The world isn’t actually shrinking of course, its mass stays relatively the same, solid objects can be burnt, changed into dust but the burnt gases are released into our atmosphere and I am reliably informed this always keeps the mass of the Earth the same.  Water can freeze changing from a liquid to a solid.  Iron ore can be extracted from the ground and made into a motor car, but the mass of the Earth stays the same.

I’m looking at the ever shrinking world in a figurative sense.  Air travel has opened up the world for ordinary working men and women to travel to almost every corner of the globe, from Peru to Iceland, you take your pick there is probably a package tour company that will fly there.  I love travel its only finances that are holding me back now.

From Britain you can fly to Australia in a day without the need to stop and re-fuel [Boeing 747-400].  You can have a cruise around the polar ice-caps on specially modified ice breakers, your camera at hand to take pictures of our dwindling wild life.
How about a Safari around the African wild life parks, from the comfort of an air-condition luxury jeep. Perhaps a helicopter ride over the Grand canyon? Then onto Las Vegas for 24 hr gambling.  The ultimate has to be viewing the Earth from the orbiting space station! [only for the very rich].

No the shrinking world I’m referring to is the slow break down of the differences between nations and the demise of local cultures within the various nations.  A few years ago I visited Tunisia on the North African coast, it was very hot and the beaches were gorgeous.  We decided we wouldn’t see much of the real Tunisia from the hotel, so we booked an excursion to an ancient local food market.  The brochure boasted of authentic stalls with locally produced meat and poultry as well as a huge fish market.

After an hours train ride we arrived at the market the guide told us to stick close to him and he would translate the local language for us and help us bargain for the best price on souvenirs’ etc.  The market had a huge surrounding wall made of sand stone and looked thousands of years old.  We passed a local stall and a chubby dark skinned man came running out in front of our group wearing a Manchester united football top!
He shouted out “You British very good, my stall Asda price, cheap as chips, cheaper than Tesco or Sainsbury’s”.