Equator mania!

So here we go, the first BLOG of my website which at last is starting to see the light of day! Thinking back to my travel experiences, one thing which does make me smile is the crossing of the equator. You may think it's a common thing being some 24,901 miles long, but in fact, it only actually crosses thirteen, yes just thirteen countries. With some of these hardly prime time tourist destinations (the two Congo's and Somalia spring to mind) while an extra bonus point if you have been to the Republic of Kiribati or even know where it is?

What I am sure is if you are in slumber in the back of an Overland truck in Uganda or Kenya and suddenly hear the brakes screech and look out the window and see the below. It will soon get you running for that mandatory selfie!

My first equator experience was way back in September 2006 while on a Rwanda to Kenya overland trip.

But my favourite experience has to be in the country named after it, Ecuador. Ironically the grand statue at Mitad del Mundo built in its honour in 1936 is actually 240 metres north with the locals keeping quiet on the reason? I really hope there hasn't been anyone oblivious to this fact, I certainly would be gutted if I got home and then found out.

Anyway, close by you can stand on the line where my inner geek lapped up the emptying sink routine as in seeing the Coriolis Effect. Check out the video to see this in action just a couple of metres either side of the equator. How cool is that?

So there you have my three encounters, I wouldn't be surprised if more people have crossed the equator whilst on a cruise? I would imagine those who were in the Navy may have an amusing tale to tell featuring Neptune?

Of course, there are other lines which cause a selfie frenzy like this one in Namibia but let's face it, the equator is the one which counts.

So to you fellow travellers out there, if not already, I really hope you get to add this to your travel CV one day. :-)