KyleManDu

Mr Secretary,

Our fellow traveller, Andrew Boner, is one blessed boy. I thought Turkey and Morocco were the best places to visit, until I experienced Nepal. Maury, six- year old son, Finn, and I trekked in the Himalaya and safaried on elephant back in the Nepal jungle. All of this was part of Maury and my sabbaticals. Along the way, we drank a few Everest beers and sipped millet "Roxie."

Hope everyone has a great holiday and look forward to adding a few more countries to the list next year!

Namaste

Kyle

Sophia is (not only) the Capital of Bulgaria

Mr Secretary,

I hope that our newly born, Sophia, will also become a great traveller.
She is in good hands though, so we foresee the best for her.

Meanwhile, for the short term I hope this change in life will not
affect my new countries record too much...

Cheers,

Mr v/d Z

The Real Country Club

Mr Secretary,

Like the real IRA I sometimes wonder if there should not be a “real” Country Club. The qualifying criteria would be that you paid for your own ticket and did not claim that beer on expenses. Now that would truly clear the hard core travellers from the expense account boys.

With humble respect,

Mr J.A. (Sandy) Sempliner

For the List of Counties Re-Visited

I have been meaning to update you on recent ‘re-visits’ and ‘expanded’ visits -
In October I went to Zanzibar for the first time and while Tanzania has been on my circuit for some time, the magic of the legendary island did not disappoint … nor did the Safari beers and South African wines.
Also in October I made my first ever legal visit to Ghana … yes, I have been to and imbibed of local nectars, bottled and not, but never before having transited a legal border with a visa …
It was hardly a visit as it was largely spent in the Airport Holiday Inn in a meeting – the Accra Airport Holiday Inn is still very much more Accra, West Africa than Holiday Inn, Generica. We did manage to fit in – no exaggeration – the most harrowing, scary, holy-shit-we-are-all-gonna-die taxi ride of my life! One of our local hosts decided to have a bunch of us – five taxis worth, plus one lost taxi – over to his house for dinner. His very nice house, deep in an Accra neighborhood, a la quartier ouest-africaine, would have taken us 90 minutes to 2 hours to reach had we labored through the absurd rush hour. Instead, a scene out of Too Fast Too Furious ensued in which these guys decided we would emulate a VIP motorcade – lights flashing, horns blaring, high speed overtaking with a game of chicken with each oncoming lorry – we are talking West African long-haul semis – as one of the drivers put it, with 5 cars, even the cops are afraid to stop us in case there really is a VIP in the group! It was 25 minutes of dusty, wrong-way around-the-roundabout, who can cut it closer, scariness followed by a delightful peanut stew with cold beers, wine and Talisker, and a much quieter trip home.
So no new countries, but memorable nonetheless!
Best,
Duncan

And in the 7th Year, He Traveled

Mr Peterson writes about a recent visit to Chile, bringing him to 63 countries and out of a three way tie for 11th, with Ms de Walden and Mr Karam.

"Winds from Patagonia"

I’m just back from a ten-day hiking trip to the famous Torres del Paine on the Chilean side of Patagonia.

Click here to see it: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=define:+sabbatical&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

While there, I tasted some delicious reds, which we packed in for the hike. A highly recommended cabernet is the Montes Alpha. I also enjoyed several Austral cervezas under the famous “Paine Horns” that are featured on the beer can label.

As this is the start of a two-month sabbatical, more posts with new country entries will be coming in soon. . .

Kyle

Secretary's Note: Below is Mr P's original posting, lost until two months after this posting:

Mr. Secretary,

The good winds have carried me to a new country, Chile, where I have just enjoyed ten days of hiking and kayaking in the Patagonia wilderness. I recommend the Pale Ale from the Austral brewery and sipped one under the famous Horns in the Torres del Paine National Park. The Montes Alpha Cab is also quite nice after a long hike. I nearly bagged Argentina, only a few kilometers away, but will do so the next time I'm here.

I have two months off and restless feet - stay tuned.

Salud

Kyle

Duke of Earle Maps!

Our Founder Maps!

Mr Peterson Maps!!!

Put your TravBuddy Map on The Country Club Pages

1. Go to http://www.travbuddy.com/
2. Register
3. Complete the Countries Visited Map
4. Copy and send me the html code for the small map.

Takes 5 minutes.

