Peru, Quelccaya Ice-Cap

Peru, my favourite country to travel, is a jewel with authentic Quecha culture. I love Peru for its landscape and historical culture embedded in the people daily life. The appreciation of their own culture, the Pachamama, over the colonialism shows that the Quecha is every bit of their genuine personality.

In the context of 100 Places To Remember Before They Disappear, the Quelccaya Ice-Cap is in the edge of a full melt-down. Quelccaya Ice-Cap is the largest equatorial ice field, consists of 44KM wide.  Majority of the Peruvian depends on this ice-cap for their water resources - agriculture, hydor-power and consumption.

The Quelccaya Ice-Cap has reduced 20% in size since the 70s', it can no longer assume to be a permanent water resources solution.  It is estimated that the ice cap will fully disappear in 30-50 years in time with the present rate of global warming.

Video Clip from 100 Places To Remember Before They Disappear on

Quelccaya Ice-Cap in Peru

Malaysia, Bajau of the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea

So near, but yet it feels so far.  I born and grown up in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia which consists part of the Borneo Island.  My town faces the Sulu Sea and adjacent to the Celebes Sea which is sometimes called the Sulawesi Sea.

Since young age, I had been out to the sea a lot with some of the local islanders as my father owned a couple of fishing boats.  They as the fishermen and the fish morgers, live along the coast of the islands across from Sandakan town.  I am no stranger to them and their culture as I spent almost every single Hari Raya at these islands.  The people who live here are truely the people of the sea.  Their kids we met growing up, knowing how to dive without equipment.  Yes, they need no bull-shit diving stuff.  They just dip in all the way to the sea floor.  They are the Bajau, the sea gypsy of the world.

In many way, the sea is the home of the Bajau people.  They live on the sea at all time. They can dive, without anything, upto 30M to the sea floor for upto 5 minutes.

Documentary from BBC on the Bajau

for the episod Ocean in a series called Human Planet

In the context of 100 Places To Remember Before They Disappear, the Bajau life and culture will be disappeared as they are migrating their live to the land.  Now, life is getting tougher on the sea for the remaining 10% of these sea gypsies for climatic reason. Global warming has raised the temperature and the sea level of the Sulu-Sulewasi Sea. With the raising of sea water acidic level, the coral reef is dying causing the disappearing of fish, seaweed, sea cucumber and other food sources on the sea floor in which the Bajau people depends on.

Video Clip from 100 Places To Remember Before They Disappear on 

Bajau of the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea

Madagascar, Mahajamba Bay

The first on my list to talk about is Madagascar. The reason is I always wanted to go to Madagascar. But to reach Madagascar, it is even harder than Ushuaia - not just in term of the cost, but also in term of the travelling.

In the context of 100 Places To Remember Before They Disappear, the Mahajamba Bay in Madagascar will be disappeared due to the raise of sea level from global warming.

Video Clip from 100 Places To Remember Before They Disappear on Mahajamba Bay in Madagascar

In fact, we already know there will be more to disappear on Madagascar than just Mahajamba Bay. As a group of scientists is working hard to fight with time, Story Teller Media has documented their works in a series called Before It's Too Late.

Documentary from Story Teller Media on Madagascar in a series called

Before It's Too Late

100 Places To Remember Before They Disappear

As more and more I write in my travel blog Sepilok Fui, the feeling of writing this subject becomes so intense. The feeling as when I start researching into a places I want to visit and knowing a place will be disappeared on earth is astonishing.

A person who loves travel will not be able to think of the feeling that some places will be disappeared on earth someday.  And that somedays have already started. So, how much longer we, human on earth, have for all these places are not very long.  There is no sign as such we are able to turn back the clock till the present moment

A dedication to a group of Dannish who has started the awareness on 100 Places To Remember Before They Disappear.

 Video Clip from 100 Places To Remember Before They Disappear in the exhibition day.

What or Who need to be saved

The thought comes many years ago, and the voice has been at the back of my mind these couple days again!

The question is what is left of us if;

First, we remove the humanity.

Second, we remove the integrity.

Third, we remove the ethic.

Forth, we remove the principle.

Fifth, we remove the values.

The answer seems quite clear! But how many of us are actually acknowledging it.

Every day, I see greed, power, big house, big car, wastage of world resources. What are we thinking? The world resources will not be diminished to non-existence.

The worst example - shopping for more and more shoes and bags.

Many out there are screaming - Save the World!

I think it is Us, the human race, need to be saved!  The World has been around for billion of years and it will be just fine.

So, before we shout like a hypocrite, look at ourselves deeply!

Broga Hill, Malaysia - Sep, 2010.