Seeing the world with Google Maps

[getitdone1]

Very expensive to see all the places in the world you'd like to see although a few are able to do this.

I've recently enjoyed seeing places all over the world using Google Maps. You can even left click on the little fellow in the upper left hand corner and drop him down on highlighted roads/highways and it's close to being there in person. Use the arrows keys for 360 degree view or to move down the road or left click on a small circle placed way down the road to travel even faster.

Last night I used these maps to visit Chatham Island and Pitt Island, New Zealand. Never heard of these very small islands before but I gave New Zealand a look and discovered these islands about 500 mi. to the east. The expression, "To the ends of the earth" comes close to describing these locations. A 'trip' in this manner down a couple of New Zealand highways was quite interesting. Have much more sight-seeing to do there via Google Maps.

To add to the enjoyment I often use the Wikipedia Encyclopedia in combination with the Google Maps. Find the places with the maps, look it over and also read about it at the Wikipedia site.

Find that Pitt Island is about 4 mi x 10 mi and 12 mi south east of Chatham Island. Very hilly island, about 38 people and yet they have internet and satelite TV. School has 8 students, no stores, a ship visits the island about every 3 months with supplies. Electricity via diesel engine and wind turbines. Their means of livlihood are farming, fishing and tourisim.

I also use these maps, as well as those provided by realtors on the internet, for inspection of prospective houses to buy. Can get good pictures of exterior and interior and even go up and down the street and see if the neighborhood or houses next door are decent. Saves a lot of running with your car.

Sometimes you can go to YouTube and see videos of these places. Great ways to preview places you'd like to visit.

Don

[Griff]

Don,

I love Google Earth! I use it all the time, as I can often determine if the location I'm going to has room for my big truck to park when I arrive, or if I need to find someplace close by and wait till the am to show up.

Here's where my family is from... at one time we owned ½ of Arapawa Is.


A photo from the 1880s showing the family rowing out to capture whales in the Cook Strait.


But, NOTHING is like actually being there!

[getitdone1]

Griff,

Good to hear. Fascinating to me. Keep go'in down the road wondering what's over the next hill or around the next corner. Using the left mouse button and getting that small circle or square way down the road and clicking moves you along a lot faster than the arrow keys. I often use the arrow keys when I stop for a view all-around.

You can also get several different views. Map for roads and also satellite and earth. This choice is at upper right hand corner of map. When you drag the little guy with mouse and go to set him down on a road you also have a choice of blue dots that offer scenes of that location. To get back to map and roads left click on blue box at top with magnifying glass symbol in it.

Really something to be able to drop that "little guy" down on roads or highways just about any place in the world and see much of what you'd see if you were there looking out your car window. You can left click the "arrow" just to left of upper left of map to view at full screen width.

I 'went down' a highway in New Zealand that was real green and pretty. Lots of wild ferns along the highway and different looking trees than you see here. The first settlers to Australia and New Zealand (well, those who came from Europe) had quite a boat ride! Interesting to read in the Wikipedia Encyclopedia about the first 11 ships to arrive in Australia from England. 2/3 or more were prisoners. Around 1788.

Was watching some New Zealanders diving for huge crayfish today on YouTube and had trouble understanding their brand of English. Australian or New Zealander English I believe it's called.

I'm reminded of a DVD you can buy called "Human Planet." Recommend it highly and portions of it can be seen at YouTube. The many lifestyles of humans throughout the world is amazing. Great photography. "Planet Earth" and "Life" are a couple of other related DVDs you can buy at Amazon or elsewhere. They are very special.

Truly amazing how they (Google Maps) can provide the 360 degree views, views going down the road and arial views on top of that!

Hmmm, lets see now....maybe I'll go to Africa next.

Back to suggest you take a look at the outstanding mountain scenery you can see from the roads in and around Jasper Natl. Park, British Columbia, Canada.

Don

[Blaine]

I enjoying "traveling" on Google, too.

[L_Kilkenny]

How did you folks get Google to travel overseas? I tried last week to get Omaha Beach and the Normandy area and anything outside the U.S. was a no go.

On a side note, Gettysburg did pull thru.

LK

[getitdone1]

Try Aberarth, Wales, Great Britain for some beautiful country. Highway A487. One of the wettest areas in Europe, they say. Lots a green. Stone fence, sheep country. Also try the little, one lane roads in that area.

The ability to turn yourself around 360 degrees with the arrow keys is a great feature of Google Maps.

Makes for an inexpensive trip!

Just type whatever country you want in the search box to "get over seas." Then zoom in or out.

Don

[Retro]

We're currently hosting the IMSSU Silhouette World Championship at 33°37'39.29"S 18°28'57.48"E

The latest set of pics are quite current, hi rez, and monochrome. Dunno what's with that.

Doesn't seem to have streetviews, or maybe I need a later version? We have a very nice view of Table Mountain from the shooting point.

(You guys shoot IHMSA rules, so we don't see many USAnians, but there's one, shooting rifle -- our rifle rules are the same)

[RSY]

How did you folks get Google to travel overseas? I tried last week to get Omaha Beach and the Normandy area and anything outside the U.S. was a no go.

On a side note, Gettysburg did pull thru.

LK

You gotta download and use Google Earth. You're free to roam at that point.

[madman4570]

Works really good with the TomTom Gps's(their software)
Can plot and drive/hike/right to the very item where you want to go.

Example,
I could give you my coordinates and you could drive right up to under my deck at my place and beside my SUV.
Very cool

[MrMurphy]

Google Earth isn't absolutely necessary.


While my travels in the real world have led me across most of the Earth it does help to repeat places.

I showed someone the apartment I lived in while stationed in Italy, from the 'parked in front of the bldg' view the other day, which was kind of weird.

[getitdone1]

I continue to drag 'the little guy' down on roads all over the world.

Just wanted to stress a few things to make this kind of "trip" more enjoyable.

Rather than use arrows to move down these roads use your mouse and place the circle (sometimes rectangle) way down the road and left click. This moves you down the road faster than you if you were in a car.

Go to "Full Screen" and makes for a much better picture and experience.

Stop and use arrow keys to see the area all-around. Really nice feature and sometimes when you look back at where you've been it's a better view than the one in front of you.

I've yet to see anything prettier than the sights you can see from the roads around Banff and Jasper Natl. Parks, British Columbia.

Just type where you want to visit in the Google Map search box.

As I've said: This is pretty amazing and you see some wonderful things.

Don