I was wondering recently, why such a saying existed. A quick search advised that during the Roman Empire, all roads radiated from Rome - imagine the Colosseum in the centre of a delicious pizza, with the roads the edges of the slices, leading towards the crust. So, if you wanted to make it to the centre of the Eternal City from the outer suburbs, it was apparently quite simple to find.
Now, we have Google Maps.
Of course, there was some other different methods in between. Such as the 2013 UBD Street Directory I found in my grandfather’s car the other day. Remember looking up a street, going to Page 74, grid A4 and giving the driver directions between one place and another, going page-by-page? What about the TomTom, Navman and the like? I can’t remember the last time I referred to these historical items, well not since Roman times at least.
Recently in London, a friend invited me for a Sunday roast at The Builders Arms. No worries, I said, see you there. I simply typed it in to the map, and made my way to Chelsea. The meeting time arrived. Five minutes passed, ten minutes… I checked with the staff, planning to take a seat at the table they booked. Nothing under their name. A bit strange but no doubt a simple explanation. Finally, I connected to the WiFi to check on their whereabouts. We’re here, they advised. The proverbial penny dropped (why the UK persists with these pesky coins is another mystery). I searched again, and found there was another Builders Arms, just a stone’s throw away in neighbouring Kensington. A quick Uber ride and we were finally enjoying our crackling, gravy and all the other trimmings together with a warm beer.
This is just one small challenge with our reliance on Google Maps, but certainly outweighed by the numerous benefits. As someone who travels a lot, I can either play it safe with the Golden Arches, but there’s only so many times I want to have a rendezvous with Ronald. So how can I find a nice place to enjoy a meal without referring to a Lonely Planet, the local newspaper, or asking random people on the street?
Enter Google Maps.
Only in Japan have I seen plastic food in the shop window, otherwise in a foreign land, it can be a leap of faith, entering a restaurant blindly based on various influencing factors. Thanks to the map in our palm, we can search the local area, find pictures of the offerings, and most importantly, read reviews of the establishment. Sometimes a quick glance at the star rating will turn me on or off. Less than 4.5, scan the comments. Less than 4, I’m not even bothering. Is this a fair way to decide? Maybe, maybe not. But is it efficient? You bet.
For directions and recommendations, my street directory, GPS navigator and guidebook are now all gathering dust, and I simply check with our friend Google. Have you ever had a funny or unusual experience with Maps?
