Interesting points (ValuJet, 7/9/08), but the main problem with this seems to be the assumption that everywhere is "in a country" in at least some sense, which makes it difficult for (say)  a passenger on a ship in international waters. (Even taking the ship's nationality gives a problem in that a unique place, as defined by longitude / latitude, in international waters, could then count as any 'country'). The more extreme example is astronauts on an international space station, or even the moon.

The corollorary of overflying a country and 'counting' that as a visit, also just feels unstatisfactory (though it's not clear whether that's how the contributor would regard it!). 

However, though I have some sympathy for the argument that if you're travelling on a train or in a car through a country but don't get out then you can't count it, personally I support this contributor's position, at least for when one is 'legally' within that country; I'm still struggling with the East Germany Question, involving trains which used to cross between West Berlin and the rest of what was West Germany / BRD, wherein boarding or alighting within East Germany was forbidden (and physically prevented by border guards!), yet one still got a transit stamp in the passport.

Finally, I tend to regard periods of time in one's own country - or, rather, the country in which one is ordinarily resident if different - as where one is when NOT doing any  visiting of countries! (OK, I've got one UK visit in my log, but only to get it included in 'places I have been'!)