My most emotional (and insane) Geo Detective to date

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  • čas přidán 19. 02. 2024
  • Your favorite online geography series continues with something quite special.
    When Maurice asked me to locate this photo of his deceased father so that he could travel to that spot and recreate the photo, I jumped at the opportunity. He knew the country (Taiwan) but so much has changed since the 70s, and with just a tiny mountain to go off, this was going to be a challenge to remember..
    For those new to the channel, Geo Detective is a series in which I (GeoWizard) attempt to pinpoint the exact location of a photo, be it a fan or something different, using my skills on google earth, google maps and my questionable googling skills. So far I've only failed once, but there's time yet...
    Don't forget to subscribe: / @geowizard
    ..and don't forget to give the video a quick like if you enjoyed! Cheers :)

Komentáře • 1,4K

  • @MauriceMoves
    @MauriceMoves Před 3 měsíci +29822

    Tom. You found dad 😭 THANK YOU so, so much 😭🙏 I’m in Jakarta right now and when I saw this was published about an hour ago, I had to cancel dinner plans. I have that weird stinging in my sinuses haha - where it feels like tears are incoming, but they just won’t come… it’s just sheer excitement for when I’ll be in Taiwan with time to rent a motorcycle to stand right where my father stood. It doesn’t bother me that the mountain is concealed - to be able to just stand where dad stood well before I was even born is so much more than I could’ve ever imagined possible. THANK YOU 🙏

    • @_Fornad
      @_Fornad Před 3 měsíci +941

      So glad it could be found - and what an incredible story! Hopefully Tom can share that photo of you when it gets taken.

    • @G.W.Swanbury
      @G.W.Swanbury Před 3 měsíci +64

      👏🏼👏🏼

    • @tomonmars
      @tomonmars Před 3 měsíci +183

      I'm so happy for you Maurice!!!

    • @alexbarnet6982
      @alexbarnet6982 Před 3 měsíci +28

    • @tikkukko
      @tikkukko Před 3 měsíci +29

  • @lazarus3956
    @lazarus3956 Před 3 měsíci +6861

    Imagine if Tom went counter-clockwise!🤯

  • @czajla
    @czajla Před 3 měsíci +6896

    Please ask Maurice to post a follow-up showing his visit to the location

    • @jlt131
      @jlt131 Před 3 měsíci +126

      I would love to see the photos he takes here!

    • @Sleezy.Design
      @Sleezy.Design Před 3 měsíci +106

      He's a long time watcher, he'll certainly see your comment! I'm sure he'll update us with a photo!

    • @RyanMcLeanau
      @RyanMcLeanau Před 3 měsíci +21

      Yesssss I want to see the photo. Was a good completion to this story it will be

    • @xxsantyxx
      @xxsantyxx Před 3 měsíci +4

      Yes please, we want to see it!!

    • @guttelol
      @guttelol Před 3 měsíci +6

      Staying tuned for Maurices vlog there!

  • @egodreas
    @egodreas Před 3 měsíci +4699

    While that is of course the correct mountain in the photo, it is _not_ Gorilla Rock. Gorilla Rock is a formation sticking out the side of the next mountain down the road, very clearly in the shape of a gorilla's head. The correct name for the mountain in the picture is Xiaojianshan. It's 128 meters high, and because it somewhat resembles a bamboo hat, it is also called Douli Mountain.

    • @pinedrops7542
      @pinedrops7542 Před 3 měsíci +136

      Dude sweet knowledge, thank you 🙏

    • @colmwhateveryoulike3240
      @colmwhateveryoulike3240 Před 3 měsíci +79

      Commenting to bring attention.

    • @Normonaut
      @Normonaut Před 3 měsíci +47

      bumping this one towards the top

    • @Oznej
      @Oznej Před 3 měsíci +61

      Chinese transcription of Xiaojianshan: 小尖山

    • @ExpedientFalcon
      @ExpedientFalcon Před 3 měsíci +137

      "Small Pointy Mountain". Valid name.

  • @nutsbutdum
    @nutsbutdum Před 3 měsíci +3485

    In an alternate universe Tom went counter-clockwise and is in his 30 hour long trip around Taiwan.😂

    • @Thomashorsman
      @Thomashorsman Před 3 měsíci +91

      he would call it anticlockwise because he is English

    • @kryspy5160
      @kryspy5160 Před 3 měsíci +50

      @@Thomashorsman who cares

    • @iamjeramy
      @iamjeramy Před 3 měsíci +1

      @@Thomashorsman LOL

    • @evanever
      @evanever Před 3 měsíci +7

      I was thinking 'nah, I'd go counterclockwise' when he started. Dunno why.

    • @Thomashorsman
      @Thomashorsman Před 3 měsíci

      24 people clearly@@kryspy5160

  • @BigRigCreates
    @BigRigCreates Před 3 měsíci +2472

    At 20:26 in the google search, you can see there was an initiative to plant trees along the highway. That probably explains the new foliage.

