To date I’ve got 43 countries on my way to 100

How are you defining "got"?

I assume you mean how many countries have you visited?

That was my question - some include changing planes on their list of countries "visited." Anyway, boring, as lists usually are along with those who love them.

By my definition, you can't count a country as "visited" unless you've traveled to multiple cities/destinations. Saying you've visited France because you've been to Paris doesn't count for me. Anyway, I don't see the point of this sort of list. Is there a prize?

There are any number of definitions, yours being one. Mine is not the same as yours. Maybe the OP's goal is to be eligible for the Traveler's Century Club (dot org).

yes it’s how many I have visited

Who cares?

I'm well past you but again, who cares?

Apparently everyone in the Travelers Century Club, enough to pay money to join a club just for them & feel important, I guess.

Does Texas count?

No, Texas doesn't count as a country unless you were here between 1836 and 1845.

I think questions like this are kind of fun so I will answer. Excluding layovers I'm somewhere around 65. Including layovers I'm somewhere around 80.

What does or does not constitute a country is arbitrary it appears. I return to the Travelers' Century Club to show their list of what "counts" & it seems to pander to those who want to reach 100 fastest so they can take their money to join. For instance, Alaska & Hawaii are listed as separate entities & count as a countries. They regard "setting foot" in a place as the criterion for having been to a place including a "refueling" stop as long as you get off the plane. Here's their list:

https://travelerscenturyclub.org/cou...habetical-list

I don't think I have any layovers that would make any difference. I've done a lot of travel since I retired, but much of it has been overland. My flights have either been short hops, or direct across the Pacific or Atlantic.

I haven't counted recently (haven't been traveling so much recently) but I was mid-70s last time I checked. I've been thinking of adding Ireland next trip, I've only been to Northern Ireland, which I count as part of the UK. There are a lot of places I'd like to revisit, but Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are top of the "haven't been" list.

So, I checked the Century Club list, which I found ridiculous. Turns out I only need another nine "countries" to qualify.

As do I, in case there was some doubt.

Not all that many because I tend to return to places I like over and over again. There are very few I have been to only once.