Longitudes and Time Zones make for interesting stories, the Aleutian islands being an example. When Charley reaches Sydney he may hear or read references to the Northern Tablelands (where our New England is located) as being in the northwest of the NSW. The longitude of Armidale, the major city in New England, is further east than Sydney's. That means the sunrise times given (by implication to apply to all in NSW) are a bit late for us and even later if you're 3 hrs' drive away at Coffs Harbour. But then, those of us outside the sandstone curtain regard references to "NSW" as usually meaning "Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong".

Similar provinciality is behind the other story, usually involving two old friends yarning in some insignificant little hamlet. One says to the other "Did you know that the line from the North Pole to the South Pole goes directly through the centre of our town?"

Cheers, Rowan