The Autumn 2026 Central Europe Chapter Meeting was held in Kiel, Germany, bringing together 38 participants from 15 countries for a weekend of travel presentations, cultural exchange, and social activities. After an informal welcome dinner at the Forstbaumschule restaurant, attendees gathered for a full day of presentations covering destinations as diverse as Schleswig-Holstein and Kiel, the Horn of Africa, the Antarctic Peninsula, the Caucasus, Lebanon, and The Gambia.
Participants introduced themselves and shared recent and upcoming travel experiences, with many new members and several visitors from outside Europe receiving a warm welcome. During the opening session, Joerg Werda was awarded TCC Silver Status, while Thomas Straub received a lighthearted Lego tulip award. The meeting concluded with a social dinner in Kiel’s historic Ratskeller and an optional excursion to the Laboe Naval Memorial and submarine U 995.
The presentations were complemented by a lively cultural program and travel trivia competition. Highlights included local host Gerald Meyer-Waeterling’s introduction to northern Germany, Armin Schreiner’s account of his Horn of Africa travels, Kai Nickelsen’s journey to Antarctica, Jill and Uwe Bussmann’s Caucasus adventure, Lebzy Gonzales’s reflections on Lebanon before the recent conflict, and Dirk Hannemann’s exploration of The Gambia and Senegal. A memorable performance by the Gambian drumming group Jekolo brought local African rhythms to life and tied in perfectly with the afternoon’s travel themes. Reinhold Baer’s popular Travel Trivia Quiz challenged participants with questions on African coats of arms, islands, weather phenomena, and Italian cities, with Hubert Dahl claiming first place.
The meeting also included discussions about future club activities, including possible European participation in Virtual Exploration sessions, while members expressed interest in Lebanon travel updates and enjoyed donations of philosophy books from Beat Fehr. Overall, the gathering successfully combined education, cultural appreciation, travel inspiration, and fellowship among members of the chapter.
Click to view the meeting protocol in PDF format »
Future meetings:
- Our Spring 2027 gathering, which will be organized as a Regional Meet-Up, will take place in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, on (and after) May 15, with a pre-meeting agenda in Vienna, Austria. Please watch for additional information.
- Our Autumn 2027 Central Europe Chapter Meeting will be held in Dresden, Germany, on Saturday, Sept. 11. The venue for this meeting will be announced in due time.
