Why still a hard copy map? Yes, yes, yes I know all the modern technology is available – and I do own a GPS and a smart phone with navigational abilities, but I still love a good old map with all those red lines connecting places.
Where are we going – love the planning stage!
You see this is where the practical me jumps in again. I like it because:
There is nothing more rewarding when you are planning a trip than to spread out the map on the table and say that is where I want to go.
Yes, yes, I know the GPS shows me where I want to go, but sometimes we get so blinded by tunnel vision focussing on what the GPS tells us what to do that we do not actually know where we are in the bigger picture.
Driving in town that is fine, you can just replace/recharge the batteries or plug into your car’s power source, but what happens if you are in deepest darkest Africa with no shops around to get the right size of batteries and/or no auto electrician to find the electrical failure and fix the problem while out there?
Seeing the bigger picture – nice!
Theft is a real issue these days in our day to day existence. You are in Africa and jump out in a small village to buy that cold Coke to quench your thirst, but forget to press that button on the remote ….. Gone is your GPS!
You can even scribble a quick note or telephone number to someone on a piece of your map if needs be!
Ever spared a thought what you will do if you loose that vital satellite signal? It is unbelievable what a piece of paper in your hand can do towards reassuring you on a remote adventure trip. In our travels we have learned a few times that the GPS is not always right.
And then there is the me thing. I do not always want to follow a tinned voice telling me what to do, because
I am me:
I am an individual …
I want to explore more …
I do not always want to follow …
I want to test my own navigational skills …
And what else tells a better story than a well travelled map with pigs ears, creases and plotted routes?
Our well travelled pig eared, coffee stained map from our Sudan trip – such good memories!
Hopefully I have planted a map “seed” while you were reading this. So go out and buy that map, learn to orientate and read the map – sooner or later you will need that map! And do not fret, we take our trusted Zumo on all our trips into the unknown.
…. and if you need some assistance in the planning department – I will gladly help! Just email me.
“This heart of mine was made to travel the world.” – Unknown