  • @GeoWizard
    @GeoWizard  Před 3 měsíci +3754

    What an experience. Lots of love to Maurice and his family.
    Appreciate all them likes too!

    • @sputukgmail
      @sputukgmail Před 3 měsíci +8

      I’ve been geodetecting places from photos since before streetview / Google Earth but only for places I knew or could visit in person back then, and I’m still hooked now - and there is always a mixed feeling when you find somewhere so quickly that you thought would be tough. The relief and joy, but also a disappointment that the challenge is over so soon :)
      My latest thing is finding filming locations used in music videos - kinda like the one you did from old adverts. I was particularly pleased to find a spot which had been put through an AI filter to turn it into a sci fi looking city just the other day (I was fairly sure which city it had been filmed in, and there were features the AI kept returning to showing that i worked out what they were and then found the spot).
      Anyhow - great video that was particularly poignant - I happen to have been looking through old family photos of holidays and finding the exact spot my parents had stood, where my nan had been etc just this last week so I totally get why this would mean a lot to someone.

    • @Mcjeebs
      @Mcjeebs Před 3 měsíci +1

      Beautiful. Lost for words on this one. Powerful stuff!

    • @BirdDogg
      @BirdDogg Před 3 měsíci

      Use historic aerials form older imagery

    • @jaycefeet8257
      @jaycefeet8257 Před 3 měsíci

      Is the plant at 16:14 the same as the one you googled?

    • @KaladinVegapunk
      @KaladinVegapunk Před 3 měsíci +1

      Was it just me that thought the satchel on Maurices pops bike was a toy horse head haha?
      But yeah seriously, what a touching story, I can't imagine what it's like to lose your dad, I love mine he's a legend, and I know how much this would mean to me to go see places in Tahiti he sailed to in the 60s..
      Really cool of you to track this down while he's able to visit it man. Definitely subscribing

  • @BarrytheSuperScot
    @BarrytheSuperScot Před 3 měsíci +884

    I just started the video and that mountain in the background looks VERY familiar! If it's the one I'm thinking of, it's in Pingtung County, south Taiwan. I know EXACTLY where this is!
    I know because I've drove past it on scooter before! I even have it in a couple of my CZcams videos! Travelling Taiwan: The Coastal Road, Day 6!
    Edit: Just re-watched the intro and read the description and that basically confirmed it!
    6:21 Exactly! It IS a nice thing to do!
    7:11 Yes! It's Yehliu Geopark. (I've made a video there too!)
    13:24 That's it!
    16:38 Just to let you know, Gorilla Rock is the name of a rock formation on the side of the hill. The hill's name is 車城小尖山 (Checheng Xiaojianshan)

    • @chrisjwo
      @chrisjwo Před 3 měsíci +8

      👏👏👏👏💯

    • @MinasanKonnichiwa777
      @MinasanKonnichiwa777 Před 2 měsíci +38

      It is interesting how much knowledge humans have collectively. Imagine if Tom did not find the rock on the map he would have probably not made this video. But if he made a 'fail' video then your comment would have provided us the answer any way.

    • @highestpeeqs9532
      @highestpeeqs9532 Před 2 měsíci +1

      Jesus loves yall, died for us, and rose again! Jesus calls for all of us to repent! He's coming back

  • @David_K_Booth
    @David_K_Booth Před 3 měsíci +803

    I'm sure that being able to get so near to the spot where the photo was taken will mean a lot to Maurice. That was very kind of you, Tom.

    • @GeoWizard
      @GeoWizard  Před 3 měsíci +101

      Thank you David 😊

    • @highestpeeqs9532
      @highestpeeqs9532 Před 2 měsíci +1

      Jesus loves yall, died for us, and rose again! Jesus calls for all of us to repent! He's coming back

  • @Destroy666x
    @Destroy666x Před 3 měsíci +851

    The date the road was changed was easily findable - by just entering Chinese language version of the Wikipedia article. 1994 was the opening date. And it says that it partially replaced province highway 1 with map of how the road went. Of course it's not too accurate. Just a hint for future searches.

    • @fdagpigj
      @fdagpigj Před 3 měsíci +98

      Yup, just learn every written language in the world.

    • @Michael-kp4bd
      @Michael-kp4bd Před 3 měsíci +243

      @@fdagpigjlol i mean the takeaway is to go to the obviously more relevant language wiki page where it’ll have more info. And dates in most any language are usually all in our arabic numeral system. Plus you can hit “translate” in most browsers. Then you have much more info - and it’s back in your language.

    • @larry365
      @larry365 Před 3 měsíci +94

      @@fdagpigj To echo the comment above, use google translate and local language wikis often have a lot more information vs English. Sometimes there isn't even an entry in English.

    • @fdagpigj
      @fdagpigj Před 3 měsíci +10

      @@Michael-kp4bd I know, I was just joking because the OP didn't directly mention the need for translation, but said it's "easily findable".

