100 and Done! (Countries that is...)

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We are back! This last trip brought the total countries visited to 100! It is a crazy milestone. It is difficult, time-consuming and can be (IS) expensive. After I got back from Antarctica in 2007, I started thinking about it. After 2010 I was thinking about it more (as I moved from NY to Georgia) and in 2014 it had become a real goal. Between Angie and I we have been to 109 Countries. We are tied at 100 countries each. We have 9 countries different in our lists. For example, I have been to San Marino. She has not. She has been to Israel. I have not, yet. There has been some fun competition in this area. That's why we had to establish rules. 1.) Must be listed (as a country) with the US State Department 2.) Being in an airport doesn't count. You have to get through immigration somehow and not in a DMZ or a no-mans-land 3.) A passport stamp is not required. I have been to Canada, Paraguay, and Uruguay without getting my passport stamped. There are friendly borders in many places...
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Arrived! The Seventh Continent! It has been a bit Surreal.

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I MADE IT! Seven Continents. Antarctica. McMurdo Station.

I am typing away here at a walk-up computer at McMurdo Station. I arrived about an hour ago. I called Bonnie and I am trying to get to all these things you have to do when you first arrive.

I can hardly believe it. My first impression of Antarctica and McMurdo getting off the plane was that it was prettier than I though it was going to be. McMurdo is pretty much surrounded by mountains which you cannot really appreciate without a panorama. There is a nice light snow cover right now. The temps are mild at only about 5 below. The wind was almost non-existent. The snow squeeks beneath my feet. Someone made sure to let me know it hardly ever this nice here. I have a lot of short movies and pictures to post as I get settled. I am a very happy guy. I will be figuring out why I am here in time. I have lots of journal notes and I am surprised at how many pages I have written so far. I am going to breeze thru the two notebooks that I have. They fit very nicely in a parka pocket.

The ice-flight was the best flight I have ever been on. It was 5 hours, but it felt like 30 minutes. Very nice, lots of pictures to post.

It is strange and exciting and even though I have been working on this for a long time it all seems to happen fast.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Congratulations Charles! I look forward to following your adventure.
- Jim McQueen
Greene, New York USA
6:52 PM
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100 and Done! (Countries that is...)

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