Bucket List SOS

Most of us have our bucket lists ready and saved under the memo or to-do section of our smartphones. Then life happens, in all its madness and the bucketlist gets relegated to an obscure corner of our consciousness. Here’s a thought: this is no longer just about you. While you may be around for another 50 years, many of the places on your list won’t. Yes, Venice has been ‘sinking’ for decades and the Leaning Tower has been ‘about to fall’ for even longer, but some tourist magnets are truly on their last leg. Follow our factual proof that these holiday sites are indeed endangered, and book yourself a two-way ticket before it’s too late. We give you a list of treasures that deserve to be visited — now.

DEATH OF THE SEA

Still thinking of bobbing like a cork in the Dead Sea one day? Or taking care of those stubborn zits with the magic properties of its waters? You’d better hurry up before the Dead Sea dries up and you’re left with regret and unrealised plans. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on the planet, about 425 meters below sea level. Scientific evidence proves that about 120,000 years ago, the sea almost evaporated, but was revived by the return of fresh water. This time around however, all the fresh water tributaries have been drained by the surrounding pop- ulation, making the threat a permanent one. More recently, the surface of the sea has dropped by more than 10 meters since 1997, and as the water shrinks, underground layers of salt have dissolved, leading to the formation of sinkholes. Posing an additional danger, these sinkholes damage roads and threaten human life. Presently, there are more than 2,500 sinkholes lining the shores, most of which have cropped up in the last ten years. Deterioration is taking place at an alarming rate, and one more drought could mean the end of the Dead Sea.

MALDIVES UNDER WATER

For years now, the Maldives has been a favourite on the list of dream destinations, owing to its promise of privacy, stunning natural beauty and picture perfect white sands surrounded by the deepest blue water. The development of luxury properties has made it one of the top luxury tourist destinations in the world. Unfortunately, it is also the world’s lowest nation, with 80 per cent of its 1,200 islands perched no higher than 1m above sea level. The threat of flooding and submersion is so acute, that within 100 years the Maldives could become uninhabitable. In addition, almost 90 per cent of the island’s coral reefs have already been corroded by bleaching. A more grave situation could be the effect of another tidal wave, which would make the threat more immediate. In 2008, the President of the Maldives announced that the government was to start buying land in other countries, including India, which would serve as a replacement for residents who would be displaced. Described by many as heaven on earth, this island nation is the sparkling gem of the Indian Ocean, one not to be missed.

THE DISAPPEARING REEF

The only earthly body visible from the moon is Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. But while flying to the moon has become a reality, the reef is nearing its end. Climate change is causing water temperatures and acidic levels to rise to a fatal high which will inevitably corrode the 344,400 square kilometres of coral reef, leading to its demise. Environmentalists around the world have given the Barrier Reef another two decades at the most, so it’s time you head Down Under to take a swim along the coral and discover the thousands of fish species housed within its cavernous body.

VENICE FLOUNDERS

You really should pay heed to the rumours about Venice. A report by archaeologist Albert Ammerman in 2007 showed that Venice would sink faster than we thought. The city is built on lowlying islands, mud piles and stilts, and in the past 1,000 years, it has sunk at the rate of seven centimetres per century, and subsided 24cm in the past 100 years alone. Who’s to blame? Rampant construction, mass tourism and environmental neglect. And if you’re still not convinced, consider this: flooding from high tides in the Adriatic Sea occurs 80 days of the year in areas which attract millions of tourists. The stagnant floods further damage structures that are already fragile. Construction, dredging, and hordes of tourists only compound the problem. Even the multi-billion dollar flood barrier being built by the Italians is just a short-term measure to delay the inevitable. Head there before it’s gone.