00:00There are nearly 200 countries in the world, and each of them has a set of laws that citizens must respect.
00:08Some of them are sometimes quite strange.
00:11For example, in some places in Greece, it is forbidden to wear heels, while in Samoa it is illegal to forget his wife's birthday.
00:19What if I told you that there is a place on Earth where there is absolutely no law, and that it is not a country, but an entire continent?
00:29Welcome to Antarctica! This is at least what I would tell you if you manage to raise your savings and spend at least $8,000 to get to the South Pole.
00:38Technically speaking, there is no law here, as I have already said.
00:43As it is not a country, there cannot be a law.
00:47The situation is not very different from those prevailing in the international waters.
00:51If Antarctica was governed by laws, it would mean that it is a sovereign territory run by one or more governments.
00:58Sorry to blow up the bubble of all the thirsty for power, but this continent is not for sale.
01:04Seven countries, namely Great Britain, New Zealand, France, Chile, Norway, Australia and Argentina, have territorial claims on Antarctica, and people are currently living there.
01:18How do things happen in Antarctica?
01:21Antarctica is a kind of no-man's land, and the world powers are well aware that it remains so.
01:27In fact, it is the international scientific community that governs Antarctica, since it is the one that works and operates on the continent.
01:35However, this cooperation would probably not have been possible without the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, which laid the foundations for the current operation.
01:45To be honest, this treaty in itself has little chance of arousing your interest.
01:50It essentially stipulates that Antarctica must remain neutral and contains some basic information on its territorial status.
01:56That's all.
01:57There is really nothing useful for an average traveler like you and me.
02:01In Rome, we act like Romans, don't we?
02:04Before going anywhere, it is good to know some things about your destination,
02:08such as the fact that in Singapore chewing gum can cause you serious trouble,
02:13or that in Tajikistan it is not really advisable for adults to wear shorts in public.
02:19So imagine that you have found the necessary money,
02:22that you have bought the thickest coat there is,
02:24and that you have finally ventured into this country.
02:27What should you know and what should you absolutely avoid doing?
02:31It all starts with the way you pack your bags.
02:34A great advice for all those who visit this continent is to adhere to the rule of no parasites in your bag.
02:41You must follow strict procedures to avoid the introduction of non-indigenous species into the environment.
02:48Most of these non-indigenous species are plant species,
02:51about 121 of which are mushrooms,
02:54but some individuals have managed to introduce 72 invertebrates, 8 mammals and 3 species of birds.
03:01There are even worms in Antarctica now.
03:04In fact, every time a new species arrives in Antarctica,
03:08it has every chance of becoming an invasive species if it survives at glacial temperatures.
03:14Invasive species often thrive in new environments because they do not have natural predators.
03:21Let's take the example of the arboricultural brown snake.
03:24These snakes were accidentally introduced to Guam at the end of the 1940s or early 1950s.
03:31In the absence of predators and due to the abundance of birds and rodents of which they are very frightening,
03:36their number has climbed sharply.
03:38They even caused the extinction of 9 of the 11 species of forest birds on the island.
03:44It is clear that the bad reputation of invasive species is well deserved,
03:49both for animals and for plants.
03:52To prevent the list of plants in Antarctica from extending, strict hygiene rules have been put in place.
03:58Everything you bring must be washed, decontaminated and inspected on a daily basis.
04:03For example, your velcro accessories are an excellent hideout for plants that seek to enter incognito into a country.
04:10We will therefore vacuum it to make sure that it does not contain seeds.
04:15Once there, prepare to accept a new idea of body hygiene.
04:20You cannot take a shower in Antarctica.
04:23No matter if you are there for a day or for 50, you simply cannot do it.
04:28There is no running water, so say hello to wet wipes and say goodbye to water chasers.
04:34Going to the toilet is not the best experience on this continent.
04:38Imagine that you are taking off your pants, stuffed them into a thick down jacket, and that you are sitting on a bucket.
