World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas
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Tuesday 10 November 2026.
Highlights: Successfully catching my fast moving cats.
The day before a trip normally causes me at least some nervousness, even after completing 16 World trips that started when I was twelve, way back in 1986. Even now, after 871 days exploring 90 countries, I still get a little skittish.
On this trip, however, I feel more apprehensive than usual. I guess visiting the volatile Middle East for 2 weeks, this feeling is to be expected.
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Official Name: Kingdom of Morocco
Established: Idrisid Dynasty 788 / End of protectorate 2 March 1956
Population: 37,254,695 (2026 estimate)
Religion: 99.68 Islam (99.23 Sunni)
Language(s): Arabic
Capital: Rabat
Order of Visit: Ninety-Fourth
First Visit: Yet to Visit
Last Visit: Yet to Visit
Duration: 0 Days
Times Visited: 0 (Planned 2026 visit)
Next Planned Visit: 24 – 30 December 2026 (7 days)
Expected Highlights:
Exploring Volubilis, an excavated Amazigh-Roman city and UNESCO site; hiking the Rif Mountains; exploring Ouazzane for historic sites and cultural understanding; exploring Hispano‑Moorish architecture of Tétouan; enjoying the culinary scene in Fès and the UNESCO World Heritage city; exploring Casablanca, including the Hassan II Mosque and the Atlantic coastline.
Planned Places to Visit: Tangier, Tétouan, Chefchaouen, Ouazzan, Fès, Casablanca
Morocco Journal Entries (to be written)
Published: 02 November 2026 | Last Update: 02 November 2026
Today marks one year since I made the difficult but essential decision to do something about my health. I started with solid ideas that I evolved as I progressed. The first goal was weight-focused: to go from a BMI of 45.1 (127.1 kg), classed as obese, to a BMI of 29.9 (95.1 kg), classed as overweight.
Today I stand right on the edge of a BMI of 25 (76.4), classed as ideal. I first achieved this on 13 June 2026, well ahead of schedule, and I’ve managed to drift in and out of the ideal weight range ever since.
Maintaining what I originally thought of as a long-shot BMI target of 25 for 4.5 months feels like an achievement in itself, and suggests I might have a shot at long-term better health and this new “normal” might be sustainable.
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Official Name: Portuguese Republic
Established: 868
Population: 11,424,031 (2025 estimate)
Religion: 80.2% Roman Catholic, 14.1% No religion
Language(s): Portuguese
Capital: Lisbon
Order of Visit: Ninety-Third
First Visit: Yet to Visit
Last Visit: Yet to Visit
Duration: 0 Days
Times Visited: 0 (Planned 2026 visit)
Next Planned Visit: 17 – 21 December 2026 (5 days)
Expected Highlights:
Learning the history of Portugal, trying Portuguese meals, exploring historic buildings, visiting wine cellars, exploring Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones), undertake a Porto Ribeira Cruise, explore Sao Jorge Castle (Moorish castle), explore Praça da Figueira Market, Lisbon Food Tour, explore Évora Cathedral and Roman Temple, explore Olhão Fish Market.
Planned Places to Visit: Porto, Lisbon, Évora, Olhão
Portugal Journal Entries (to be written)
Published: 02 October 2026 | Last Update: 02 October 2026
Official Name: Kingdom of Spain
Established: January 1479 (First constitution 19 March 1812)
Population: 47,431,256 (2020 estimate)
Religion: 61% Roman Catholic, 35% No religion
Language(s): Spanish
Capital: Madrid
Order of Visit: Twenty
First Visit: 28 June 2006
Last Visit: 26 October 2012
Duration: 12 Days
Times Visited: 2 (with future planned 2026 visit)
Next Planned Visit: 15 – 16 December 2026 and 22 – 23 December 2026
Visit Highlights:
Barcelona – Bustling Las Ramblas, Placa de Catalunya (beautiful fountain), Borri Gothic sector, tapas bars, flamenco dancing (2006).
Madrid – The crazy Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, excellent Museo Nacional Del Prado, bullfighting, flamenco dancing (2012).Burgos – the amazing Cathedral.
San Sebastian – beautiful beaches and tapas bars.
Segovia – Alcazar (castle), Cathedral, and ancient, magnificent Aqueduct.
Avila – the walled city.
