Traveling to countries worldwide has always been on my bucket list, but my bucket list only has a few specific destinations. But, on our last trip to Northern Spain, we met a couple from Santa Barbara who claimed to be in the 100 Club. I asked what this club was, and the reply was that it was a group of singles and couples that had traveled to 100 or more countries. Pete stated that when he was making his list he was at 99 when he remembered that during the Vietnam War (how many of you guys remember those days?), he was in Cambodia bringing his total to 100.
Pete then identified the club as the Travelers’ Century Club, and their website at travelerscenturyclub.org. Curiosity got hold of me. I had always believed that there are about 200 countries in the world and reaching 100 would be an impossibility at this stage of my travels. I thought that I had been to about 60 counties, so, 100 did not get on my bucket list, but now I just had to make my list.
On our last trip, we had the opportunity to travel to Andorra, one of the 6 micro-states of Europe. Thirty years ago my wife and me were in Barcelona. We had decided that we wanted to visit Andorra, a micro-state high in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain. But after making all necessary arrangements, my wife got sick and ended up in a hospital there in Barcelona, so, Andorra was canceled.
Today, my thoughts were that travel to Andorra would bring my country count to about 62 countries traveled to, and 100 is NOT going to be on my bucket list!
When I got home, I looked up the TCC. I had always believed that there are about 200 countries in the world and reaching 100 would be an impossibility at this stage of my travels, however, on their website, they have a detailed listing of countries including territories. The TCC website has a spreadsheet listing all the countries in the world, but for their purposes, the TCC also includes recognized territories. Their spreadsheet does list 200 countries, and, now having prepared my list, I have visited 65, but for their membership requirements of 100, they permit and count countries and territories.
When I added territories, the total number of countries and territories recognized by the TCC totaled 330. Now I started to fill out their listing with renewed interest. This took a great deal of thought, recollection, and looking at old passports, but in filling out their spreadsheet, I found out that I have already visited 90 different countries and territories in my travels around the world! WOW, now the goal of 100 countries just got on my bucket list. In case you are interested, in addition to visiting 90 countries and territories, I have also visited all 50 states, and, in the process, have worn out several sets of luggage…
The Travelers’ Century Club is a national organization exclusively focusing on the joys of worldwide travel and with many local chapters, so, if you are interested, please check out their website and locate a local chapter.
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2 thoughts on “100 Countries”