The Country Club Meets TravBuddy

Mr Clancy Joins Club, 20th Member

The Governors and Members of the Country Club today welcome Mr Clancy into our coterie. Mr Clancy enters in fifth place on the Club Ladder, at 81 countries. VTY, yr (very slow in updating our proceedings) sec'y

Back on the Ho Chi Minh Trail

Mr. Secretary,

It is with relief that I write to let you know I have finally broken what must be the longest drought in Club history. I am enjoying Hanoi and finally moved off of 69 countries by imbibing a "Bia Ha Noi" here last night. Given my new global mandate, I hope this is the first in a series of regular updates on new countries to come from me.

Yours in Transit,

Will

Ms v/H gets a clegg up

Ms v/H breaks up the three way tie for 16th and writes:

Dear Mr. Secretary,

I would like to report my recent and first visit to South Africa, at Mpumalanga, to be specific, for a business conference where beside many technical meetings and discussions, several social meetings took place and fine South African wines were tasted. My South African business colleagues Messrs. Clegg and Stretch (pictured) are not Country Club Members yet but did compare notes on having visited over 40 African States, which I in any case consider impressive.

Regards, MvH

Are You Sure It is the Water?

Mr Brady writes (as he goes one up on Mr Negus)

Chris Brady on THE White Nile (origin near Lake Victoria, Uganda)

Nile Nile Nile – it is the water and it makes me smile.

Fishing eagles and thirsty nomads are common images along the Nile

Note: Nile Special (5.6% ABV) has been the flagship brand of Nile Breweries for the past 50 years.

Misanthropically Yours :)

Although their English is hardly understandable,

their country pretty much like the US - but then way more expensive, their people even more voluminous, and their tourists all of their economy, the beaches of the Bahamians are white, their waters fresh, and most importantly: their Kalik Gold very refreshing! BvdZ

Greeley nearly sips KoolAid in Jonestown

(Apologies for taking a month to post this piece from the National Enquirer)

Earlier this week, upon arriving at the airport in Georgetown, I was met by a blurry eyed charismatic looking man donning a Hawaiian type shirt who called himself “Mr. Jones”. He asked if I would be interested in joining him to visit his “community” somewhere in the idyllic countryside of Guyana. He said there would be women, tall grass and tasty drinks. Since I am a curious man at heart, and I had never been to Guyana before, I rejoiced in this invitation and headed towards his car. As I was about to get in, a tall, rather good looking man jumped out in front of me screaming “David, don’t drink the Kool-Aid.” And thank God I was saved, and by no less than a fine newcomer to the Country Club, Chris Brady. Chris whisked me away in his limo, without my even being able to bid farewell to “Jim” -and thank God he did. The rest of my sojourn in this South American/Caribbean nation was peaceful, and, most importantly, I am back stateside to be able to tell you about it. And yes, Chris did suggest we indulge in local Guyanese Bank’s beer (as the attached photo attests to) rather than drinking Jim Jones “Kool-Aid” and your never hearing from me, the Country Club Founder, Governor and sometimes Benevolent Dictator, again.

Brady & Negus in Lockstep

Messrs B & N both made the move to 73 countries.

Mr Negus wrote from the Dominican Republic of a sip of red shortly after arrival. Mr Brady, wrote on June 5 "I am flying through Bangkok after a full week with MSI's Vietnamese crew (quick project design mission for the government). Soumitro was there at the same time developing a different proposal. As you can see we dined with Carlos Ferreros. Always interesting to hear his stories and learn about DKT's approach to social marketing. Of course there was also Lots of reminiscing and comparing stories .. .the good Ol PSI days and host of characters --

In any event Vietnam represents a new country for me. Various alcoholic drinks were consumed, and thoroughly enjoyed in Hanoi. But what I really blew me away was the food. I plan on trying some powerful new recipes back in Santa Barbara."

Ms v/H creates three way tie for 16th

Ms v/H rang last night to describe a qualifying cabernet sipped in a bucolic location one hour north of Oslo. This brings her to 54 countries, tied with Mr Sempliner and Ms Thuermer.

Odessa - Amsterdam is 2800 kilometers

Yours truly traveled to four new countries en route home from Odessa, including Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Article 3.1 of our by-laws was strictly applied and my experience is that the qualifying beverages are far superior to the food. Here, the Moldovan Cabernet is the only non-frightening thing on the table (that is a schnitzel in Slovakia).

Amsterdam-Odessa is 3200 kilometers

Yours truly is in Odessa resting from nine days of riding my motorcycle from Amsterdam to what "in your pocket Ukraine" calls "the world's most wretched roads." I'm on the Ride-On Motortours 16 day "Ukraine All Road" trip. A fine Ukrainian Cabernet from the south Crimea makes the visit qualifying and my 85th country. Tomorrow, inshallah, Moldova. Below, the route from L'viv to Sinovir.

