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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I am back from an extended business trip in China, Australia and Italy. It was a lot of miles, cultures and experiences. It was around the world and three hemispheres. It was over 30,000 air miles in 19 days and 9 cities in 6 countries ATL-SEA-PVG-HRB-PVG-MEL-DXB-BLQ-AMS-ATL

Highlights include: A Restaurant that reminded me of a Pet Shop. Worlds Fastest train (we clocked 430kph (267 MPH)). Plane ride from Shanghai to Melbourne Australia. Tram in Melbourne. Plane route avoiding airspace in Iraq and Syria, but over Iran -(extra hour at least). Dinner in Harbin. Winter Ice festival in Harbin China -(Cold). Downtown Harbin. Melbourne. Bells Beach Victoria AUS. Kangaroos in the wild on a Golf Course. Adriatic sea in Riccione Italy.



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