GPS navigation makes it so incredibly easy to get around

Ask your phone to find a place and let it guide you turn by turn

You hardly have to look at the map on the screen

You will get there without knowing exactly where you are long the way

Its very practical but robs us of the joy of map reading

I remember being taught map reading at school

Using contour lines to see the shape of a mountain

Learning the symbols for overhead power lines and monuments

With a bit of practice anybody can navigate well with a map

That hike through a new area becomes less daunting

You can chart your own path with a pencil line

Spotting the landmarks along the way to stay oriented

But then comes the fun part of discovery

Oh look there is a lake over to the side according to the map

You might deviate from your original course to get there

Perhaps discovering a real gem of a place to hang out and enjoy

Somewhere special that you will mark on the map

To revisit many years later to discover how much it had changed

Noting how maturing trees had blocked the view of the water

Spotting new roads and buildings that were not on your old map

It gave me an understanding of how things evolve with time

I learned a lot from those days of wandering with just a map and a compass

It was fun to plan a journey to a new place

Taking a train to a town you have never been to

Asking directions to the nearest bookstore to buy a detailed map

Charting out a walking path to the next village

Meandering along river banks and canal tow paths

Stopping to smell the roses and take in the view

Dare to turn off your GPS and wander somewhere unfamiliar with just a map