I’ve achieved my goal of visiting 200 countries/territories on the TCC list, but my bucket list continues to grow. The more I travel, the more places I must go.
Both “must go” and “must go now” are on my mind. I’m not getting younger. I enjoy excellent health, but for how long? I must go now. I know the day will come when I don’t want to hike in the rainforest; I won’t be able to power walk from one terminal to the next, and I won’t be able to climb the many steps to reach the temple at the top of the mountain. When that day comes, I’ll slow down. I’ll return to places I’ve loved (like Brazil) and want to explore further. I’ll take more leisurely trips (like a safari) and collect cruise brochures.
For now, I need to concentrate on new places and visit as many as my purse will allow. If I’m going to Svalbard (and I am), I must include “nearby” Åland Islands. Twice before, I tried to include Åland Islands in my travel plans, and it didn’t happen. The third time will be a charm; I must go now. The TCC UK and Ireland Chapter meetup in Belfast sounds like a fun event, and I’ll include the Isle of Man in my planning. I missed Kerala on my previous trip to southern India, so I must find my way there and add Andaman Islands and Lakshadweep to my itinerary. My current mindset demands that I travel to someplace new, and I must go now.
For many years, I didn’t know about TCC, but once I became a member and passed Silver Status (150 countries/territories), I started to prioritize traveling to new places and building my country count. Travel has become addictive, and I might reach Platinum Status (250 countries/territories), and then, I can rest on my laurels and quell my determination to visit new places. Two weeks in London is a plan I’ve contemplated for years, but I never made that plan happen because it nets me zero on the TCC country count (but it yields a favorable rating in other dimensions).
I’m in awe of those who reach 330, the summit of all destinations on the TCC list. But that’s not me. Some places are too risky or cost too much. However, offer me a trip to Space and I’ll launch a GoFundMe site to help finance such an adventure. Space nets me zero on the TCC scale…but maybe it should be on the TCC list?
For a future message, please email me the considerations you rely on to assess travel to risky places. I just returned from a Congo trip that included the Democratic Republic of Congo, much to the chagrin of my family. We explored Kinshasa and the surrounding areas with a local guide and driver. Renee, my travel companion and I enjoyed ourselves and never felt any safety concern. War was being waged elsewhere in the country, but that didn’t deter us from visiting Kinshasa, and everything worked out very well. I’m sure you’ve had similar experiences.
How do you assess risk? What are the factors that inform your decision? What mitigating measures do you undertake to address the risk? Please share your thoughts by emailing me at the address at the end of this message. Thank you.
The quote that sums up my current mindset about travel is: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body; but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a ride!’” The quote is attributed to the late Hunter S. Thompson, a journalist who wrote about adventurous subjects. I bet he was a TCC member.
