Dynamically add a <select> menu to an <a> element, make the <select> element itself invisible, but still clickable. Forwards page depending on value of selected <option>

Dynamic invisible <select> menu

$('#change-country')
    .click(function(e) { e.preventDefault() })
    .append(function() {
        var currentLocation = window.location.hostname,
            selectHTML = '<select><option value="">Choose Country:</option><option value="http://toughmudder.co.uk/">United Kingdom</option><option value="http://toughmudder.com.au/">Australia</option></select>';
        
        if (currentLocation.search('co.uk') != -1)
            selectHTML = '<select><option value="">Choose Country:</option><option value="http://toughmudder.com/">United States</option><option value="http://toughmudder.com.au/">Australia</option></select>';
        if (currentLocation.search('com.au') != -1)
            selectHTML = '<select><option value="">Choose Country:</option><option value="http://toughmudder.com/">United States</option><option value="http://toughmudder.co.uk/">United Kingdom</option></select>';
            
        return selectHTML;
    })
    .find('select')
    .on('change', function () {
        var $this = $(this); // references the <select> element
        var countryName = $this.find('option:selected').text(); // get selected text (country name)
        var url = $this.val(); // get selected value
        
        $this.parent().text(countryName); // $this.parent reference the parent anchor, replaces text/menu with selected country's name
        if (url != "") { window.location = url } // forward if url is not blank/empty
        return false;
    })
    .css({
        'height': function() {
            return $(this).parent().outerHeight();
        },
        'width': function() {
            return $(this).parent().outerWidth();
        }
});

dynamicDropdownMenu

    var $changeCountry = $('#change-country');
    $changeCountry
        .find('a')
        .after(function() {
            var currentLocation = window.location.hostname,
                selectHTML = '<ul><li><a href="http://toughmudder.co.uk/">United Kingdom</a></li><li><a href="http://toughmudder.com.au/">Australia</a></li></ul>';
            
            if (currentLocation.search('co.uk') != -1)
                selectHTML = '<ul><li><a href="http://toughmudder.com/">United States</a></li><li><a href="http://toughmudder.com.au/">Australia</a></li></ul>';
            if (currentLocation.search('com.au') != -1)
                selectHTML = '<ul><li><a href="http://toughmudder.com/">United States</a></li><li><a href="http://toughmudder.co.uk/">United Kingdom</a></li></ul>';
                
            return selectHTML;
        });
        
    var dropdownPadding = $changeCountry.find('ul').css('padding-top'),
        dropdownHeight,
        dropdownCounter = 0;
    
    $changeCountry    
        .click(function(e) { e.preventDefault() })
        .hover(
            function () {
                var $this = $(this).find('ul');
                if (dropdownCounter == 0) {
                    dropdownHeight = $this.height();
                    dropdownCounter++;
                }
                $this.stop().animate({
                    height: 'toggle',
                    paddingTop: dropdownPadding,
                    paddingBottom: dropdownPadding
                });
            },
            function () {
                var $this = $(this).find('ul');
                $this.stop().animate({
                    height: 'toggle',
                    paddingTop: '0px',
                    paddingBottom: '0px'
                }, { complete: function() {
                        $this.height(dropdownHeight);
                    }
                });
            }
        );

gistfile1.js

    var $changeCountry = $('#change-country');
    $changeCountry
        .find('a')
        .after(function() {
            var currentLocation = window.location.hostname,
                selectHTML = '<ul><li><a href="http://toughmudder.co.uk/">United Kingdom</a></li><li><a href="http://toughmudder.com.au/">Australia</a></li></ul>';
            
            if (currentLocation.search('co.uk') != -1)
                selectHTML = '<ul><li><a href="http://toughmudder.com/">United States</a></li><li><a href="http://toughmudder.com.au/">Australia</a></li></ul>';
            if (currentLocation.search('com.au') != -1)
                selectHTML = '<ul><li><a href="http://toughmudder.com/">United States</a></li><li><a href="http://toughmudder.co.uk/">United Kingdom</a></li></ul>';
                
            return selectHTML;
        });
        
    var dropdownPadding = $changeCountry.find('ul').css('padding-top'),
        dropdownHeight,
        dropdownCounter = 0;
    
    $changeCountry    
        .click(function(e) { e.preventDefault() })
        .hover(
            function () {
                var $this = $(this).find('ul');
                if (dropdownCounter == 0) {
                    dropdownHeight = $this.height();
                    dropdownCounter++;
                }
                $this.stop().animate({
                    height: 'toggle',
                    paddingTop: dropdownPadding,
                    paddingBottom: dropdownPadding
                });
            },
            function () {
                var $this = $(this).find('ul');
                $this.stop().animate({
                    height: 'toggle',
                    paddingTop: '0px',
                    paddingBottom: '0px'
                }, { complete: function() {
                        $this.height(dropdownHeight);
                    }
                });
            }
        );