Poles

Left: New South Pole - A few km south of Milton, Otago, South Island, NZ (2008).

As a geography hound, I am fond of the concept of poles: the farthest north, south, east, and west that one has ever traveled in one's life.

In college, my friends and I decided that air travel doesn't count - you have to be in proximity to the Earth's surface. So, over-the-pole air travel is just an abstraction, and doesn't factor in. Sea travel would, however.

In my life I haven't traveled much, so for many years my poles remained constant:

• North: Road junction, Jasper, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada (1974);
• South: City streets of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico (1984);
• East: Just outside the UN Building, Manhattan, NYC, NY, USA (1978); and,
• West: Amongst the tidal pools just west of Cape Alava, WA, USA (1974).

Left: New East Pole - Little Oneroa Beach, Oneroa Bay, Waiheke Island, near Auckland, North Island, NZ.









In 2006, my east and south poles changed radically:

• South: Sydney International Airport, Sydney, NSW, AU (2006); and,
• East: Cape Byron (easternmost location in AU), NSW, AU (2006).

In 2008, my east and south poles changed radically once again:

• South: A few km south of Milton, Otago, South Island, NZ (2008); and,
• East: Little Oneroa Beach, Oneroa Bay, Waiheke Island, near Auckland, North Island, NZ.

About time! It's good to get a life!

I should visit Hawaii some time. Or Alaska. Push those poles outwards!