DDSP, Mpika, courtesy of Google Earth. Our old house is in the top left and marked with a yellow map pin. Click to see the image full size on Flickr or download the KLM file to see where we went using Google Earth
I carried a SPOT Messenger while in Zambia on our last trip (17-31 January 2011) and had it switched on when we travelled outside Lusaka. When switched on the SPOT device attempts to transmit your location in near real time and stores the file of coordinates online. Now we are back I’ve downloaded the co-ordinates and placed the KLM file here. To follow where we went on Google Earth proceed as follows:
- Download the KLM file (right-click and select ‘Save As…’)
- Right-click on the downloaded file and select ‘Open with…’ and choose Google Earth. If you don’t have it, you can download Google Earth here.
Here are some of the key locations:
25-track – Mpika District Hospital – reported here
24-track – Car park at the District Commissioner’s Office
15-track – Mpika filling station where we got the puncture fixed – audioBoo-ed here
29-track – Mpepo Rural Health Centre – reported here
10-track – the nearest co-ordinate to our old house
Amazing that technology developed for guided missiles can be so useful.
Hi Simon,
Great to see you use location technology, had fun with it and shared the info with others. Everything in the world seems to go in that direction: location-based:).
Do you have tracks in kmz format as well? I am planning to travel in Zambia in the near future. It will be great to familiarize myself with the area before going to the places there.
Thanking you in advance
Ida
Hi Ida
I am afraid I only have the klm file. If you follow the instruction in the post the waypoints will open in Google Earth. I’ve just tested it to make sure!
Simon
However . . . you might want keep an eye on this site: zambiatrails.com (which I’m involved in) where we are trying to provide a place for people to upload their, ah, Zambia trails.