Mr v/d Z takes the Midnight Train

To (the other) Georgia, his 90th Country. Red wine made the visit qualifying.

Dana Eyjafjallajoekull Gets a Century!

I write these words from Doha, Qatar, where I am stuck on my way home from Nepal to London. I believe this is my 100^thcountry visit. I guess there is a silver lining in every (volcano) cloud.

It is a fitting way for one of us to reach the century mark, truly representative of our club’s karma. This visit wasn’t planned. It wasn’t desired, as I want to get home. And on my way here, I didn’t even realize Doha was in a separate country – I thought it was one of the Emirates, like Dubai, which I have already visited.

To mark this century, I would like to propose to our grand poobahs and esteemed Board of Governors that we rename our humble club the Eyjafjallajoekull country club, after the volcano that pushed me, unwillingly, over this milestone.

Hereafter, we would call ourselves Eyjafjallajoekull-ians. We would greet each other with the words: May you live long, prosper, and Eyjafjallajoekull. Our founding members would be described as “Eyjafjallajoekull-icious”. The only requirement to enter the club would be to pronounce Eyjafjallajoekull 3 times, while standing on one foot, patting our heads, and rubbing our tummies. When any of us reach the 100 country mark, we would officially change our last names to Eyjafjallajoekull, thus truly becoming travelling brothers and sisters.

As in most good Middle Eastern countries, the scotch flows here. And it is flowing through me, as I await my fate.

Yours in suspended animation and travel.

Dana Eyjafjallajoekull

Is Mr Brady Too Short?

Welcome from Beirut- that makes it 72 for me, and a tie with Mr. Brady. I have several other secret (and new) destinations lined up for the next two months, so I guess Chris is the one who needs to stay on his toes now....

David

Ballet slippers for Mr Negus

Mr Secretary,

I must admit that this is embarrassing, but just realized that Ecuador was left off the original list submitted. I spent a week there for work in 2005. As you can imagine, cervezas were consumed. Sorry to hit you with a trip, retroactively -

Saludos

Chris

PS. 72 has a good ring - It'll keep the others on their toes ---

et tu, Mr Greeley

Mr vdZ's announcement below moves Mr Greeley into third for the first time in the long and fine history of our club. No news yet if vdZ made it to Qatar, which is so close to Bahrain that a bridge is being built. vdZ has, with these visits, 9 of 13 countries in the Middle East.

Dear Secretary,

UAEE!! This would normally have been another exclamatory, but I felt this was
exceptionally slightly more appropriate: as United Are these Emirates as I am currently
with my Foster's bEEr. Could you confirm that this brings yours truly in a new
interesting position in our dear Club's ladder!? But more importantly: I am starting my retour
to A'dam on Friday with a two-day visit to BAHREIN, but haven't so far been able to track down
whether there are neat little boats or so from this island to the peninsula-country a tiny bit East
from it. Would you, or in fact any other of our distinguished members with travel
experience in the area, perhaps have a TCC suggestion for me?

BvdZ

IceSave

Mr Negus writes:

Since the newly arrived Mr Brady entered with 71 countries, and I have been stuck at 70 since joining, this has pushed me to immediately make a move. I passed through Reykjavik yesterday..... Icelandic Schnapps was consumed, and additional quantities were purchased for later consumption.

The Brady Bunch

Mr Brady enters the club ladder at a higher longitude than originally advertised. Rather than being at our southern end, he is substantially north of our equator (at 71 countries in fact, north of Mr Negus, and in a remarkable sixth position). Apologies for the under estimation. Mr Brady takes the lead in the Pacific Ocean, having visited four countries there, and the Caribbean, with one more country than our beloved Chairman and Founder. He also ties our Honorary Past President with nine countries in South America. Welcome Mr Brady!

No Country for (Not So) Old Men

[Our beloved Honorary Past President writes about a December 2009 visit to PNG]

Port Moresby is not high on my list of places to return to. A hard place to
get to. I needed 4 flights and about 36 hours. Violent, depressing,
corrupt, overrun by Australians extracting raw materials and precious
metals. I met the acting Prime Minister, but could only highlight the
issue of violence against women there, and the need for family planning
and services for gender-based violence. Others from the country club
will have to travel to PNG to tackle the other problems...

I understand that the rest of Papua is amazing, with unbeatable flora,
fauna, and gentle people. Perhaps in another life, I can visit there,
bypassing Port Moresby.

On the bright side, an unintended consequence of the Australian invasion
is the easy availability of high quality reds. So I had a nice bottle
of Shiraz in my hotel room, since I was cooped up there after dark,
cowering from the violence and lawlessness.....