The project allows you to navigate google street maps as normal but has the added benefit of showing the stereographic image too.  Although not immediately useful and more of a technical demonstration, it’s quite a cool way to view your local area or some of the more interesting sites of the world.

Below are a couple of examples from around London.

So, starting with Google earth and planning your route using the path tool.  An important tip for using the path tool is to orientate the map view so that you have and idea of the contour of the land.  If you try and plan your path from the aerial view you’ll observe some very odd routing decisions and probably have a route that you can’t ride/walk.

The level of detail provided by the satellite imagery within Google Earth is generally good enough to work out existing paths, trails and bridleways.  Before you go off tearing up the country side you better check that what looks like a path (i.e. right of way) in Google Earth is real – I use the OS map service in the UK to confirm a path really is a path as logically they should have the most up to date information.  So, back to planning in Google earth.  Once you’ve completed your route the next challenge is to get it onto your GPS device as Google Earth can only save as either KML or KMZ.  As I use the Garmin Colorado 300 the KML/KMZ formats are next to useless.  This is where Garmin Basecamp (or GPS Babel) comes into the picture.  Once you’ve saved your path from Google Earth, you can import the KML into Basecamp (or transform in GPS Babel using the KML to GPX transform).

The main reason for using Garmin Basecamp at this stage is that you can send over the associated map and birdseye imagery to the Colorado otherwise you’re stuck with the very basic standard map.  The main reason that I don’t use Basecamp to plan my routes is down to the silly size restriction the OS map component has – as you can see from the image on the left the window of detail is limited on my the standard and 3D views.

Now, when using the Garmin Colorado you have to remember to reset and orientated the device before setting out on your trip.  Firstly, establish the satellite link otherwise the device will struggle as you’re moving.  I also reset the the trip details so that I know how far I’ve traveled on this trip (and not a cumulative amount) and archive whatever track is currently in memory (then clear the current track).

When I get back to base I normally upload the history to Garmin Connect as well as the Garmin Training Centre.  A key part in this process is to grab the GPX files off the Colorado as the automated upload facility does not process the Heart Rate monitor and Cadence data.

As a side note, if you’re the kind of person to try and just use your iPhone to do all this you’re in luck.  Simply upload your route from Google Earth to your Google Maps (my maps section) account and activate the my maps layer on the iPhones Google Earth app.  Just make sure you’ve got enough juice in the phone to last the length of your walk/ride!

The guide was waiting for me at the hotel – apparently the transfer car had been in an accident.  Oh well, at least I wasn’t in it.  We quickly discussed the itinerary for the next few days and received the appropriate warnings about where I could go on my own, i.e nowhere.  My tibetan visa, an elaborate piece of paper, had to stay with the guide which meant I was unable to enter any of the sites of interest on my own.

Potala Palace

The itinerary, down to the minute, was agreed – the Potala Palace and Norbulingka was day one. Also, the time we could spend in each one was also given a time limit – failure to adhere to and the guide will be banned for 4 days (oh, the fun I had dragging my feet…..).  After seeing so many documentaries about Tibet, Lhasa and the Palace it was simply awe inspiring to stand at the foot of the hill on which the palace sits.  Unfortunately, tourism amongst the chinese has picked up so much there is nowhere in the place for a moment of reflection.

Monk repainting the walls of Norbulingka

When Michael Palin visited (perhaps having a BBC film crew with me may have helped instead of a government appointed guide from Shanghai) it looks so serene.  The thing that bothered me the most (and probably my guide given my line of questioning) was that all the guides speak as if the Dalai Lama is still in residence.  Everything was in the present tense – he comes here in the morning, here for meetings with his aides, etc.  A quick trip down the hill and we’re over at the summer palace – Norbulingka.  The chinese tourists obviously don’t have this on their itinerary.  A beautiful palace set amongst an Unesco world heritage site, Norbulingka is very calming place to visit.  With only a handful of tourists, I was happy to see a number of monks going about their business.

Day two saw us head of to Jokhang Temple in the morning, which was just around the corner from the hotel (the Dhood Gu Hotel).  I’d been there in the evening to watch to the coming and goings of the pilgrims walking clockwise around the temple. From there we headed up to the Sera Monastery, famed for the debating monks.  Bang on time, we’re shepherded into the courtyard for todays session of heated discussion and hand slapping.  The hand slapping is there to add emphasis to the argument being made.  All in all it’s quite and amazing scene to watch.

We head back into Lhasa for a traditional meal – for one!  After having the menu explained to me, my guide from Shanghai then disappears to have a chinese meal.  Instead of rice or noodles, I had some very tasty Yak Momo and a cold Lhasa beer!.

With a quick google of “moyo island diving” returns a number of similar results all indicating that I should expect spectacular coral and crystal clear waters for good diving possibilities. However the island’s reefs do suffer from the effects of dynamite fishing.

Angel Reef

On the west coast of Moyo lies a healthy coral reef with a vertical wall dropping to over 40 meters in depth.The wall is covered in soft coral however evidence of dynamite fishing can be seen in places. Marine life generally include longfin bannerfish, redtooth triggerfish and batfish. Blacktips may also be seen in the deeper sections of this dive. Although, on the dives I made a rather large moray eel and fantastically well behaved sea snake were in residence.

Panjang Slope

Located just north of Angel Reef is this submerged coral reef. This is one of the few places that a patient and observant diver may spot the deadly yellow blue ringed octopus. Fully grown adults reach the size of half of your thumb, and carry one of the most toxic poisons to be found in the sea so don’t touch it! Unfortunately (or fortunately) none were sighted on the days I visited.

Shoreline sea wall

The Sea Wall, which is just off the beach and can be accessed by the boardwalk, has a reef wall that descends 40 metres. Turtle Street is just to the right of the camp in front of the music pavilion, where a reef ledge drops away to a sandy slope. If you don’t fancy the swim out to the pontoon then one of the extremely helpful staff will take you out on the boat. However, be warned that they’ll drop you off some distance from the pontoon so you get to snorkel up turtle street. We saw several hawks bill turtles but the ever present black tips were well hidden from sight.

Slainte… I’ve ordered mine in today (guiness that is.!!) and my snowboard bag turns up. Hidden deep in the bag is the proof of some boarding. Luckily, I’d decided to test out my little GPS tracker on the first run (marked in blue) as shown on the google map above.

I’ve also estimated where I crashed….somewhere near Wild Card. Crystal Lodge is where I was supposed to stay the week…

More images can be found on the google image page.