TRAVEL FROM YOUR CHAIR

Traveling was always a dream of me. Often I wandered in my mind through the world and I hoped that one day I would be able to see it all with my own eyes. Now I have less money to spend I have to keep on dreaming. Sometimes it is also better to dream; when you actually get there it is usually disappointing. Because of globalization the whole world seems to work in the same way; once you know your way around a big city you can manage all big cities, whether you speak the language or not. Easy, but less romantic.

Google Earth is a great help to keep on dreaming. Since I have downloaded the free version I have traveled to every corner of the world to see what it is like overthere. After a while I discovered the "routes"-element (I have got the Dutch version, so I do not know how it is called in English). If you type in a fictional itinerary (f.e. from The Hague to Berlin) you can actually feel how it is to drive along this route (birds' eye view); especially in mountainous areas it is very lifelike. The Netherlands therefore is not such a very good showcase. Incredible what technology makes possible nowadays. I learn every day !

http://earth.google.com/intl/nl/