04:45No ceramic throne for you here, you will only have a pot that will remind you of the time when you were a child.
04:51In this bucket, there is a plastic bag inside another plastic bag.
04:56Once the inner bag is filled with solid waste and toilet paper, you close it hermetically.
05:02Then you wrap the outer bag around it, and you close it too.
05:06The bucket is then covered with a plastic lid and shipped to New Zealand for elimination in the rules of the art of its content.
05:13Why New Zealand? I do not know.
05:16I know you are curious. I have only addressed the big commission yet.
05:21For the small commission, this is how it works.
05:24You collect your waste in 20-liter barrels.
05:27You will be happy to learn that this barrel will not be shipped to New Zealand, because it can be processed directly on site.
05:34Once you have finished, do not forget to wash your hands.
05:38And no, it's impossible my dear prince, you have to use a disinfectant.
05:43Now, if you want to drink, do not eat the snow.
05:46First of all, it is very protected.
05:49Then, it will only aggravate your thirst.
05:53Rumor has it that if you eat snow to quench your thirst, you risk dehydrating yourself.
05:59But it's more of a myth.
06:01However, the risk of hypothermia is very real.
06:05So, if you want to take a cup of tea and you need water, you should boil some ice.
06:11Do not worry, it is not perished simply because it has millions of years.
06:15Boiling it will do the trick.
06:17Besides, nothing goes wrong there.
06:20You do not even need a refrigerator to keep the freshness of the food.
06:24Scientists store their food outside.
06:27Because there is little chance that insects come to steal it.
06:31As far as the Antarctic fauna is concerned,
06:33it may be difficult for you as a tourist to see creatures in nature.
06:38But even if you do, resist the desire to feed them.
06:42It is forbidden to feed, touch or manipulate birds or seals.
06:46And do not approach them, do not photograph them in a way that disturbs their behavior.
06:51In addition, their stomach may not appreciate what you have to offer them.
06:56You also have to be very careful with lichens.
06:59When people imagine the Antarctic,
07:02they usually imagine snow at a loss of view with, from time to time, a little black rock underneath.
07:09But believe it or not, plants grow there.
07:12Different kinds of grass, moss and lichens.
07:15As these plants take a lot of time to grow,
07:18especially with 6 months of total darkness
07:20and temperatures that can go down to minus 20 degrees Celsius even in summer,
07:25you have to walk carefully.
07:27Stay on the snow and do not walk on the lichen.
07:30Because it is vital for the ecosystem of the Antarctic.
07:33Do not leave objects on the ground either.
07:36A rule prohibits it.
07:38Do not disturb biodiversity.
07:40Snow is as protected as lichen.
07:43It is forbidden to pick it up or make snow angels.
07:46Do not throw snowballs either.
07:49However, there is a small flaw in the law.
07:53There are small specific areas where you have the right to walk.
07:57You can break the rules
07:59if there is no mangrove colony within a radius of 20 km,
08:03in a place called Point Portal.
08:06Technically, when you find yourself in this place,
08:09you are in the United Kingdom.
08:11Point Portal is a narrow area
08:13located in the northeast part of the Reclus Peninsula,
08:16on the west coast of the land of Graham.
08:19And since we are talking about the delicate balance of the Antarctic,
08:22do not touch stones either.
08:24Do you remember the butterfly effect?
08:27A very small action can trigger a chain reaction.
08:30Everyone likes memories.
08:32But if everyone takes a stone,
08:34there will be no more.
08:36So, just a piece of advice.
08:38It is forbidden to take anything.
08:40Stone, feather, bone or even earth.
08:43And if you see an object made by man, do not touch it.
08:47It could be scientific material.
08:50If you find something cool, like a fossil,
08:53take a picture and note the place where you found it.
08:56Scientists will be delighted.
08:59And you will have a beautiful picture.
09:01Everyone wins.
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