    • @alexg1778
      @alexg1778 Před 3 měsíci +3

      ​@fdagpigj You can't joke on the internet without somebody explaining why you're wrong my friend.
      We can just be glad this was pretty civil. 😂

  • @steffwo
    @steffwo Před 3 měsíci +368

    I wouldn't be too sad about the trees. In this story, the trees are a Symbol of the renewal of life. The trees are a symbol for the son, who is growing up, becoming taller and taller.

    • @milacruz3970
      @milacruz3970 Před 2 měsíci +5

      So cute

    • @highestpeeqs9532
      @highestpeeqs9532 Před 2 měsíci +1

      Jesus loves yall, died for us, and rose again! Jesus calls for all of us to repent! He's coming back

    • @SabrinaHawk
      @SabrinaHawk Před 2 měsíci

      Beautiful

    • @fudzzz
      @fudzzz Před 2 měsíci +1

      Well now you've just made me cry.

    • @barobaro1
      @barobaro1 Před měsícem

      Yeah but the trees are blocking the mountain now and that's sad 😢

  • @stefanomorandi7150
    @stefanomorandi7150 Před 3 měsíci +274

    geowitchcraft aside, this is truly one beautiful picture! the smile, the motorcycle, the mountain... it looks like Maurice's old man was having a truly wonderful time!

    • @highestpeeqs9532
      @highestpeeqs9532 Před 2 měsíci

      Jesus loves yall, died for us, and rose again! Jesus calls for all of us to repent! He's coming back

  • @steviechesney6610
    @steviechesney6610 Před 3 měsíci +182

    At 20:30 you can see an article titled "Pinge highway Planting Trees Project" i wonder if those are the trees that were planted which blocked the view of the rock

    • @Gic424_YT
      @Gic424_YT Před 3 měsíci +5

      Probably

    • @highestpeeqs9532
      @highestpeeqs9532 Před 2 měsíci

      Jesus loves yall, died for us, and rose again! Jesus calls for all of us to repent! He's coming back

  • @alexander-it6mx
    @alexander-it6mx Před 3 měsíci +117

    Even if he can't get the exact photo with the rock in the background, he can still get a photo where his father stood and I'm sure that is the most important thing. Great work Tom.

    • @McP1mpin
      @McP1mpin Před 3 měsíci +12

      And if he goes up the road a bit he could get a photo that nearly looks the same. So he should definitely take a photo in that spot, but if he wants to show people side by side of him and his father, then he should go up the road a couple hundred feet and take another one with the same background. I really hope he thinks of that.

    • @highestpeeqs9532
      @highestpeeqs9532 Před 2 měsíci

      Jesus loves yall, died for us, and rose again! Jesus calls for all of us to repent! He's coming back

  • @msachin4885
    @msachin4885 Před 3 měsíci +567

    How on god green earth do you keep managing to find these 1 in a billion locations literally 4 seconds after you commence your arduous search. It's absolutely maddening!

    • @rootz420
      @rootz420 Před 3 měsíci +19

      I'd say its borderline paranormal. Intuition tapping into akashic records?

    • @Michael-kp4bd
      @Michael-kp4bd Před 3 měsíci +100

      He walks us through his reasoning, which is built on years of knowledge and a ton of intuition from his years of exploring maps and playing geoguessr. He knew it was Taiwan, his geoguessr intuition told him it felt southern and coastal, and the road trip part was good reasoning on top of that. This crazy lucky in this one was mainly the 50/50 he chose clockwise that spared him who knows how long, and a bit of luck that it was pretty damn far south close to his starting area!

    • @Chris-sv8ty
      @Chris-sv8ty Před 3 měsíci

      @@Michael-kp4bd it wasn't luck that he went clockwise, it was DEVINE INTERVENTION!

    • @ApathyBM
      @ApathyBM Před 3 měsíci +30

      @@Michael-kp4bd I would say geoguessr only accounts for a small percentage of his skill on GeoDetective. The Geoguessrs might nail down the country, but Tom's skill comes from experience in the field, especially when he plans out his missions. It's translating maps into real world locations, especially regarding topography and architecture in a way geoguessr players aren't doing.

    • @lewblank7799
      @lewblank7799 Před 3 měsíci +21

      @@ApathyBM in addition to everything that's already been said, I'll add persistence and dedication. I can't imagine having the patience and care to embark on a search through all of Taiwan for a single mountain, even for a great cause like this, but Tom is up for the challenge.

  • @temmporadadepatos
    @temmporadadepatos Před 3 měsíci +604

    9:17 My girlfriend trying to cheer me up

    • @arnoldmmbb
      @arnoldmmbb Před 3 měsíci +22

      Ayo 😂

    • @Gic424_YT
      @Gic424_YT Před 3 měsíci +13

      Nah 😭

    • @Hugzzi
      @Hugzzi Před 3 měsíci +30

      I did actually say that's what she said as I watched that part 😂

    • @josefanon8504
      @josefanon8504 Před 3 měsíci +7

      lmao

    • @highestpeeqs9532
      @highestpeeqs9532 Před 2 měsíci

      Jesus loves yall, died for us, and rose again! Jesus calls for all of us to repent! He's coming back

  • @Alexand3ry
    @Alexand3ry Před 3 měsíci +190

    0:06 - of all the online geography-based detective series in which GeoWizard attempts to locate the exact whereabouts of a subject in a photograph (from all the towns in all the world) - this is indeed my favourite.

