Google Earth

What if we could see the scope of the world on our desktop, its outline and features, ruggedness and sparsity? What if we could zoom to any point to see life in its minutest detail at any location on our planet? Well with Google Earth we can.

When Google Earth (GE) was launched several years ago, the pundits lauded the possibilities in education, communication and entertainment and they've not been proved wrong. Using satellite imagery and clever programming, Google created the worlds first fully three dimensional interactive globe of planet Earth. By opening the source code to outside developers, the number of programs and graphics that now Google Earth is staggering and for almost every application, there is now some interface with GE.

The possibilities for this journey are particularly exciting, as thanks to the support and sponsorship of Mailasail, the ride will now produce a continually updated Google Earth route map throughout the duration of this trip across Northern China. Whenever a diary entry is uploaded, co-ordinates are handled by Mailasail's system to produce an updated file that runs on Google Earth.

By downloading Google Earth, then double clicking on the below file on your desktop, Google Earth will automatically display progress to date, co-ordinates and dates for the entire route from Delhi, over the Himalayas and across the deserts and mountains of Northern China to Beijing.

The steps to install Google Earth are:

1.) Download Google Earth (15MB) from the link below. Install on your computer following the instructions on screen and you're done.

Download Google Earth

2.) Download the below Google Earth route file (also called a KML file), open GE and double click on the file. The program should launch automatically and take you to the ride across Asia.

Google Earth Route

The file above shows not only the villages and towns visited so far, but also historic sites such as the ancient ruined Tangut Kingdom of Karakhoto and the end of the Great Wall. It shows the lay of the route across the Kunlun Shan mountains and through the towering dunes of Marco Polo's haunted desert of Lop.

If you have any questions please click here. Have fun!

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