Two Alarm Chile and More

Mr W and Ms v/H have visited Chile, Ms v/H continued on to Uruguay, and Mr K inches forward

Mr W, visiting in September, writes:

I'm pleased to report a new country visit to Chile, where I did the needful with a lovely carmenere, among other things. Santiago's modern skyline with the dramatic backdrop of snow covered mountains is striking and well worth a visit.

Intrepidly,

Will

[Sec'ys note: This is Mr W's 78th Country Visit, and he is now tied with Mr Brady].

Ms v/H, returning to Washington, DC, right now, sent evidence of visits to Chile and Uruguay.  This is her 63rd and 64th country visits, putting her one ahead of Mr K, who reports:

I’m embarrassed to add one more country to my modest total. I have finally visited Portugal. I had two fine dinners with suitable wines in Evora. At this rate I will be 250 years old when i visit my 193rd or 198th country.

Mr K

A Kingdom's Inner and Secret Parts

Mr Secretary,

Regards from No.117 - SAUDI ARABIA !

Really an unusual place, but I am having a good time here.
It took me a week until consuming finally an alcoholic beverage
yesterday evening - not a requirement, I guess, for a country
in which alcohol is strictly prohibited, but desirable nevertheless:
delicious home-brewed beer! Brewing stuff is a typical pastime
here for expats, as it appears, but only within the very inner
and secret parts of the compounds where foreigners live...

All the best, a bientot,

Mr v/d Z

198 Countries

Dear Members,

Should we modify our denominator?  

Consider that of Gunnar Garfors, a self-styled Hobby Traveler, who claims he is the youngest in that category to have visited all the countries in the world:

http://www.garfors.com/2013/01/why-198-countries.html

Our fine club has, as its denominator, 194 countries.  The 193 UN Member Countries, plus the Vatican.  Mr Garfors counts 198 countries, as follows.

"There are 193 UN member countries  in the world. I count all of them. 

There are 2 UN observers. I count both the Vatican and Palestine. 

3 additional countries are recognized by a fair number of the 195 above. I therefore also count Kosovo, Western Sahara and Taiwan."

Worth considering.  Our by-laws can be amended through approval of two of our three Governors, 

Yr Sec'y -s

 

By the way, Mr Garfors counts a country visit as:

"I must have done something there and have a story to tell. It isn't necessary to stay overnight, but I have to leave the airport or train/bus station. To merely step across the border doesn't count."

A photo of him on Cape Verde, celebrating 198 countries at the age of 37.  

Euro Micro State Tour

Yr Sec'y visited three European micro states:  Andorra, San Marino, and Liechtenstein.  Local reds qualified in the first two, and a hummingbird Campari sip made do in the latter given the noonish and motorcyclish visit.  Andorra, a ski-resort and UN Member State, was country 100.  Vrrooomm, -s

The opposite of a cocktail

Ms CH reports: "I keep asking for a trip to Minsk or Almaty for my birthday to get a good new country but alas hasn't materialised as yet. I did go to new countries of Portugal (drinking sherry) and Finland (drinking 'moose piss' which like a bullshot consume and vodka) but have been delinquent to register."

Polka-Dot Jersey

Dear Mr. Secretary,

I read Heer.Prof.Dr. van der Zwaan's recent account open mouthed. I am in
awe. My flabber completely gasted. This surely is the moment of significance
in the Gross Corporal Happiness of our humble club of travellers' tales.
Raising the bar on raising a glass. 

Taking into account also other recent posts, and given that a century is now
approaching the fearfully common place, perhaps we are on the cusp of a new
- dare I say elite - sub-category of
'countries-in-which-one-has-enjoyed-cocktails-with-royalty-regents-and-or-re
negades'? The annual polka-dot 'king of the mountains' jersey perhaps, of
our Tour du Monde caravan.

Cheers and to your good health from Beirut, ma'bruk to Bob,

Grant


P.S. My own recent additions I then duly submit as only a footnote: Antigua,
Nevis and Kitts, Lebanon. 