  • @mitchellhiggon547
    @mitchellhiggon547 Před 3 měsíci +275

    Thanks Tom I love this, my father lived in and died in Spain 20 years ago I'm 37 now and I spent a lot of the past couple of years looking for where he is buried if he is buried at all. But to no joy. I hope this man can take his photo and find his solace.

    • @lucyorwell
      @lucyorwell Před 3 měsíci +10

      Hi, do you live in Spain too or have contacts there who can help you? Why do you have doubts about him being buried if is not much to ask? Maybe I can help somehow, I'm from Spain actually, and my dad works as a manager in a funeral parlour. We aren't probably from the same region in Spain as your father, but if you don't have anyone here maybe I can give you some kind of useful info idk, let me know if you need it.

    • @mitchellhiggon547
      @mitchellhiggon547 Před 3 měsíci +13

      @@lucyorwell that is so nice of you thank you. I live in England near to London and my dad lived in Albox, Andalusia I believe he was murdered by my stepmother but the death certificate says he died with a stomach ulcer. It’s a longgggg story. I have a death certificate and I’ve spoken to albox town hall and the incineration place in Albox they said that if nobody claims the remains then the Spanish pay for incineration which is what happened. But that was in 2005 so there’s no trace of where the remains went. Hopefully he is in the cemetery of La Hoya but every grave stone would have to be checked. I say La Hoya because Albox said he wasn’t there

    • @eduardopcr5940
      @eduardopcr5940 Před 3 měsíci +3

      @@mitchellhiggon547 the ministry of Albox does not have a certificate of where he was buried? Man that is plain incopetent from their part.

    • @lucyorwell
      @lucyorwell Před 3 měsíci +5

      @mitchellhiggon547 I'm so so sorry. So cruel. Even if it was just about denying him a proper burial site and for his family a place to visit she is already a terrible human being for that reason, that's such a lack of respect and empathy that your doubts about his cause of death are honestly justified.
      If I understood correctly no one claimed his body? Or it was just the remains after cremation that weren't claimed? Because as far as I know there's different procedures, I'm guessing no one claimed him at all from the beginning. In any case the info about the burial site should be in the certificate, and I'm not sure about the legality of not having that information available. Not sure about for how long they have to keep records at the funeral place neither, but I'm shocked at the lack of information/help at the town hall. I'm from the north of Spain, so there may be some differences, but is weird nonetheless. Anyways I'm just speculating at the moment, I will ask my father tomorrow until which degree this is normal or legal, but I don't think they can get away with that many missing info. If it's not much to ask, do you know if he passed at a healthcare facility or it was anywhere else?
      If you prefer to speak about it in private I can maybe give you my socials or email. But I will let you know what I get from my dad tomorrow anyway.

    • @mitchellhiggon547
      @mitchellhiggon547 Před 3 měsíci

      @@eduardopcr5940 Albox are claiming that he 100% will be buried as nobody claimed the ashes but they deny he’s in Albox. They say there’s no record of what happened to the ashes I fear the worst tbh.

  • @DarthVader-om5rg
    @DarthVader-om5rg Před 3 měsíci +320

    It took be at least 5 minutes to realise that it was a satchel and not a hobbyhorse

    • @clairechocolate12
      @clairechocolate12 Před 3 měsíci +16

      It took me until Tom pointed out it was a satchel to realise 😅

    • @mip4422
      @mip4422 Před 3 měsíci +6

      What’s a hobbyhorse 😂

    • @larryfoulke1596
      @larryfoulke1596 Před 3 měsíci +8

      ​@@mip4422probably a horse head or something, because to me it look like it 😅

    • @AuntyAwesome
      @AuntyAwesome Před 3 měsíci +11

      ​@@mip4422 a kids toy, a horses head on the end of a wooden stick you can pretend to ride 😊

    • @Zanbaktau
      @Zanbaktau Před 3 měsíci +5

      I'm quite happy I'm not the only one seeing a horse's head on the back of that bike.

  • @ra-yo-su
    @ra-yo-su Před 3 měsíci +120

    The name of the mountain is 車城小尖山 (Checheng Xiaojianshan), not Gorilla Rock (which is nearby nevertheless). It is apparently a (minor?) tourist attraction in Southern Taiwan.

  • @ouchymytoe
    @ouchymytoe Před 3 měsíci +574

    THE BUSH!!! At 22:42!!! Look at the BUSH! It's right by a little fence! There it is! @22:51!

    • @TheJesusCrysist
      @TheJesusCrysist Před 3 měsíci +54

      Damn you're right!

