Route Planning

It's easy to read a guidebook, choose the places you want to go, then look at a map and say, "Let's start here, then go here, here, then here, along this coast, across here and back to here." If you are traveling mostly overland, it is essential to investigate the possibility of your intended route, especially if you have mountains, jungles, and rivers along the way.

For example, the only way to to reach Brazil from the top coast of South America is to float down the Amazon River to Belem, unless you want to pay for an expensive flight. And there are no roads connecting Colombia and Panama. Maps marked with roads are useful to see just how far out of the way some places are and decide if you are willing to spend 18 hours on a bus to see one novelty thing in the middle of nowhere.

Google Maps is one of the most useful and accessible tools for route planning, but if you're like me, you may find enjoyment from an actual map that you can tack up on the wall.

Online travel map stores:

• Omnimap.com
• Maps 2 Anywhere
• Maps.com: Fantastic range with a great zoom feature that allows you to really see the map you're about to buy.
• ITMB Online

The ITMB online store ships to Australia and the prices are about the same for any map in a bookstore. The maps are double-sided and great quality; very detailed with hypsography, major and minor roads, ports, railways, ferry routes and tourist spots. It shows the little townships in the middle of nowhere and has curious little tidbits of information dotted along the coast about some points of interest.