CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE

As letters from members tell us, many of you have already experienced interesting trips in 2007, while even more of you have planned summer ventures and various travel itineraries for the balance of the year. We know that as TCC members we will continue as goodwill ambassadors, following the Club motto of “World Travel as the passport to peace through understanding.”

Congratulations to our two new coordinators, Lillian O'Leary, Sarasota, FL, and Bart Hackley for “The World at Sea,” a ship that offers luxury vacation residences. Don't forget to check our website, www.travelerscenturyclub.org, for updates.

We came across some exciting websites. One of our Midwest members lists all the countries he has visited with dates, etc. Check it out at www.donparrish.com/CountryList.html.

Congratulations to Audrey Walsworth of Marceline, MO, and W. Daniel Walker of San Jose, Costa Rica, who received Special Awards for 300 or more countries.

I hope to see many of our members at our London meeting October 26-28. With 842 million arrivals, 2006 exceeded expectations as the tourism sector enjoys above average results, making it a new record year for the travel industry. The latest World Tourism barometer figures suggest that 2007 will consolidate this performance and turn into the fourth year of sustained growth.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Edmundo Edwards, a noted Chilean archaeologist and lecturer who lives on Easter Island, once told me, “Every time you take a photograph, you are documenting history.”

At first I thought that rather melodramatic, but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. If there is one thing in the world that is constant, it is change. Whether it is the construction, modification, or destruction of a building, or a natural force like the erosion of a beach or a cataclysmic event like the explosion of Mt. St. Helens, the world is in a constant state of flux.

I often wish I had taken photographs of my neighborhood when I was growing up, because while they would seem to be mundane and unimportant, photos might be of interest to local historians, because they would show the character of the neighborhood in those days. Once a building is taken down, or a park paved over, it is gone for good. Street scenes are interesting because they not only document the buildings in a neighborhood, but the mode of dress and the evolution of the automobile.

The same can be said of the photos and videos we take while traveling the world. While we may not be capturing an historic event such as the signing of a summit agreement or peace accord, the images we record preserve moments in time.

Photographs of the most rapidly changing countries in Asia, for example will be particularly valuable in the future. China, India, Thailand, and others have already seen incredible growth; the skylines of their major cities have changed dramatically; the infrastructure, architecture and way of life have all changed and continue to evolve.

Others, like Myanmar, Bangladesh, Laos and the Philippines, are changing more slowly. The challenge, of course – if you haven't seen them already – is to see them now, before they change even more. Still others, like North Korea and most African countries, have had almost no change, but it is just a matter of time.

While some are satisfied with the obligatory “I was here picture,” and feel that taking photographs detracts from the overall experience, if you are interested in conveying your travel experiences to others, there is no better way than by using photos or videos to tell the story. The adage, “A pictures is worth a thousand words,” is very true, especially in this wonderful world, and every time you point your camera, you really are, in a very real sense, “documenting history.”

It's not how many places you've visited; it's the quality of the experience that really counts.

Arizona TCC Members are pictured at the inaugural chapter meeting in Scottsdale earlier this year. See the Arizona Area Update for more on this new chapter.

Carol Ann Peskin (fourth from the right, seated) was the featured speaker at the afternoon spring meeting on Sunday, March 25. She talked about her adventures in Africa, including crossing the Congo . Area Coordinator Jan Novar (standing behind Carol, wearing a hat) noted that the locale was fitting – the Indaba African Gallery in Miami.

Among the 21 TCC members who recently were privileged to visit the monument in memory of those who fought in Iwo Jima were, L to R (seated): Don Parrish, Lynn Stephenson, Judy Endeman; (standing): Joan Youmans, Carolyn Broadwell, Rowland Burley, Ron Endeman. To the right of the memorial (standing): Audrey Walsworth, Ray Woods, Kevin Hughes; (seated): Stewart Sheppard, Tony Childs. This photo was taken following the Reunion of Honor ceremony. The wreaths in front of the memorial stone (1985) were placed during the ceremony by the U.S. and Japan.

A happy group at the Park Prive Restaurant in Costa Mesa are: TCC Vice President Christopher Hudson, Craig Forrest, Joan Silsbee, William Kames and TCC President Kevin Hughes.

Enjoying a sunny California day in March: Wilbur and Bette Williams, Ron Endeman, Diane Jarrett, and Lois and Bob Lillibridge.

New TCC member Carmelo Flores (pictured with his mother, Rosalina) receives his New Member Plaque from TCC President Kevin Hughes.

Joan Preston receives her award certificate (Gold Membership) for visiting over 250 countries from TCC Chairman Klaus Billep.