    • @0114CP
      @0114CP Před 3 měsíci +19

      I hope tom does a follow up to this!

    • @lazarus3956
      @lazarus3956 Před 3 měsíci +28

      Good catch! Perhaps one of its descendants, it surely looks like the same species😊

    • @Atarian6502
      @Atarian6502 Před 3 měsíci +62

      No. That bush was planted just before 2009. Check that year on google maps how the bush was only a little plant...

    • @theobent3942
      @theobent3942 Před 3 měsíci +1

      Wow you are right!!!!!!

  • @cultoftyler9045
    @cultoftyler9045 Před 3 měsíci +113

    11:55 perfect opportunity to say "so we know the coast is clear".

  • @joshwilkinson947
    @joshwilkinson947 Před 3 měsíci +133

    He could stand in the spot , but send a drone up to get a photograph but from a different angle. One that includes Gorilla rock and him standing where his father did, just from a different perspective.

    • @Konohashinobi2007
      @Konohashinobi2007 Před 3 měsíci +2

      Yeah 100% this. Gonna be a real pain on the highway but gotta be worth it. Nice one Tom

    • @BarrytheSuperScot
      @BarrytheSuperScot Před 3 měsíci +7

      Just want to point out the mountain is not called Gorilla Rock, that's just a rock formation on the side of this mountain. The mountain is called 車城小尖山 (Checheng Xiaojianshan).

    • @landsgevaer
      @landsgevaer Před 3 měsíci +1

      I think the important thing for him is to stand on the spot and remember his dad.
      All the rest is circuss.

  • @linolafettatnet
    @linolafettatnet Před 3 měsíci +223

    what a lucky hit for this sad story. Hope "maurice" can take his photo.

    • @henkenn
      @henkenn Před 3 měsíci +6

      why the quotations around maurice?

    • @merseyviking
      @merseyviking Před 3 měsíci +42

      ​@@henkenn Because Tom says it's not quite the right name at the end.

    • @Claricio
      @Claricio Před 3 měsíci +52

      @@henkennhe uses fake names for this series

    • @OuterGalaxyLounge
      @OuterGalaxyLounge Před 3 měsíci +4

      With a name like that I hope he became the Pompatus of Love.

    • @findmeinthefuture.
      @findmeinthefuture. Před 3 měsíci +16

      For this one he actually used the real first name, check the pinned comment. He said it's not "quite" the real name because it's the real first name but a made up last name.

  • @Ultraw
    @Ultraw Před 3 měsíci +14

    Out of all the geography-based detective series' hosted by a bloke called tom from the midlands, this one definitely takes the cake! 🏆

  • @Bnuttn
    @Bnuttn Před 3 měsíci +62

    I have a lot of bad stuff in my life right now and often feel hopeless but your videos always makes me feel better for a while at least. Just want to say thank you for making these videos.

    • @Nooticus
      @Nooticus Před 3 měsíci

    • @HotDogWizard
      @HotDogWizard Před 2 měsíci +1

      genuinely hope things turn around for you, friend 🤝❤ I wish you the best

  • @Flippokid
    @Flippokid Před 3 měsíci +148

    "What a mad time, what a turbulent time, wat a fucked up time... but what an incredible time."

    • @ThatOneReviewer
      @ThatOneReviewer Před 3 měsíci +13

      Scrolled down to this comment at the exact time Tom said these words! 24:30 😅

    • @SamMC08
      @SamMC08 Před 3 měsíci +1

      Do you know which philosopher said that? Dolly Parton.

    • @Smogshaik
      @Smogshaik Před 3 měsíci +1

      Lowkey worthy of being in a film script, that line

    • @erichohl
      @erichohl Před 3 měsíci

      *it's 24:03 - sure u meant that. The people need this timestamp now.

  • @NUFCSuraj
    @NUFCSuraj Před 3 měsíci +58

    Amazing work Tom, your brain never ceases to amaze me. Love a story like this too, my sympathy to Maurice but this is a really poetic way to follow in his father's footsteps, literally. Using the internet to piece together these stories and help people, even in somewhat trivial ways. It's truly incredible. So glad you found it, and so quickly too.

  • @blindamalgam7125
    @blindamalgam7125 Před 3 měsíci +16

    17:28 the shadows are a PERFECT match on the left side of the mountain. that right there is the exact location of the photo. it pained me that he was like ok now to just find the exact location.... haha you've already found it brother! Great video and you've done Maurice a wonderful service Tom.

    • @streemy-ph2om
      @streemy-ph2om Před 2 měsíci +1

      Nah, look at the overall shape (pointyness), the angle is off here

    • @lisve
      @lisve Před 2 měsíci

      yeah I disagree as well. The smaller hill on the right side in front of the pointy mountain is higher in the photo, indicating it was taken closer to the hill than compared to the google street view position you're referring to.

  • @criena
    @criena Před 3 měsíci +66

    Am I the only one who thought he had a fairground horses head on the back on the bike and was holding a glass of wine?

