FaceBook has an endless number of applications to 'enhance' the user experience. Some are silly, some are plain dumb, and some are quite useful, and some are fun. One of the applications I like is called Where I've Been, and it acts as a virtual map with virtual pins that mark 'where I've been'.
To be honest, the app is not always perfect, and for me at least, it isn't always easy to get into, but at least it saves your progress automatically, and it does seem to improving over time. One of the excitements of travel, of course, is seeing where you've been, and just as important, where you haven't been. An application like this is fairly easy to use, although it is limited to facebook. There are similar apps with facebook, if you want to experiment, but I like this one best.
I have yet to research a similar program for desktop use, that you can share with everyone. I'm sure one is out there, and I will let you know. Meanwhile, if you can recommend something, let ME know.
It would be great to have a world map on your wall, and place pins in it to mark your places of visitation, but honestly, that would take a big chunk of wall space, and what if the pins fell out? Of course, if I leave facebook, or the power goes out, I can't access Where I've Been, but since it is a program, there are some neat aspects like giving you a percentage of the planet that you have visited.
For me, WIB says I've visited 10% of the planet. Now, I don't know if this is 10% of land mass, or the whole thing. If the whole planet, then 10% isn't bad, considering how much is water. My problem with the app is that it has been saying 10% for some time now. In fact, I've gone to considerable effort to add places, just to try to get it to 11%, but no... it hasn't changed. What irks me is that I've seen similar maps from other people, and one guy has 15%, but has visited less of the world thatn I have!
I think the problem is that it gives you credit for an entire country, so the guy who hops over the border into Mexico for a quick margarita gets credit for the whole country. That's quite an edge, so I hope the application works these kinks out.
The above photo is an actual screenshot of my travels. It shows I have quite a few places to visit yet! When in the program, you can actually zoom in and out like on google maps, and see individual towns and other places you can truly add most places you've been. One thing lacking though is places of interest, like Mount Rushmore or the Taj Majal. Hopefully they will add that to the cities feature some time.
Meanwhile, it is a fun tool for a traveller, but only if you are on facebook. Maybe they'll expand beyond social networks one day?
So how do YOU keep track of Where You've Been?
Cheers, JOHN :0)
4 comments:
"It would be great to have a world map on your wall, and place pins in it to mark your places of visitation."
I went to the Isle of Man once, which is about the limit of my travelling experience, with the exception of Oxford (once), Scotland (several times), Wales (once) and London (three times...too many), so my world map would just have a great big red pimple in the middle of it.
All right, I have to admit I laughed out loud on that one. :0)
Actually, you can just get a map of the UK, then,and pin the places you've been. I've been wanting to do that, actually. I've been to the UK enough times, it would be interesting to plot my journeys, but I haven't found a good map yet.
I'd love to find a decent good looking map of the UK that's just the right size for that.
Cheers, JOHN :0)
I first saw this at the house of my International Host when I was a Grad student at UC back in 1993. She had a large world map on her wall, with colored push pins indicating the places that she had visited - a different color for each year. I thought that was so cool.
BTW, I too use "Where have you been" on FaceBook and looks like I have visited 15% of the world. :-)
Kishore, I wil beat your 15% if it takes every cent I've got! You are my travel nemesis!!
Stay home, or else!! Bwa ha ha...
JOHN :0)
PS Seriously, compare our maps... they're very similar, yet I still only have 10%!
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