North, South, East and West: What to Expect When Travelling to a New Hemisphere
When you go on an overseas trip, you probably research everything you can about the specific place you are going. Have you ever thought about hemisphere differences?
If you are traveling from one hemisphere to another, you should expect some changes explains Erica Gustafson in this guest post who is an avid Australia traveler, freelance writer and digital media consultant for Expedia. When traveling to Australia she enjoys staying at the Four Seasons Sydney hotel.
The earth is divided into four sections called hemispheres: northern, southern, eastern and western. The equator divides the northern and southern hemispheres, and the Prime Meridian divides the eastern and western hemispheres.
A short geography lesson: most of the earth’s land and population lie in the northern hemisphere. The northern hemisphere consists of all of North America, the northern parts of South America, about two-thirds of Africa, all of Asia (except for parts of Indonesia) and all of Europe. The southern hemisphere includes most of South America, one-third of Africa, all of Antarctica, parts of Indonesia and virtually all of Australia/Oceania.
The eastern hemisphere includes most of Africa, about half of Antarctica, most of Europe and all of Asia and Australia/Oceania, while the western hemisphere includes the other half of Antarctica and all of North and South America as well as the Caribbean Islands and Greenland.
Seasons and Climate
Both the northern and southern hemispheres vary in climate; however, because the northern hemisphere has so much more land and people, its weather and climate changes are much more dramatic. The hemisphere that is closest to the sun at any given time during the year determines its seasons and weather. Winter in the northern hemisphere lasts from around December to March, while summer lasts from June until September. Conversely, winter in the southern hemisphere runs from June to September, and the summers are from December to March. Thus, if you are thinking of going to Australia in June and you live in the United States, then you would want to pack for colder weather.
While the northern hemisphere is covered mostly by land, oceans dominate the southern hemisphere – a full eighty-five percent of it! Case in point: Australia has over 10,000 beaches, the most in the world. If you go to Australia in January, pack your swimsuit; there are plenty of places for water activities.
The abundance of water in the southern hemisphere also contributes to the lush and diverse flora and fauna that you can experience in Australia. Australia’s tropical rainforests cover approximately 3,500 square miles, and they are recognized internationally as being among the few remaining truly primeval tropical rainforests on Earth. Australia’s national parks have waterfalls, wildlife and breathtaking scenery for you to explore.
Night Skies
One of the downsides of the northern hemisphere’s abundance of land and people is pollution. In rural areas, you are able to see the Milky Way, but smog and bright city lights make it harder to enjoy the wonder of the night skies. In large cities, you’re lucky to see a single star.
The southern hemisphere is the complete opposite. Pollution is virtually nonexistent in non-urban areas, and the night skies are absolutely breathtaking. If you are planning a trip to Australia, there are various nighttime activities that can make your vacation extra special. In Western Australia, you can enjoy a delightful and educational two-hour guided evening under the stars. Using powerful telescopes, you can view the sky in all its glory.
As far as packing for trips to go from the northern hemisphere to the southern or vice versa, always remember that whatever season you’re in, the other hemisphere is the opposite. If it’s cold where you are, then it will be hot where you’re going. Plan activities according to the season. For example, if you know you’ll be in Australia during the warmer part of the year, perhaps you’ll want to plan on trekking through one of the rainforests. In short, the hemispheres are quite different in ways that may affect your traveling, so take care to pay close attention to those differences when planning your journey.