Places Visited: Avila, Barcelona, Burgos, Madrid, San Sebastián, Segovia
Planned Places to Visit: Madrid, Seville
Spain Journal Entries
Published: 26 February 2010 | Last Update: 10 September 2026
Established: 1776
Population: 308 million (2010 census)
Religion: Protestant (51.3%)
Capital: Washington DC
Order of Visit: First
First Visit: 27 November 1986
Last Visit: 06 January 2025
Duration: 168 Days
Times Visited: 9 (1986, 1998, 1999-2000, 2006, 2009, 2009-2010, 2012-2013, 2019, 2024-25)
Must Do: Grand Canyon, Deadwood, New York Comedy Clubs, The Alamo, New Year’s Eve at New York Times Square, Amusement Parks (LA and Orlando), Jazz in New Orleans, Major Sporting events (NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, US Open), Movie related experiences (Walk of Fame, Studio tours), Everglades.
States: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, New York State, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington State (15 of 50 USA states)
Cities: Anchorage, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Deadwood, Denali, Flagstaff, Honolulu, Key West, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, Orlando, Redoubt Bay, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Savannah, Sausalito, Seattle, Washington DC, Whittier
United States of America (USA) Journal Entries
Published: 26 February 2010 | Last Update: 18 August 2026
I’m now nine months into a twelve-month health and fitness program I commenced back in November 2025. A big part of this is an early-morning 2-hour walk as the sun comes up, and this gives me time to reflect on life in general and matters like my progress on this health plan.
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Official Name: Swiss Confederation
Established: 1291
Population: 8.3 million (2019 estimate)
Country Size: 41,291 square kilometers
Religion: Protestant (51.3%)
Languages: German, French, Italian, Romansh
Capital: Bern
Order of Visit: Sixteenth
First Visit: 31 May 2006
Last Visit: 7 June 2006
Duration: 8 Days
Times Visited: 1 (2006 with another visit planned 2026)
Next Planned Visit: 08 December to 15 December 2026 (8 days)
Highlights: Lake Lucerne, eating delicious Swiss Chocolate, admiring the stunning Lauterbrunnen Waterfalls, enjoying the high-altitude scenic train to Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe), and standing in awe before the snow-capped mountains.
Places Visited: Lucerne, Lauterbrunnen, Bern
Planned to Visit: Basel, Interlaken, Murren, Zermatt, Zurich
Switzerland Journal Entries
First Published: 02 January 2010 | Updated: 02 August 2026
Established: Treaty of Verdun – August 843, Republic – 22 September 1792
Population: 67,076,000 (2020 Estimate)
Religion: 57.5% Roman Catholic, 35% Non-religious, 3.5% other faiths, 3% Protestant
Language: French
Capital: Paris
Order of Visit: Tenth
First Visit: 24 April 2006
Last Visit: 08 July 2006
Next Planned Visit: 7 December 2026
Duration: 18 Days
Times Visited: 1 (2006, planned 2026)
Highlights: Chateau De Versailles, Climbing the Eiffel Tower, Disneyland Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral, Moulin Rouge, The Louvre, Arc de Triumph, Auguste Rodin’s House, Sacre Coeur Monument, Night bike ride along the Seine River, Promenade des Anglais, Beaches at Cannes, The Palace of the Popes (Avignon)
Places Visited: Avignon, Cannes, Paris, Nice
Planned to Visit: Strasbourg
Frances Journal Entry
First Published: 02 January 2010 | Updated: 31 July 2026
Official Name: The Federal Republic of Germany
Established: 1871 (German Empire), West Germany and East Germany 1949, Reunification 1990
Population: 83,166,711 (2019 estimate)
Religion: 31.7% Protestants, 31.2% Roman Catholics
Language: German
Capital: Berlin
Order of Visit: Thirteenth
First Visit: 11 May 2006
Last Visit: 09 April 2024
Next Planned Visit: 01 December 2026 to 06 December 2026
Duration: 23 Days (includes 8 days for planned 2026 visit)
Times Visited: 4 times (2006, 2013, 2024 and 2026)
Visit Highlights: Heidelberg Castle, Attending a World Cup Football Match (Munich), Fruenkirche Church, Glockenspiel Clock, Beer Gardens, Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin Wall, Hitlers Bunker, Bebelplatz (infamous book burning site), Reichstag Dome, Berlin Bomb Bunker
Places Visited:Berlin, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Munich,
Planned to Visit: Duesseldorf, Cologne, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Mainz, Speyer
German Journal Entries
First Published: 01 January 2010 | Updated: 21 July 2026
