10:40 pm: Ditches and ponds
If I remember correctly, the Atlantic was sometimes called 'the Pond' by those who might cross it. The Tasman Sea, which separates Aus and NZ is similarly 'the Ditch', though it is not insignificant. A flight from AKL/WLG/CHC to SYD/MEL/BNE is in excess of three hours. These nine pairs form the main routes, with QF and NZ having a vast majority of the traffic. The contrast in distance between trans-Tasman and European routes is very stark. Less than four hours will get you to Moscow or North Africa.
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Of the Atlantic, I've heard "crossing the pond" or even "crossing the ditch", even "crossing the big ditch"
Of the Mediterranean I've heard pond, ditch and "middle sea" which I think is inaccurate somehow, though it might refer to the Mediterranean around Scicily which I always thought was the Middle Sea.
I've heard some talk about the "middle passage" but I think that referred to the trip from England/Europe to South America and was called the "middle passage" because of the amount of time spent near the equator.
I've never heard such about the Pacific. Perhaps it is just too vast for such a diminutive?
Yes, while i was writing this, it occurred to me that nobody treats the Pacific so casually. I remember hearing "you get on the plane, have a meal, watch a movie, have another meal, watch another movie, and still the Pacific carries on and on beneath you".
![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/3409515/454566) | | From: |  sheaj34 |
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| Date: | May 23rd, 2004 01:57 pm (UTC) |
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| | pond | (Link) |
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Well, I'm going to concentrate so hard on the idea that it is just a pond when we fly over to America. It's all booked now for our trip to Orlando, so it is all a case of mind over matter. I won't let my mind think about it and then getting on the plane won't matter at all.
You are sounding a little more chirpy now, but try not to overdo things this week. Shame you are not in the UK again, we have another Bank Holiday weekend coming up. Take Care.
PS I did the warning sign thing. I got a NOTE: Please do not smoke around sheaj34. This I found most appropriate - I'm really anti smoking in a big way these days!
