CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE

At our June Board Meeting we made some changes in our List of Countries. Please read the separate story below.

My very special thanks to Bob Ibsen for an excellent slide presentation covering Burkina Faso and Mali, at our June luncheon/meeting.

Please assist us with the Info Files. See separate story below.

Preparations are being made for our second International meeting in London, October 26-28, 2007, at a private club. Please check our website for continuous updates. Click here for details.

In September we will be returning to the Balboa Bay Club, where we have had several very successful events.

Meeting dates in 2007 are September 8 and December 8. Meeting dates in 2008 are March 8, June 14, September 13 and December 13.

At its June Board Meeting, the following changes were made in the TCC list of approved countries: In the Caribbean, Bonaire, Curacao and St. Maarten were added, and St. Maarten was deleted under Leeward Islands, Netherlands. The Netherlands Antilles was deleted. This changes the Caribbean total from 27 to 29.

Under the Pacific Ocean, Johnston Island was deleted because there is no population. Total is now 39. Under Antarctica, all references to the South Pole were deleted. Cabinda was added to the Africa listing, making the total now 53. The total number of approved countries on the TCC list is now 317.

The updated list of TCC Countries is available on our website, or you can send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (41 cents for two copies, 58 cents for 3 or 4 copies) to the TCC headquarters.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Several years ago I was privileged to hear virtuoso cellist Yo Yo Ma perform with the Chicago Symphony, at Ravinia – the oldest open-air music festival in the United States.

Besides being a superb classical cellist, he has experimented with all kinds of music, most notably the music of the ancient Silk Road, collaborating with musicians throughout Southern Asia, playing original instruments, sometimes hundreds of years old.

Recently he was asked, in an interview, if there were any similarities between music and travel. “Music is ephemeral,” he said. “You can't hold onto it, but at the same time the content is all about the value of life. One way of understanding people is to understand their music. Similarly, to get inside a culture, you've got to understand their music. Traveling gives you that kind of insight.”

He went on, “The mantra of a musician is that you're playing something that is bigger than yourself. Part of traveling is that you are trying to fulfill your curiosity – so you ask, ‘Why do you do things that way?' To satisfy that hunger makes you feel more human. In music and travel, you have to be a participant, not just a consumer. It enlarges your view of the human family.”

I couldn't agree more! Recently, in a park in Pyongyang, large crowds of North Koreans, who appeared to have consumed a few “adult beverages,” invited us to dance with them, to their music. Music and dance are universal – almost as if there is an innate human need to make music to celebrate life.

Music transcends language barriers – I can honestly say that some of the most enjoyable experiences I have had overseas have been interacting with people using music as a common medium. You don't have to know the language to move to an infectious beat. One experience that comes to mind is a night I spent with the Thai contract workers on Wake Island, after the servicemen's club had closed.

But to have these unique times, you have to spend some time in the places you visit. If you run through the world as fast as you can, just to “run up the country count,” you will have missed out on some of the most wonderful opportunities travel can afford. With the exception of places that are somewhat dicey to visit, I urge all members to allow enough time to listen to the music – to interact with the people, as much as you can.

CNN International runs a continuous vignette called “Sights & Sounds,” featuring a different country periodically. That says it all; it's all part of the experience, which should be the most important motive that drives us all.

The TCC International Meeting scheduled for October 26-28 at The Travellers Club in London will be followed by an optional three-day excursion to Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man. Click here for details about the meeting and a downloadable meeting registration form.

Since we published and distributed copies of the Info Files Directory in September, 2004, several TCC members have supplied Info Files on some of the countries for which we did not have any information. We have also added and deleted some countries since that time. But we still are lacking Files on many destinations. Perhaps you can provide Info Files on one or more of the countries listed below if you have traveled to them in recent years. It is not as important to receive information on the more popular destinations but we are including them in our listing.