    • @GeorgeVenturi
      @GeorgeVenturi Před 3 měsíci +2

      haha Now that you mentioned it I am conditioned to see the white horse head (backpack) and the glass of wine (mirror)

    • @gullyfoyle2615
      @gullyfoyle2615 Před 3 měsíci

      Ha ha ha spot on!

    • @criena
      @criena Před 3 měsíci +1

      @@GeorgeVenturi you’re welcome! Hahaha

    • @amyhatto4420
      @amyhatto4420 Před 3 měsíci

      No I thought it was a wooden horse too 😅

  • @mcterb7142
    @mcterb7142 Před 3 měsíci +29

    As soon as Tom found the rock shape i knew the photo wouldn't be possible to imitate. It feels like time has erased this moment. I don't know why this makes me so sad.

    • @toast-master-6663
      @toast-master-6663 Před 3 měsíci +3

      Since some of us spend our entire lives to leave a legacy behind us, I guess it’s kinda natural feel like that, I would feel bad if I knew my legacy would be snuffed out by time, but I guess it’s only natural.

    • @alexg1778
      @alexg1778 Před 3 měsíci +10

      I get that feeling when looking around my local area on Google maps. I'm only 31 but there's been such immense change around here even in that time that some places are unrecognisable.
      I know it's the steady march of time and things have to move on, it's just sad seeing quaint English countryside turn into dual carriageways, industrial estates and houses.

    • @theredreceivers
      @theredreceivers Před 3 měsíci

      mono no aware

  • @iamjeramy
    @iamjeramy Před 3 měsíci +61

    Tom, just wanted you to know that Great Aunt's Painting was of Pont Neuf, Paris and was VERY accurate! Hopefully you can update your spreadsheet (and perhaps revisit it in an update video?). Great work on this one! Can't believe you just immediately got it.

    • @ReyNico
      @ReyNico Před 3 měsíci +4

      He probably won't see this, definitely try to keep getting the message to him

    • @iamjeramy
      @iamjeramy Před 3 měsíci +6

      @@ReyNicoHere's hoping! I was playing along with him on the Great Aunt video and eventually found the similar looking square at the end of the Pont Neuf bridge. Messing with the year allowed me to see just how good the painting was. I was impressed! Hoping he returns to update it, because it is interesting.

    • @WiscomptonBoys
      @WiscomptonBoys Před 3 měsíci +1

      Here’s a comment for visibility, very cool

    • @ReyNico
      @ReyNico Před 3 měsíci +1

      @@iamjeramy great work!!! That's impressive.

    • @iamjeramy
      @iamjeramy Před 3 měsíci

      @@WiscomptonBoysThanks, I've been trying each detective video. Would love to see him check it out in a video and update it!

  • @2timkat
    @2timkat Před 3 měsíci +8

    Well done, sir! When I saw the preview thumb on my YT home page, I knew it was Taiwan, so I clicked on it. I have lived here for 23+ years, and immediately assumed the photo was taken in the south, as I have traveled that stretch of road countless times. I couldn't have said exactly where it was, but as you drew closer to your conclusion, I was super chuffed to find out my basic instinct was correct. I actually teach geography here at the middle school level, so I geek out about this kind of thing. So cool you found it, and so quickly! Kudos to you, and I hope that Maurice has a great time reconstructing things. Indeed, it is a very cool world we live in, despite all the challenges.

  • @himynameshayden
    @himynameshayden Před 3 měsíci +5

    Beautiful. Most people drive by this spot without a second thought but Maurice has such a deep connection to it. Really makes you stop and appreciate the world around you.

  • @fearsomebunny
    @fearsomebunny Před 3 měsíci +4

    ROFL when I realized you got tasked with finding that mount in Taiwan. From that picture. ROFL.
    Jaw dropped when you stumbled across it like a boss. WHAT?!? Unbelievable find.

  • @othertwishart
    @othertwishart Před 3 měsíci +12

    BY FAR, your most incredible episode. Hopefully, Maurice can experience some form of peace during his visit - traveling alongside his father, albeit a few decades later. Great work, Tom.

  • @souvlakizeitgeist6001
    @souvlakizeitgeist6001 Před 3 měsíci +21

    Beautiful video! Thanks for the Plonk It Guide shoutout. Even though it didn't mention the agava plants, glad to see it could still be at least of some help, confirming the thought about the photo looking tropical (and therefore south). Kind regards from the Plonk It guide editors :)

  • @MrLegendra
    @MrLegendra Před 3 měsíci +130

    3:53...I could sense a bit of hesitation before you said it but -500,000 social credit score.

    • @Blackadder75
      @Blackadder75 Před 3 měsíci +5

      no worries he watches red sun in the sky every day for + credit score

    • @tomasdvorak7307
      @tomasdvorak7307 Před 3 měsíci +47

      No harm in the daily reminder: Taiwan is of course a country.

