WHERE WOULD I BE WITHOUT..........
22nd January 2012
......without what? Well, as a traveling hockey photographer I don't know how I ever managed before Google Maps.
As I sit in my hotel room in Denmark, I've had a chance to reflect how important it has been to me. Take for instance the journey from the ferry to the railway station when I arrived in Denmark. Not only was I able to plot a route and get a time for how long the walk would take, but by using the street view in Google Maps, I was able to memorise the route. As a result I had a faultless walk, which resulted in me getting an earlier train than I expected, although I did arrive in time to buy a seat reservation in a carriage that wasn't actually on the train. I am glad that the conductor was as baffled as I was! In Slagelse itself, I might have ignored the footpath that diverted left from the main road, and added an extra kilometre to my journey. Google maps showed that at the end of the path there was a tunnel under the road which led straight to the venue.
I think the first time I used the street view on Google Maps was to get an idea what the approaches to Lille Hockey Club in France looked like. Without the opportunity to study the scene, I am convinced I would have driven past several times without seeing it.
So my New Year tip is, if you are going somewhere strange, whether on foot or by car, take a few minutes examining your route on Google Maps. It could save you a fortune in petrol or avoid sore feet.
As I sit in my hotel room in Denmark, I've had a chance to reflect how important it has been to me. Take for instance the journey from the ferry to the railway station when I arrived in Denmark. Not only was I able to plot a route and get a time for how long the walk would take, but by using the street view in Google Maps, I was able to memorise the route. As a result I had a faultless walk, which resulted in me getting an earlier train than I expected, although I did arrive in time to buy a seat reservation in a carriage that wasn't actually on the train. I am glad that the conductor was as baffled as I was! In Slagelse itself, I might have ignored the footpath that diverted left from the main road, and added an extra kilometre to my journey. Google maps showed that at the end of the path there was a tunnel under the road which led straight to the venue.
I think the first time I used the street view on Google Maps was to get an idea what the approaches to Lille Hockey Club in France looked like. Without the opportunity to study the scene, I am convinced I would have driven past several times without seeing it.
So my New Year tip is, if you are going somewhere strange, whether on foot or by car, take a few minutes examining your route on Google Maps. It could save you a fortune in petrol or avoid sore feet.
