A closer look

If you think your friend's gap year was obnoxious, meet the Travellers' Century Club, an elite support group for people who treat sovereign nations like Pokémon. To hit their 100-country quota, members shamelessly exploit geopolitical loopholes, claiming they 'visited' a country by stepping into an airport transit lounge or standing on a disputed guano island for three minutes. It is less about cultural immersion and more about weaponizing a trust fund to win geographical bingo.