Changes in Latitude

I will be headed from 29°S to 58°N latitude over the next 10 days.Why is that interesting to me more than the 10.000 kilometres separating the two?I am in the southern hemisphere enjoying the arriving Spring, warmer temps and longer days. I am headed with a few detours to autumn, shorter days and cooler temps. Well, so what?Later in my youth I became a fan of a local or better regional singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. Some of you may know his biggest hit "Cheeseburger in Paradise"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBsPZV14I-k. Many of you perhaps not. One of his songs which meant much more to me than my enjoyment of burgers and beer was his http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56nHBah7mdE "Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude". The song has followed me throughout my years of traveling the globe. I had it engraved on my first iPod in 2005 which I still have in my nightstand. The point of the song was to me how opinions may changes across the globe there is still so many similarities.I  grew up at 30°N an live now at 50°N and have seen the differences but also those things which are just the same. Now in Durban, South Africa at almost an equal distance south to my youth I see so many things which are very different from the world of my youth but basically are the same. People relating with other people. Laughing school kids playing tag while waiting for the school bus to return them from their field trip. Couples secretly sneaking a kiss while their friends are distracted. So much of this world is the same but so many things still change along the way. If we didn't we'd go insane as the song goes.Cultures are influenced by their environments. Funny how I get to see this as part of my "day job" and that I actually minored in this while at university. Guess I should write a book at some time. Another topic.So being here almost due south of my home but still so far away is a new experience. Flying 11 hours in a single plane and not having jet lag is after all these years a new experience. The real interesting point is adapting to this different latitude and its special flavour, its groove. Doing business here this week was great and without much challenge. Getting through the day outside of the cubicle has been exactly what Jimmy was singing about back in 1977. I have been living his song my entire life. Thank you Jimmy.