The ballistics of his stratospheric achievements stretch the imagination. 

Res Ipsa Loquitur 2

Dear Country Clubbers

I dutifully wish to report my recent visits to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The photos of me holding a  Nkoyi beer while eating maboke de capitaine (ready-to-eat peppered fish baked in banana leaves) were taken sur le bord de la fleuve massif - Congo.  The other snap gives you an idea of the range of tasty, and strong, brews to choose from in this Ex-Belgian colony (an unfortunate brand name though). My Congolese adventure included a short excursion to the southern city of Lubumbashi. A very calm and prosperous place (thanks to heavy mineral extraction activities), in stark contrast to the Kinshasa madness. 

My country count now comes to 78. Watch out Mr. Duncan, nipping at your heals. 

Res Ipsa Loquitur

Mr vdZ sent in the below from Bhutan, his 116th country.  

Miller Time

Dear Members,

Mr v/d Z went over the border from Brazil to Paraguay at Iguazu and, while sipping an implausibly bottled "Genuine Draft" got his 115th country.  He is now 12 in front of Mr Hovig and he still looks fresh -- expect more!

Mr Clancy crept up to within one of our beloved founder and governor, Mr Greeley, with a visit to Ecuador -- his 90th country.

Ms vH and yr sec'y celebrated 25 happy years together in Mauritius, bringing our numbers of countries golfed (a sub table of our fine club) to 15 and 20 countries, respectively. 

VTY, yr sec'y  -s

    

Not a Google Photo

Mr Secretary

Many thanks for your multiple club updates.  They prodded me to report my recent visit to India. Despite my 3-year sojourn in Pakistan, this was my first visit to India where I did the needful w a Kingfisher.  Photo (not from Google) attached. 

Mr W

Low Hanging Fruit Cocktails

Dear Mr. Secretary,

Greetings from St Vincent and the Grenadines! The beer is cold, the water warm and the hospitality just right, chillin’

I have to confess to having been a bit lax in updates recently. For which my most humble apologies. Contrary to perhaps appearances I have not just been putting on a cheeky spurt, but I have bagged a small brace over the last 12 months:

-          Uganda

-          Tanzania

-          Kenya

-          Vietnam 

-          St Vincent

Which I believe brings me to 69? And one more trip to the Caribbean later this year with maybe a chance of a few more low hanging fruit cocktails. The shirt-jack is pressed, and being thoroughly modern no tie is required, so I am just off to the yacht club to see what the options are for perhaps another little spurt later in the year.

With my warm regards to you and your very charming better half as always.

Grant.

[Sec'y's note:  Mr Rhodes had previously reported Tanzania and his total stands at 66].

Lima Larco

Mr. Secretary,

I'm pleased to report a new country visit in Peru. Lima is a lovely
city that I highly recommend to all club members.  While there, don't
miss the Larco Museum (http://www.museolarco.org/), which has a
breathtakingly good collection of pre-Columbian artifacts as well as
lovely gardens and restaurant.
I did the needful in Peru in many ways, with pisco, pino gris, campari and etc.

Off to another new country next week, but will save that for a separate mail.

Mr W

Mr C gets very high

Thanks Mr. Secretary. 

Since then:  a trip to Honduras and a trip to Lethoso.

So the new total is 89.  

With deep regards,

Mr. C 

Mr. Secretary:

Further to my last communication, I am happy to report that my new total has risen to 87….with a ground breaking visit to a new region for me….a trip to the UAE.   Attached please find photgraphic evidence of this trip….a view from the Burg Kalifa, 148 stories up.

Lest you think that I used taxpayer dollars to finance such foolishness…..let me remind you that all costs associated with the visit to the building were paid by myself.  

Next week, I am off to Honduras, filling a long standing hole in my Central American visit record.   I shall report that when the time comes.