    • @16m49x3
      @16m49x3 Před 3 měsíci

      @@tomasdvorak7307
      Taiwan is a country no matter what the communists in west Taiwan says

  • @robin1987100
    @robin1987100 Před 3 měsíci +104

    if he was smoking id think it was Natsuki.

    • @Blackadder75
      @Blackadder75 Před 3 měsíci +6

      wait, is that the guy I think it is? (japanese dude who plays pachinko friends with tiny appartment tokio youtuber ? ) if so the interwebs are a small place , no matter what they say

    • @Natez-vw4kd
      @Natez-vw4kd Před 3 měsíci +12

      Hahaha.. Yeah, it does look a bit like Chris Broads friend, from Abroad in Japan.

  • @mattamiller2002
    @mattamiller2002 Před 3 měsíci +68

    Tom: Finds exact location of a 45-year-old photo taken on the the other side of the world in 120 seconds
    Also Tom: "Telegraph poles"

    • @jellyman140
      @jellyman140 Před 3 měsíci +4

      Whats wrong with telegraph poles? Thats what they were weren't they?

    • @reddwarfer999
      @reddwarfer999 Před 2 měsíci +1

      @@jellyman140Were they the 1952 series with the triple reinforced wire?

  • @ChokyoDK
    @ChokyoDK Před 3 měsíci +22

    This series is so good man. This series, the accident series and the IRL missions are the cream of the crop.

  • @Insorteduplo
    @Insorteduplo Před 3 měsíci +10

    That was the most wonderful and wholesome Geo Detective from you

  • @LeiniLebt
    @LeiniLebt Před 3 měsíci +17

    Just leaving a comment from a different country, so the algorithm gets confused. Greetings from Germany. Will keep watching all Videos till the end of this chanel. And the classics will be rewatched for years. Like Home alone in Christmas.

    • @mille_fiori
      @mille_fiori Před 3 měsíci +1

      And to confuse the algorithm even more, I'm donating another comment from Germany! I love his videos, especially the "Geo detective" ones

  • @olekosikowicz6382
    @olekosikowicz6382 Před 3 měsíci +30

    You can use overpass turbo to look for every peak in Taiwan. Seriosly look at overpass will be massively usefull in the series ❤

    • @Pandametal_
      @Pandametal_ Před 3 měsíci +2

      +1, very powerful tool if you're a bit used to the OSM database

  • @CallieMasters5000
    @CallieMasters5000 Před 3 měsíci +16

    When doing these, it's good to remember that road trips are often to distant locations, where photos are taken with distinct local features. If this hill was right near the capital city, it probably would not be photographed because people see it everyday. Also the family members would recognize common features that they saw all the time, so the fact the relatives didn't recognize it probably means it's a remote, scenic location. In this case, it's about as far away from where most all the population live in the north as possible.

    • @JabbyMayoCD
      @JabbyMayoCD Před 3 měsíci +2

      That doesn't quite work in Taiwan cause there's a famous mountain right next to Taipei that everyone takes a picture at lol

  • @Guacapoke
    @Guacapoke Před 3 měsíci +28

    I’ve been binging your channel all day. Crazy happy to see a new video!

    • @x9x9x9x9x9
      @x9x9x9x9x9 Před 3 měsíci +1

      Welcome to the club. Patreon is linked somewhere and is 100% worth supporting. Like I am not even joking. Tom is one of the few creators that actually makes posts on patreon frequently and getting early access to most videos is super nice.

    • @Anzuo
      @Anzuo Před 3 měsíci

      I love it when the current channel I'm binging releases a perfectly timed video

    • @Flippokid
      @Flippokid Před 3 měsíci

      So you got early access on patreon and now you're watching again here on youtube?@@x9x9x9x9x9

  • @thatowensbloke
    @thatowensbloke Před 3 měsíci +13

    as long as Maurice takes a drone, he will be able to get just a little extra elevation and get over the trees

  • @funkymoney3373
    @funkymoney3373 Před 3 měsíci +17

    I love these Geodetective rounds so much

  • @JakeTPE
    @JakeTPE Před 3 měsíci +8

    I'm just 4 minutes in, Tom, but wanted to thank you for calling Taiwan a country!

  • @Victoria-sq6lu
    @Victoria-sq6lu Před 3 měsíci +7

    Tom, when you upload it makes my day, I enjoy your videos so much, it brings me some sort of comfort, keep it up, mate 😊

  • @christinae30
    @christinae30 Před 3 měsíci +2

    I love that the search photo shows his father so happy!
    Tears in my eyes of all this, thank you both!

  • @SuPhileasSuwinniepooh41
    @SuPhileasSuwinniepooh41 Před 3 měsíci +2

    By the way, Dulan is the famous exotic town for foreign expats --- a quiet coastal town just 20 km north of Taitung City.There is no public transportation to Dulan other than by bus, so do not expect large crowds.

  • @snarepusher
    @snarepusher Před 3 měsíci +12

    It has to be the right mountain, but somehow the direction he is facing the sun doesn't add up for me with the road orientation and length of the shadows. So maybe the road was not only widened but also straightened since the photo was made. In that case the historical road would have been facing a bit more towards an east - west direction, which would also explain the difference in how the two hills match up.

