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

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. 

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.