Your truly,

Mr C

Whiteman in Patna

(Sec'ys note -- Mr N's List already included South Sudan, so the China visit moves him to 75 Countries and tied with Mr W.  

Mr Secretary,

I have been to South Sudan and China since my last update.  No pictures to prove these visits, but I can assure you that I did drink in each of these locations (especially in Juba!).

Thanks for moving me up the list, and I think above Mr. Warshauer and just behind Mr. Brady.

Thanks!
Mr N

let me add a recent photo from Patna India, which is an oft-visited country on my list...

Mr H Finds His Mojo

Inspired by Mr C's spreadsheet audit, and motivated by our esteemed secretary nipping at my heels, I looked at my own spreadsheets.  I have not posted a blog or new country in years, and fear that I may be losing my traveling mojo.  Or I'm in groundhog's day, visiting the same places over and over again.  

To my delight, and chagrin, I found 2 missing visits -- Finland and Lesotho.  I visited Finland when I was still begging for money.  Vodkas were had.  I visited Lesotho for a day last year, when I was checking (edited -- something work-y). I fear I was only there for a day, arriving early AM, and leaving at cocktail hour.  Hopefully, the beer I quaffed while running to catch my plane in the Lesotho airport gets this trip across the country club qualifying threshold.  

After reaching the century mark a few years ago, my country numbers have largely stagnated.  I need to get creative, or risk a continued stall on the club ladder.....

Tres Cervezas Por Favor

Mr Secretary,

Hope you are well and you and Ms van H had a fun trip to PANAMA!

My trip to ECUADOR was great: customs were cleared of course, and alcoholic beverages consumed
in the form of cervezas pequenas y grandes, micheladas and mojitos. A beautiful place! And, although
no concrete country-plans for next year yet, I am determined to break even with Hillary's achievement as 
Secretary of State (116).

Cheers,

Mr v/d Z

Sec'y's note -- Ms van H and yours truly did indeed travel to Panama in December, sipping many things Chilean to make the visit qualifying.  

Mr E Goes to Sri Lobster!

Mr. Secretary,
After several years of repeat visits to far flung places like Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Ethiopia, South Africa and Kenya,
per attached evidence, I am pleased to report a first visit to Sri Lanka where Lion Lager, red wine, Talisker and some serious prawns - more like lobsters - were consumed ...
Alas, a 27th country to the subset of Golfing Country Visits was prevented by torrential rain, and so I remain on 26, still leading Mr. Chapman by 8 and where are the rest of you ....? Criteria are simple - did you play there or not (and have a beverage of appropriate type afterwards)! Spreadsheet attached for your consideration (ed note -- attached under the List of Countries Visited).

Cheers,

Mr. Earle ... they call me Speedoo but my real name is ...

Mr C: 5 Steps Forward and 2 Steps Back

Dear Mr. Secretary:

I have gone through the "countries visited" spreadsheet and humbly offer the following corrections and additions:

1.  In the Pacific Ocean spreadsheet, you will notice that the cell assigned to "percent" under my column is not working.  Kindly attend to this.

2. Unlike what I assume is the case with other members, scoundrels that they be, when I reviewed this spreadsheet I took the care to identify countries listed as "visited" yet I have no clear recollection of such.  Surely these mistakes are connected to the office of the Secretary.   Thus, kindly delete Peru and Turkmenistan from my list of countries.

3.  To the contrary, tho, I am proud to add the following countries:   Columbia, Paraguay, Portugal, South Sudan and most recently, Pakistan.  Although photographic evidence of such visits is lacking, I invite you to contact the PSI Country Representatives in said countries for proof.   Many, months and even years later, are still reeling from these visits and would be glad to recount as necessary the details of such.

In sum, then, Mr Secretary (assuming I can trust your spreadsheet veracity as to beginning balance):

Beginning Balance: 83

Additions:                  5

Sub total                   88

Deletions                  2

Total                         86

It is my sincere hope to keep Mr. Earle at bay.

With regards,

PC