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So, I've long looked at maps or globes to trace latitude lines and see what's east-west of each other, like France and Newfoundland, or Florida and northern Africa. I've done longitude much more rarely, which is how I get surprised late in life by things like South American being east of North America. Having recently moved my hand globe to the bathroom for casual perusal, I started following those lines more.
La Serena is almost exactly due south of Boston. I knew it was close, but dang. A direct flight would have been sweet. Take that, jet lag! The cheap flight I never took, stopping in Panama and Lima, would have been somewhat out of the way, though maybe no more so than Toronto. Dallas would have been quite out of the way.
The only Latin American country due south of Texas is Mexico, unless we count Easter Island for Chile. The next westernmost country is Guatemala, whose western edge is south of Louisiana.
Relatedly, Central American is very NW-SE in inclination. Arguably even WNW-ESE. Not N-S. (Also relatedly, as my father showed me, the Panama Canal is NW-SE. You go east, or SE, into the Pacific.)
Tokyo is due north of Adelaide. Beijing of Perth.
Miami is a bit west of Quito and Lima, and misses the rest of South America by a lot.
California is more or less north of Pitcairn to the west and Easter island to the east.
Hawaii is north of the Cook Islands, which feels vaguely appropriate.
New Zealand is south of Kamchatka. They even have similar inclinations.
I don't find anything surprising this way about Europe and Africa.
La Serena is almost exactly due south of Boston. I knew it was close, but dang. A direct flight would have been sweet. Take that, jet lag! The cheap flight I never took, stopping in Panama and Lima, would have been somewhat out of the way, though maybe no more so than Toronto. Dallas would have been quite out of the way.
The only Latin American country due south of Texas is Mexico, unless we count Easter Island for Chile. The next westernmost country is Guatemala, whose western edge is south of Louisiana.
Relatedly, Central American is very NW-SE in inclination. Arguably even WNW-ESE. Not N-S. (Also relatedly, as my father showed me, the Panama Canal is NW-SE. You go east, or SE, into the Pacific.)
Tokyo is due north of Adelaide. Beijing of Perth.
Miami is a bit west of Quito and Lima, and misses the rest of South America by a lot.
California is more or less north of Pitcairn to the west and Easter island to the east.
Hawaii is north of the Cook Islands, which feels vaguely appropriate.
New Zealand is south of Kamchatka. They even have similar inclinations.
I don't find anything surprising this way about Europe and Africa.