Travel Wish list - top 10 part 1

In my life so far, I have visited 17 countries, 13 of which are in Europe and many I have only stepped foot in for a day or less. Of course, many of you wouldn't even count the countries of the United Kingdom separately, as I have done. Even so, when I counted these up I was surprised I got as many as 17, as I've only recently started traveling further afield and outside of a family holiday scenario. However, now I realise how much more there is to see and experience, so I've listed my top 10 wish list destinations. Here are the first five:

1. The wildlife and scenery of Madagascar

Image by Chris Gin from Auckland, New Zealand, sourced from Wikipedia Commons

The more I learn about Madagascar, the more I want to visit the country. Over 90% of its species are endemic, including 5 plant families, 4 families of birds, 2 fish families, fossas and, of course, Madagascar's unique primates, lemurs. The wildlife of Madagascar is so unique because it has been isolated for such a long amount of time. This means that species have evolved in their own way and have been subject to different selection pressures. Islands are particularly vulnerable to invasion, as the island inhabitants have not adapted to cope with new species or diseases that may arrive.
The other aspect that draws me to Madagascar, is it's varied habitat types. Madagascar's unique geography and topography means that it's habitats range from rainforest, mountains with giant granite outcrops, vast plains dominated by the bulging trunks of baobab trees to deep, clear bays.
One last major plus side... there are no venomous snakes - phew!

2. The art of Barcelona

Image by Baikonur, sources from Wikipedia commons

A bit closer to home, I'm really keen to see all the colours and sparkles of Barcelona. Signs of Gaudi's architecture and design are everywhere - I'm particularly keen to see the mosaics of Parc Guell. Also on my 'to-do' list is to see the medieval buildings of the Gothic Quarter, Casa Battlo and of course, the classic Spanish past time of soaking up the sun and people-watching in town squares.

3. The culture of India
India is always portrayed as a vibrant and bustling place, with a very different culture to both the Western world and the Far East. I know it's almost embarrassingly touristy but I couldn't miss the chance to see the Taj Mahal and it's unique architecture. I'd also love to taste a real Indian curry, washed down with some chai, from a nation that loves tea as much as we do! I'd also take a trip to the Ganges, a very sacred river to Hindus and watch some traditional dancing. Being the biology nerd I am, how could I not finish with a nature tour of some kind. India is a very diverse place, although of course most wildlife spotters are out to see the tiger, whilst it still survives in the wild. India is a very biodiverse country, home to many other unique species, including the lion-tailed macaque and many birds and rodents. Hopefully I'd get to pass through a Jungle-Book-esq abandoned city in the forest on my way...

By Yann (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

4. The Islands of Thailand

Ao Maya (Ko Phi Phi Lee) By Vincent (own work) 29/03/2010, via Wikimedia Commons

 Who wouldn't want to go somewhere that looks like this? The soaring green cliffs, white sands and clear seas seem to resemble a primeval paradise. Of course, Thailand is steeped in a bright and fascinating culture too. I'd love to see the elaborate Buddhist temples and stupas and learn a bit more about the life and history of the locals. With a stomach like mine I'd been keen to taste some local flavours as well, from a real Thai curry to fried insects! Of course there's a lot of fascinating nature attractions, including scenery of mountains and volcanoes. I might even go all gap yah and wash a few elephants!

5. The Great Barrier Reef

By Richard Ling (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

The great barrier reef is a must-see destination for biology lovers. It is a world heritage site and one of the seven wonders of the natural world. Even David Attenborough has claimed it to be his favourite place (except his home - aww). Coral reefs are beautiful, diverse and intricate systems, so if I'm going to visit one, why not aim for the largest? If I'm lucky, a big bonus for me would be to see turtles swimming, rather than laying on land, and maybe a shark! Of course the abundance of bright fish and other crazy animals would be more than enough to satisfy me. Whilst I'm down under, I'd take the chance to check out Australasia's other unique, pouch-bearing, wildlife. I'd love to see kangaroos racing over the plains, cuddle a koala and maybe hear the lonesome cry of a thylacine...