CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE

Our September luncheon will be in San Diego at the elegant Westgate Hotel. Our previous meetings in San Diego were March, 1992, and September 2000. Many will remember the late Richard Maitland from San Diego, who was President in 1997/98.

San Diego offers so many attractions that out-of-town members may want to include over the weekend. Of special interest are the world-famous zoo, the Wild Animal Park and Sea World. Shoppers will discover many collections of boutiques and galleries at Horton Plaza, Seaport Village and La Jolla. There are also some excellent museums in Balboa Park, and the famous Globe Theater.

We hope that a good number of TCC members from the Los Angeles and Orange County areas will attend this meeting. Many will want to stay overnight and enjoy San Diego , but since it's a mid-day lunch, one can drive down and back in the same day.

Never known to be conventional, Charles Veley of San Francisco – who calls himself “the world's most traveled man” and has a website called www.mosttraveledman.com – celebrated his 40th birthday at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on June 29.

The party was given by his wife, Kimberly (also a TCC member), and the invitation read: “40 Years – 500 Countries - 1 Crazy Man. ”

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

One part of the travel experience is learning about new lands such as those we report on in the Info Files. Another interesting part of travel is that of exciting and humorous (even embarrassing) situations encountered abroad. All of you world travelers have experienced both exciting and embarrassing moments that would be of interest to fellow members. These experiences add to the adventure of visiting different cultures. Please share with us by sending along (not to exceed a typed page) something that happened to you, as this has been a popular Centurian feature in the past.

Special thanks to Bill Altaffer and son Joe for an excellent presentation at our June event. Bill is an excellent photographer and has led many overseas tours.

At Miami’s June 18 summer meeting, Tom and Betty Christian (descendants of Fletcher Christian of Mutiny on the Bounty) put on a slide show of the Pitcairn Islands, where they reside. Pictured (L-R): Carolyn Stein, Barbara Stein (hostess of the event), Carole Ann Peskin, Perle and Jerry Siegel, Peggy Ellefsen, Rose Schiff, Jan Novar (with the hat; SE Fla.’s Coordinator), Ted Cookson (co-host) (seated in front), Alvina and Lee Duffner, Tom and Betty Christian (the speakers), Susan Pierres (photo journalist), John Frankenfeld, Fred Blank, John Novar.

With the recent terrorist bombings in London , travelers may become more concerned when they read about a U.S. State Department advisory about a destination. Those TCC members who live in Southern California may have read an article in the Travel section of the Los Angeles Times , in the “Travel Insider” column, the Sunday prior to the London attacks. It was titled “More globe-trotting tourists are treading on shaky ground.”

The sub-title stated, “Some take State Department advisories with a grain of salt. Perhaps travelers are becoming desensitized.” The author, Jane Engle, quotes some tour operators who opined that “the savvy international traveler has become very inured to travel warnings.” Another company said, “we don't make decisions about where we travel based on the State Department.” Engle further states, “In the post-9/11 world, some experts say, Americans have become desensitized by the constant flow of warnings, attacks and color-coded security alerts here and abroad.

“Several tour operators said pent-up demand, for instance, had inspired a recent rush to East Africa despite a travel advisory for the region,” the article continued. “There is also widespread skepticism about State Department advisories. Critics say they can be overly cautions and colored by a country's diplomatic relations with the U.S. , which the State Department denies.” Because of current concerns, we are repeating, from a previous Centurian , the three levels of public advisories.

1. Consular Information: Provides basic facts about a nation, including the location of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate, type of government, passport and visa info, health conditions, crime and security info.

2. Public Announcement: This is published when there is a security or safety concern that is limited by time or geography, and usually expires within a limited time. Example: Concerns or demonstrations during election time. They may turn violent.

Another possibility: A particular region of the country may be a concern. Always read the fine print of these announcements, since they may only affect a small area and NOT the whole country.

3. Travel Warnings: This is the third level of State Dept.-issued notices. Travel Warnings have no expiration date and are issued due to concerns that exist throughout a country. A travel warning does not necessarily mean that the threat in a particular country is greater than the threat in a country that has received a Public Announcement.

The LA Times article explains, “contrary to common belief, the level of threat described in a public announcement may be higher than that in a warning or vice versa. It's the wording that is critical, however arcane.” Engle concludes, “Ultimately, it's up to you to decide whether to go to a destination. Travel advisories urge, recommend or remind, but don't dictate. These days, thousands of Americans are making up their own minds.”

Travelers may go to www.travel.state.gov/travel/warning, or call (202) 647-5225.

Bill Altaffer, Mammoth Lakes, gave a fascinating slide presentation on the Kamchatka Peninsula at the June 11 TCC meeting in the Los Angeles area. He also showed some of his favorite slides from other destinations. Son Joe gave him moral support.

Board Member Pamela Barrus, from Laguna Beach , welcomes new TCC members Richard and Jacqueline Swanberg to the Park Hyatt at Century City lunch.

Enjoying the June pre-lunch reception are Janet Johnson and Ann Dupuy.

Kirk Webster, Del Mar, is welcomed as a new TCC member by Board Member Diane Jarrett, Newport Beach, during the reception at the June meeting.

Regulars (and good friends) at the TCC luncheons are Past President Ruth Nelson, Palos Verdes Estates, Ginger Rustanius, Torrance, and Anne Leeper, Palos Verdes Estates.

#461 Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, by Jane Nicol
#462 Kamchatka - Paradise Gained/Lost?, Part I, by Dr. Kenyon P. De Green
#463 Kamchatka - Paradise Gained/Lost?, Part II, by Dr. Kenyon P. De Green
#464 Sri Lanka, South India & The Maldives, by Erika Fernbach
#465 New Zealand, by Marion Rafferty
#466 Finland, by Betty Jean Knudson

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.

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

Pictured at the TCC Northern California June meeting in San Francisco are Donald and Sylvia Fillman (he will speak at the September meeting) and Paul LaVoie.

A global research company (TNS, or Taylor Nelson Sorfres, which purchased National Family Opinion which, in turn, had purchased Plog Research) has positioned travelers in a manner that enables researchers to predict travel behavior, the places they select to visit and kinds of experiences they prefer. They are:

• Venturers seek new experiences, tend to be achievement oriented and hold positive views about life. They search for undisclosed destinations and tend to influence others around them to follow their lead.

• Dependables follow. They make safe choices and tend to select destinations that are well-known and highly developed. They often return to destinations they like year after year. They spend less, travel less and go by air less often.

• Centrics fall in between, usually with leanings toward one extreme or the other. It's easy to see which one best describes the members of the Travelers' Century Club! Adventure travelers, by the way, only account for 15% of leisure travel in the U.S.

North American Members – $15
Overseas Members – $20

Pin has tie-tack back only. Available all members, regular and provisional.

We have 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 14 to 21 days.

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 TCC.

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
www.travelerscenturyclub.org

Officers
Klaus Billep, Chairman
David J. Barry, President
Kevin Hughes, Vice-President
Sanford K. Smith, Secretary
Christopher Hudson, Treasurer

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