The quest to become the world’s most traveled man
is a real trip. According to the Guinness Book of World
Records, no one has ever visited every country and territory in the world.
But a former software executive has spent the last three years
and about a million dollars of his own money trying to become
the first.
After recently landing on the blue ice runway of the
Russian "Novo" Base in Dronning Maud Land (Antarctica),
Charles Veley had visited 317 countries and territories by
the age of 37. "Nobody else has ever gotten this far before
the age of 55. Now I'm only 13 territories away from the
world record," he writes in the
International Herald Tribune (Mar. 7).
In 2000, he left behind a career as a software executive
at the peak of the Internet bubble. "After 10 years of 80-hour-plus
work weeks, I was recently married and ready to take some time
to pursue personal interests. So my wife, Kimberly, and I decided
to travel for a year," he writes. Then Veley became possessed
by "The List," produced by The Travelers Century Club, a Santa
Monica, Calif., organization of self-professed "extreme travelers."
Prospective members must visit at least 100 places on the list; hence
the word "Century."
Revised by its board every two years, the list now contains 317
countries and territories, grouped into 12 regions, and is the starting
point for anyone who has global aspirations.
"The List" was originally created in 1954 by a group of extreme
travel pioneers to address the issue of countries versus territories.
Isn’t that what we have the United Nations for? "Well, sure, the
United Nations counts 192, but then you have to consider
overseas territories, disputed territories and other special cases,"
Veley writes. "For example, French Polynesia is a territory of France.
If you've been to Bora Bora, that's not quite the same thing as
going to Paris, is it? Shouldn't that count separately?"
In 2002 alone, he traveled 259,640 miles, or more than
10 times around the world, including more than two months at
sea, and 254 flight segments on 94 different airlines.
Last month he arrived at Clipperton Island, a tiny uninhabited
French Pacific island. "The List" calls it part of French Polynesia,
even though it is much closer to Mexico. Getting there required
a two-week round-trip in a fishing boat.
Don’t forget to write.
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This reminds me. ANyone been to
Sable Island? Popualtion? Not counting the wild horses? 2. And you neeed permission to travel there.