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.

Avoiding pickpockets on the Mexico Subway

In order to fully explore the huge dimensions of Mexico City, one must use public transport. Here are a few tips to avoid your trip being ruined by pickpockets in such a busy city.

1)     Avoid travelling on a very congested metro especially at peak times as pickpockets take advantage of the closeness to people’s belongings. Over crowded transport is where an anti theft bag comes in necessary.

2)     Do NOT keep any wallets, phones or money in your front or back pockets as they are easily accessible. Keep your belongings in a safe bag, kept close to you.

3)     Unless an anti theft bag, wear your bag in front rather on the back in order to avoid anyone opening and stealing your belongings.

4)     Have a lock on the zips in order to be extra secure and avoid anyone attempting to open your bag.

5)     Carry as little as possible, i.e the essentials. It is unnecessary to carry all your cash on you, especially in a city where not a lot of money is necessary in order to get around.

Nicole Fernandez

The Ultimate Guide To Prevent Pickpocketing

Travel is a beautiful thing and exploring other countries is a wonderful way to open our eyes and learn about the World in a fun and exciting way. In addition to enjoying the sights and immersing yourself in culture it is really important to make sure your stuff stays safe from pickpockets. Pickpocketing is a major petty crime that affects people across the world, particularly tourists. Pickpockets ruin people’s holidays so to help out we put together an Ultimate Guide on how to protect yourself from pickpockets. All the tips are below. Happy Travelling. Enjoy!

(1) Stay vigilant in crowds and stay away from commotions

Whenever there is any type of commotion or a sudden surge of crowds, BE ALERT as it is the perfect situation for pickpockets to create a distraction for their target. It can happen very quickly, so make sure you keep an eye on your belongings.

(2) Spread your valuables instead of keeping them in once place

Put your money, valuables and important documents in different compartments and pockets. This is so it decreases the chance of all your valuables being taken away at once.

(3) Watch your bags and luggage on trains

Keep a close eye and hold onto your bags and luggage on the train/bus. Also check they are not accessible through open windows or train/bus doors because thieves will reach through and grab items as quickly as they can.

(4) Avoid rummaging through your wallet or counting money in public

This is important, so you don’t make yourself more visible to be targeted by pickpockets. If you feel you need to count your money and sort out stuff in your wallet or bag, make sure to do it in the safety of your hotel room.

(5) Keep purses/backpacks strapped tightly to your body

Tighten the straps of your bag to your shoulders or arms, this will ensure extra safety with your possessions as it will be easier to detect any tampering and it will be harder for thieves to snatch your bag away.

(6) Secure your bag to an immovable object 

When you are at a restaurant or cafe, loop your bag’s strap around the leg of your chair, the leg of your table or your leg. This ensures that thieves can’t come by and quickly snatch your bag. 

(7) Keep your phone off the table

Smartphones and tablets are very popular for pickpockets to steal. Many people leave their devices on the table while they’re socialising and eating, which makes it easy for a thief to snatch it and run away.

(8) Limit what you carry

When sightseeing you do not have to carry a lot of stuff. It is advised to not carry a lot of cash or valuables on you at any given time during your vacation. It will be much safer leaving it in your hotel room.

(9) If you have a heavy coat you are at more risk

BE AWARE because it will be a lot easier for a thief to insert his or her hand in your pocket without you feeling anything. In order to increase protection of your stuff, make sure you put your things inside hidden pockets and compartments. This is very useful for tourists that will be travelling to colder destinations.

(10) Put both hands in your pockets when in highly crowded areas

Keep your hands covering critical pockets such as your front pockets when in crowds to prevent external access to your contents such as wallets, cash or ID.

(11) Don't carry your wallet or smartphone in your back pocket

By putting your wallet or smartphone in your back pocket, it leaves you open to be an easy target for pickpockets. Keep these high valued items concealed and out of sight completely.

(12) Be wary of any strangers approaching you

Ignore beggars and random individuals that approach you. It is more than likely they know you are a tourist and their approach will create a smokescreen leaving you vulnerable to being a victim. Please be aware that pickpockets can sometimes work in twos or threes against a target. So if you are approached, please ignore them and keep going.

(13) Leave your passport at the hotel

Your passport is the single most important document you will carry on your vacation, so if you don’t need to carry it everywhere with you, just leave it in your hotel room.

Just for extra pre-caution, you can create photocopies of your passport and keep them in various bags and pockets.

(14) Keep your hands in your pockets when walking through large crowds.

Putting your hands in your pockets when you are walking through large crowds creates a blockage to prevent any pickpockets from slipping their hands into your pockets to take your small valuable items.

(15) Do not speak with anyone while using the ATM/Cash machine

While withdrawing cash do not accept anyone's help in making a withdrawal. Whilst typing in your PIN number cover the keypad with your free hand so the PIN cannot be viewed. Also, watch out for an extra card reader at the front of the machine or where you swipe your card. These card readers are called skimmers and can capture the information from your credit card if you swipe or insert it. In order to ensure safety, go to a bank and withdraw cash from the check-in section or get assistance from the bank employee.

(16) Carry your theft-proof bag

Pickpockets like to target people that clearly look and dress like tourists. One of the telltale signs that make a tourist a target is when they wear their backpack on their front. That lets pickpockets know that you are a tourist and you are unfamiliar with your current environment. In order to avoid this, you should get a theft-proof bag that has hidden anti-theft zips that enables you to wear your backpack on your back without worrying about being a victim of pickpocketing. The bags are also made of strong sturdy material that prevents slashing. Here is the link http://www.highspiritbags.com/shop

(17) Final Tip

Most people assume pickpockets are dodgy looking men, but a large number of pickpockets are actually young girls and boys — usually around 10-18 years old. Most tourists don’t suspect that a young child would steal from them, so they’re less defensive around them. Sometimes, pickpockets are well dressed and you’d never expect them to be thieves. So as you are enjoying your holiday, just try to stay vigilant and aware and you will be totally fine.