyone trying to leave. Try and make a swift escape.