When I write about a place in order to capture it I have to go there. Which is why I use places I've lived in or know like the back of my hand. Cheaper and god knows I can't just wheel the company jet since we don't have one. Now I have a much easier alternative courtesy of the folks at Google. Yep, Google Earth and Google Maps my two new best friends. I know most of UK thinks that these are invasions of privacy but to a writer they are solid 24 carat genius. In streetview you can walk across Hyde Park to the front of the Albert Hall - not in realtime - there are webcams for that which I'll get to in a minute. But you can see the area, the people, shops, architecture it gives you a feel for the place you can pull up directions, tube maps, and webcams.
Yesterday afternoon I wasted a good part of my writing time watching London Bridge, Covent Garden, The Millenium Bridge and Cardiff Bay (bloody Torchwood!)all streaming live on four separate screens on my laptop from a coffee shop in SLC. Cool!
No comments:
Post a Comment