Every summer as a child, my parents took me camping in the Chilean Lake District. Before the internet, this was the dark ages. In those days we needed to depend on guides and manuals.

So through the vast hours of our excursions, I kept myself engaged looking at a guide, finding out about the modest communities we passed, and persuading my people to take a diversion to visit some spot that grabbed my eye.

I informed them that I had resolved to visit every country in the world during one trip. My dad then told me about the Travelers’ Century Club (TCC), a group of people who have been to at least 100 countries and territories around the world. We had a few laughs. I set my sights on becoming a member because the thought made my eyes sparkle.