Here are the countries which do not have Info Files:

Caribbean – Anguilla, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, French Leeward Islands, Netherland Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Trinidad & Tobago, American Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands

South America – Paraguay, Uruguay

Atlantic Ocean – Bermuda

Pacific Ocean – Bismark Archipelago, Cook Islands, Galapagos Islands, Hawaiian Islands, Niue, Republic of Palau, Ryukyu Islands, Solomon Islands, Tasmania

Europe & Mediterranean – Andorra, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Federated Republic, Denmark, Northern Ireland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, Vatican City, Wales

Middle East – Palestine

Antarctica – Chilean

Africa – Bourkina Fasso, Burundi, Cabinda, Cameroon, Congo (Kinshasa-Zaire), Eritrea, French Guinea, Morocco

Asia – Republic of Taiwan China, Hong Kong, Singapore

As a reminder, the information should be noncommercial and contain your observations and information not found in the usual guide books. Keep in mind that you are writing for the well-traveled person since distribution is only to TCC members. The opinions expressed are those of the writers and not TCC. Files must be typewritten, single spaced, and not exceed two pages.

Enjoying the reception at the Intercontinental Hotel in Century City, CA, are Jacqueline Swanberg, Bob and Cathy Parda and Richard Swanberg.

TCC members Donald and Patricia Burke from St. Petersburg, were visiting their grandson and son (Adam and Richard, in second row) who live in the Los Angeles area, and brought them to the luncheon.

TCC President Kevin Hughes enjoys the company of three lovely ladies: Judy Endeman, Allison King, and Brigitte Sturm.

William and Marilyn Osborn are pictured at the reception prior to lunch.

Robert Campbell is pictured with Lorelli Embry and his wife Alice during the Intercontinental reception in Century City.

New Travelers' Century Club Members:

Alexander, Mrs. Martha
Allen, Mr. Charles L
Bingo, Ms. Helen W.
Edwards, Mr. George E.
Eichholzer, Mr. Andreas
Ericsson, Andreas
Ferguson, Ms. M. J.
Garcia, Mr. Richard Gustav
Henshaw, Mr. Howard
Henshaw, Mrs. Karen
Hill, Mr. Tony
Hinkely, Ms. Grace
Janis, Ms. Deborah
McCobb, Mr. Clair H.
Nettleton, Mr. John G.
Nute, Mrs. Peggy F.
Nute, Mr. J. Boyce
Peterson, Mrs. Amber
Snidow, Mrs. Marcia
Snidow, Mr. Ron
Vail, Mr. James P.

#513 Antarctica, James A. Smith
#514 Highlights of Central Asia, Part 2, Prof. Dr. Kenyon B. De Greene
#515 Fernando De Noronha, Brazil, Mary S. Higdon
#516 Gorilla Hunting in Central Africa, David Horne
#517 Rarotonga – Once A Very “Dry” Island, Brian & Sue Ferraz
#518 Robinson Crusoe Island, Robert Ippolito
#519 Indonesia/East Timor, Robert Ippolito
#520 A Trip to Saudi Arabia, Peggy Cochrane
#521 Easter Island, Jane S. French

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 tccclub3@gte.net. Submission of a letter to the editor constitutes permission to publish the letter in the Centurian and on our website.

• Jeff Shea embarked this summer on the Euro American North Greenland 2007 Expedition. The primary purpose of the expedition was to establish if there is a permanent geographic feature north of Kaffelubben Island, considered the world's most northerly point of land. Also a member of the Explorers Club, Shea carried the club's flag. Esquire Magazine sent a writer and plans to use Shea's photographs to create a photo essay. He has climbed the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent.

• TCC Board Member Pam Barrus is on another adventure – the Silk Road and Caucasus to China and Vietnam. Her blog is www.pamistan.blogspot.com.

• Alan Matis differs with some of the choices for the “new” Seven Wonders of the World (Great Wall of China, Petra, Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Machu Picchu, Chichen Itza, The Colosseum, Taj Mahal) and wonders how many of the millions who voted have actually experienced the choices. He would like to get the opinions of other TCC members, perhaps more credible. His choices, all of which he has visited, are the Great Pyramids in Egypt, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu, Petra, Angkor Wat and Easter Island. If you'd like to give your choices, you may contact him at mrmatis@aol.com.

• TCC member Dan Walker, a Canadian who lives in Costa Rica, is going around the world in his 1957 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud — across Canada, Europe and Asia. He is keeping a journal of his adventures. More information is on his website: www.talisphere.com/travel.

As you know the U.S. State Department was overwhelmed with the number of passport applications this year, due to the requirement that passports are now necessary for travel by U.S. citizens to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. While the department projected about 16.2 million applications this year, it was hit with 5.5 million applications just in the first three months. The department is working to alleviate the backlog and says the waiting time will be down to eight weeks this September and six weeks by the end of the year. In 2006, the department issued 12.1 million passports.

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.

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