It’s freezing-cold, snows almost every day, there are very few people there… How does one apply to be sent to Antarctica, or how the cool kids call it – “White Mars”? It’s an amazing place to conduct all sorts of experiments. Take Concordia for example. It’s a research base built in 2005, that has over 50 people living there. The life is tough out here, but aside from low oxygen, sub-optimal temperatures and wacky day-night cycles, it’s not all bad, or maybe I’m wrong.

Here are 6 cool facts about living in Antarctica!

1. Is there a Wallmart around?

If you look at the map, you’d see that the closest store near Concordia would be 2500 miles away, and it takes the scientists around 10 days to get from the station to the nearest civilization. But don’t worry, they get a steady supply of meat, fish, fruits, and veggies, so they’re probably eating better than any one of you.

2. It’s like a big odorless freezer

On average temp. in Antarctica is −58°F (-50 C), with the lowest being −110°F (-79 C). What this means is that the bacteria that usually emit odor can’t survive in such harsh environment, making the air outside the base the cleanest you’ll ever sniff. Too bad that the oxygen level is very low, and just to go take a breath of fresh arctic air, you’d need to spend 30 minutes putting all the gear on.

There are very few foods that are ubiquitous to all (or at least many) world cuisines. There’s different rice-based plates, different sandwiches, and different variations of pizzas. There’s also a very wide range of amazing hotdogs being made around the world. Nearly everywhere, hotdogs are a staple “street food”. Here are the 11 best hot dogs from around the world to keep in mind for the next time you plan a trip abroad.
 
 
Venezuela — Perro or The Asquerosito
This hotdog from Venezuela might seem like your basic “hotdog with everything”. But looks can be deceiving. Even though the base of the hotdog consists of typical boiled sausage, carrot, diced onions, and crispy potato sticks, it’s the sauce that makes these special. Beyond the classics like ketchup and mayo you can also choose to go for a sweet corn sauce, barbecue sauce, or the Venezuelan special — Alemana.

 
Mexico — “Jochos” or “Dogos”
You know what makes absolutely anything better? Bacon. These Mexican hotdogs (appropriately named Jochos or “Dogos”) come with sausages that are wrapped in bacon and then grilled. They often come with onions and tomatoes, plus some chiles and beans to really double down on the food groups that make a dish “Mexican”.

 

 
France — The French “Hot Dog”
The go-to hotdog type of gas stations worldwide, the French Hotdog is special because it comes with a sausage that’s inside a baguette, in a cavity of scooped out bread, and with a crispy crust. To make your French Hot Dog extra French — add some delicious melted Gruyére cheese (because, like the Mexican hotdog above — you have to double down on the stereotypes).

 
South Korea — 핫도그
Hands down, these hotdogs are my favorite on the list. They come in a “corndog” shape that is familiar to many Americans. The sausage is coated with delicious breading, deep fried, and then served with ketchup and mustard.

Sure, there are already hundreds of places that you probably want to visit. There’s the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Big Ben in London (temporarily closed for reconstruction), the canals of Amsterdam, the Taj Mahal in Agra, etc. There’s already so many places and so little time. However, if you really want to go to somewhere that’s a little more special, here are 10 of the most extraordinary places to visit around the world.

Chernobyl, Ukraine
After the nuclear disaster that happened in Chernobyl, the town was evacuated and nobody (almost nobody) has lived there ever since. You can see apartments, schools, and playgrounds that have been left, untouched, for decades. Now, of course, there have been instances of tour agencies placing “props” in abandoned buildings for effect, so be careful when choosing your tour guide to make sure you get a genuine tour and get to see how things really are. And don’t worry — it’s perfectly safe. The amount of radiation in the air in Chernobyl should not cause you any harm. It is safe to stay in the area for up to a week without causing any major damage to your body.

Tomb of the Qin Shi Huang, China
This place will give anyone goosebumps. It’s so big and majestic. It took over 38 years to be completed. It is huge. And the Terracota Warriors (pictured above) are just a part of the site, which has actually not been fully excavated yet. There are over seven thousand warriors, each different from the other.

Kawaii Monster Cafe, Tokyo
While not nearly as historical as the Tomb of the Qin Shi or as creepy as Chernobyl, the Kawaii Monster Cafe will definitely be an extremely memorable stop on your trip to Tokyo. It is incredibly bright, incredibly colorful, and has delicious cakes and sodas. Each dish you order comes with some special decorative (and often edible) element that adds color to the dish. This makes absolutely everything in the Kawaii Monster Cafe become either figuratively or literally “eye candy”.

Hobbit Village, New Zealand
You’ve seen Lord of the Rings. You’ve seen the Hobbit. You know that the tiny hobbit creatures lived in tiny homes inside hillsides. But what if you could magically be transported into their little Hobbit Village? Well, you can! The actual homes that were built for the set of the Lord of the Rings movies are still there, and you can experience what it’s like to be a hobbit on your own! And, unlike the Harry Potter tours — the homes are absolutely genuine and can be lived in!