About The Country Club

The Country Club exists to divert its members by recording and comparing members’ travels. There are 195 UN Member States/Official Observor, and we are trying to visit them all. Check our progress on the Club Ladder, to the right, or by clicking the link for the List of Countries Visited below that. Curious how we count? Click The Country Club By-Laws link.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Three Members, Three Continents

Mr Negus reported a November visit to Burma and Messrs v/d Z and B report visits in South America and Africa below.  

Mr v/d Z reports:

The good news: I managed to combine my workshop in Bariloche, ARGENTINA, with a weekend Andes cross-over into CHILI, both in which local wines were consumed. And to top the itinerary, I complemented last weekend in Buenos Aires - what a great town, perhaps in my top three worldwide - with a day's ferry return to Colonia, URUGUAY, which I remembered you having told about as interesting TCC option a decade ago. In other words: I keep on the speed... 110!

Mr B reports


Dear fellow Country Clubbers

Alas after a long hiatus I spent a few weeks in Cameroon this October – the first time for me in West/Central Africa.  I am happy that my work was focused on supporting PSI - based in Yaounde.  A few days trying to get around in Douala was more than enough (Douala has a “mini Lagos” reputation).

As per my escapist tendencies, and the rules of this venerable club, Various drinks were consumed – including palm wine!

Although given the humid climate, I ended most days sampling a wide range of beers.  Cameroon has one of the most diverse selections of beer in Africa. Les Sociétés Anonymes des Brasseries du Cameroun (SABC or BC) is the main brewer, with an interesting ownership profile. Les Brasseries et Glaceries d'Indochine (BGI) owns a 75% shareHeineken 8.8% and of course Cameroon's president, Paul Biya’s hand is in this profitable business. Les Brasseries brews, bottles, and distributes: "33" Export, Beaufort, Castel, and Tuborg, as well as three beers from De Hooiberg (The Haystack): AmstelHeineken andMützig.

I hope to hear about more global exploration from all of you in the coming year

 - All the best

Chris

A Long Way from Lilongwe

Mr Secretary

Proof from David Greeley of imbibing in an alcoholic beverage in rural Malawi, a new country for our beloved Founder.  Says our exalted leader "It's a LONG WAY from Lilongwe"

David Greeley







Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Zim, Zam, Zoom!


Dear Mr Secretary,

Greetings from the bottom rung!  

I would like to confirm travel to Zimbabwe and Zambia.  Here are photos of my dive into Devil’s Pond, Vic Falls, Livingstone, and myself with the boyz at The Big Tree (a habitual meeting place for Mr Livingstone and his buddies) on the Zimbabwe side of the Falls. This brings my total to 45 countries visited.  

I remain swinging happily from the bottom rung.
Ms Ridley



Monday, August 19, 2013

Dear Members,

It is with regret that we have received notice of the death, after a long illness, of Mr Sempliner on 16 August 2013.  

Mr Sempliner was elected in 2004, entering the List at 45 countries.  He immediately protested the absence of a definite article in the names of many countries.  Some of his recommendations were easy on the modern ear, such as The Netherlands and The United Kingdom.  Others, such as The Lebanon and The Argentine, less so.  Much Club conversation and deliberation ensued and today our fine list holds several parenthetical references in a nod to Mr Sempliner's preferences.

Mr Sempliner visited nine countries during his membership, namely Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Burundi, Rwanda, Congo, Kenya and The Philippines.  His missive, from Peking (his word), in 2011, requesting the recording of a visit to China, was rejected as redundant based on pre-1999 visits to Hong Kong and Macau.  He replied that there was some satisfaction having gone to the "heart of the beast."

Mr Sempliner, ever competitive in the great traditions of our club, was uncomfortable at the lower end of our The Club Ladder and made the suggestion in 2010 that the By-Laws be amended to narrow the criteria for a country visited to a visit done and a drink had without subsidy from one's employer.  Less Club conversation and deliberation ensued and the proposed amendment was rejected.  

Mr Sempliner made mention in the Club's proceedings in 2011 of his presence in Tokyo Narita during the earthquake that resulted in a tsunami and Mr Sempliner spending a night sleeping in a terminal "for the first time in many years."  

Mr Sempliner was a close confident of many in the Club, particularly Messrs C and D, and Ms v/H.   One of my dearest memories will be playing golf with him in The Democratic Republic of the Congo during his visit there.  Other memories from members welcome.

Mr Sempliner will rest in peace at 18th on the Club Ladder and 54 Countries Visited.  

With sadness, yr sec'y. 

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Mr P announces visits to Haiti, Oman, Qatar and UAE -- up to 68 countries.  

Close observers of these proceedings may have noticed that none has appeared for the past 15 months.  That says more about your secretary than the peripatetic members.  Countries have been visited!  Apologies to members whose travel may not be recorded here; a quick review of the List, always merited, will both confirm its completeness and inspire movement.

Our founder and beloved chairman visited Uganda, Governor D Switzerland, Ms v H Russia, Mr B Bangladesh and yrs truly Angola, Colombia and Peru.
 
Mr v/d Z visited Kenya, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe Zambia, Qatar, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti and Uganda, rocketing into first place, with 105 countries, past our leader for the past decade, Mr H., who remains at 101.  :-)

VTY, yr sec'y.