New Travelers' Century Club Members:

Alden, Ms. Anita
Barnett, Ms. June
Cantanzaro, Mr. Michael & Mrs. Gloria
Davies, Mr. Clive B. & Mrs. Carol
Dugelay, Mr. Eric
Fenster, Mr. Kenneth
Flores, Mr. Carmelo
Fond, Ms. Jeanne
Galloway, Ms. Patricia D.
Golden, Mr. Wolfe
Hildalgo, Ms. Marjorie
Hillery, Mr. Richard B.
Hovland, Mr. Ben
Hunter, Ms. Carol K.
Kandarian, Jr., Mr. Albert
Kandarian, Mrs. Paula
Komatsu, Toshiko
Lopez, Indalecio
Mackenzie, Mr. Lee
Macrae, Dr. Sheila
Matis, Mr. Alan
McGillion, Mr. John R.
Meyer, Mr. Garret F.
Miller, Mrs. Betty
Miller, Ms. Lynne
Morrison. Mr. William F.
Morrow, Mr. James
Murray, Mr. Walter James
Netzer, Mr. David Netzer
Nielsen, Kris R.
O'Shaughnessy, Mr. Shaun George
Palmer, Mrs. Elaine March
Peixoto, Mr. Joao Paulo
Redmon, Mr. Ray
Rosenblatt, Mr. Joe & Mrs. Beverly
Rosenthal, Mr. Barry & Mrs. Karen
Schaefer, Mrs. Ellen
Schweizer, Kerstin
Wilberding, Mrs. Ann S.
Wiliams, Dr. Bruce

#506 Nauru, Tim Carlson & Dan Walker
#507 Train Across the Roof of the World, Rowland Burley
#508 Highlights of Central Asia Part I, Prof. Dr. Kenyon B. De Greene
#509 Iwo Jima, Kevin Hughes
#510 Azerbaijan, Nakhichevan, Turkey, Iraq & Iran, James A. Smith
#511 Lebanon/Iraq, Dan Walker
#512 Kashmir, Peggy Cochrane

Note: The opinions expressed are those of the writers and not the Travelers’ Century Club.

A hearty thanks to all of you club members for sending in Info Files for our Centurian. They are enjoyed by all, so please send in your items of interest. Don't forget that these must be typewritten, single spaced and not to exceed two pages due to cost of postage. Those of you who have sent in your Info Files that have not yet been published, please be patient as they will be used in the future. Note: We do not edit or correct misspellings, since we cannot match your type. You can also send your info files to our e-mail address: tccclub3@gte.net.

Please note that when you request back issues of Info Files, there is a $1.00 cost per Info File. Click here for details.

We have a new permanent name tags with the TCC Logo and your name engraved. Cost $7.50 including shipping. If you wish to order, send us your check and you will receive your tag in six weeks. Magnetic backing available, add $4.00.

Club Lapel Pin – $10
Silver 150 Countries – $8
Gold 200 Countries – $8
250 Countries – $8

All pins are available with pin or tie-tack.
backing. Available only to regular members of the Travelers' Century Club.

The Centurian welcomes letters to the editor. Please mail to TCC. P.O. Box 7050, Santa Monica, CA 90406, or e-mail to tccclub3@gte.net. Submission of a letter to the editor constitutes permission to publish the letter in the Centurian and on our website.

European TCC members and others traveling to the Continent this fall will want to mark their calendars for the International Meeting to be held in London, October 26-28. The meeting will be followed by a three-day excursion to Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, October 28-30. Click this link for detailed information about the event, including a downloadable mail-in registration form.

• Noted mountaineer and TCC member Jeff Shea, San Francisco, was invited to go along on an expedition to Greenland and had some of his photos published in a related New York Times article on climate change.

• The Travel Info Links, now on the TCC website – thanks to TCC member Don Parrish, Downers Grove, IL – has an index of useful information for travelers, including direct links to relevant pages at the CIA World Factbook website and to Wikipedia, along with maps published by the University of Texas Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection and other sources. Each link will open a new browser window on your computer screen; close the new window to return to the TCC website.

• There's also a TCC website link to World Maps which displays a set of world maps developed for public use by the CIA and published online by the University of Texas Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection.

• TCC Headquarters has a backlog of Info Files submitted by TCC members. While we appreciate the effort that goes into writing one of these Info Files, all cannot be published. Therefore, TCC has the right to publish or discard those Info Files submitted.

• Reminder to those who have asked – the Benefits of TCC Membership is on the website.

Audrey Walsworth, from Marceline, MO, expects to reach the 315-country goal in the near future, having recently passed the 300 mark. She says her TCC membership has helped her to network with people with the same mindset. The club has helped her become more aware of other countries and their cultural differences and she has learned what to expect. She enjoys trading views and information with other TCC members. She says travel has changed her life.

She was the featured speaker at the March TCC luncheon in Costa Mesa, CA, talking about “The World's Most Dangerous Places.” She gave some examples of how the places one thinks are the scariest are not.

Audrey Walsworth receives her Award Certificate for visiting over 300 countries from TCC Chairman Klaus Billep at the March TCC luncheon.

Travelers' Century Club
P.O. Box 7050
Santa Monica, CA 90406-7050
Tel: 310-458-3454
Fax: 310-395-9511
E-mail: tccclub3@gte.net

Officers
Klaus Billep, Chairman
Kevin Hughes, President
Christopher Hudson, Vice-President
Sanford K. Smith, Secretary
Bart M. Hackley, Jr., Treasurer

Executive Board Members
Floyd D. Baker, Pamela Barrus, David J. Barry, Ronald L. Endeman, Diane M. Jarrett, Kenneth Ziegler

TCC Editor: Klaus Billep
Contributing Editor: Lorelli Embry