  • @Normonaut
    @Normonaut Před 3 měsíci +3

    To get a photo that's "close enough", Maurice could stand roughly where the little dirt road loops to the left. there he'll at least see the mountain in the back

  • @johnnyj2d3
    @johnnyj2d3 Před 3 měsíci

    Thank you for what you're doing... Using your knowledge to help other people around the world like this is just precious, makes me really happy to see people like you on the internet. Just found out about this channel and I'm really happy to get here, also I'm a Spanish native speaker so if you need someone for Spanish subtitles you can tell me :) because I really would like for more people to know about this channel. As a psychologist I also know how much of importance it has for someone to spot places where important people for us were in the past, it's a closure and it's also a very liberating experience

  • @nikaiwolf
    @nikaiwolf Před 2 měsíci +1

    This was awesome to watch!! Congrats on helping Maurice.
    On a side note, power lines rarely every move. Sometimes powerlines will get abandoned in place. If power lines get upgraded the path usually stays the same.

  • @claiminglight
    @claiminglight Před 3 měsíci +3

    What a worthy way to use your niche geo-locating skills! I'd love to see you do more with this, if there's people out there who can benefit from it.

  • @DonerKetty
    @DonerKetty Před 3 měsíci +3

    Great stuff Tom, love these. Hope Maurice gets to stand there and have his moment.

  • @tobysimmonds487
    @tobysimmonds487 Před 3 měsíci +4

    This is absolutely insane! The level of skill and sheer luck combined on this one made for one of the most impressive finds in geodetective history honestly! I was so convinced it would take you days to find it looking at how big Taiwan is but jeez this is beyond impressive :D

  • @lifeintaiwan
    @lifeintaiwan Před 3 měsíci +2

    You have no idea how lucky you were to find this !!! The coast road is about 1000km long ❤❤❤

  • @finthakilla9125
    @finthakilla9125 Před 3 měsíci +12

    23:49 Inspirational quote for the day😊

  • @WLSG422
    @WLSG422 Před 3 měsíci +7

    viewer from Taiwan here, lovely to see this island is explored (havent the foggiest where that photo is taken myself)! looking forward to the upcoming adventures!

  • @jsun6396
    @jsun6396 Před 2 měsíci +1

    Hit 18:10 - he's still questioning - but when he throws the pictures up side by side - it;s like everything else, people see what they see - I see Dr Doom's Mask under his hood exactly matching both pictures - in the mountain. This is a great video

  • @Liatriss
    @Liatriss Před 2 měsíci +1

    I did this one with you and paused the video when you started doing new methods and tried applying myself first before seeing what you did next. I learned a lot from this video about features I wasn't even aware of, awesome content and amazing work!

  • @danm.9045
    @danm.9045 Před 3 měsíci +26

    17:43 anyone able to make out a face like formation in the rock? completely identical in both images this is insane.

    • @reggiedixon2
      @reggiedixon2 Před 3 měsíci +4

      Yes like an Easter Island statue - Rapa Nui

    • @sammelchi
      @sammelchi Před 3 měsíci +1

      had the same thought. seemed dubious until i saw that angle

    • @skalet66a
      @skalet66a Před 3 měsíci +2

      Same here. The gorilla.

  • @lukecannon
    @lukecannon Před 3 měsíci +3

    Would love to see a geodetective run-off between rainbolt & tom

  • @jockepett1
    @jockepett1 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Tom. I've watched your progress on GeoGessr and I've also followed you on your straight-line and across xxx adventures and all I can say is Well done Sir!
    You have triggered me into joining GeoGessr and also to start thinking to do stupid straight line missions across where I'm living.. You are truly an inspiration. Keep up the good work and if you take requests, I'm very fond or your urban straight line episods, but then again the play alongs are also top notch. 🙂

  • @stevenohenries5127
    @stevenohenries5127 Před 3 měsíci +1

    How amazing and moving that you can use your exceptional geographical talent to do something so meaningful and poignant for someone. Brilliant work Tom, and all the best to Maurice in travelling to the spot your dad once stood in ☺️🙏🏻

  • @norsemark
    @norsemark Před 3 měsíci +8

    Really expected a Fraggle Rock reference at 16:50 there Tom. You're letting the side down missing educational opportunities like this slip through the fingers.

  • @RealTal.
    @RealTal. Před 3 měsíci +5

    At the end when you cut to 2021 footage and it was all blocked off it was gutwrenching

  • @xos
    @xos Před 3 měsíci +3

    Amazing find and story, I hope Maurice can find some solace in his trip. I will also say, it seemed like just around the bend, the view of 小霸尖山 was quite a bit clearer. A photo in the exact location, and then a photo down the road (or from the side road or something), that evokes a greater similarity to the background from the original, would be very sweet.

  • @schism8286
    @schism8286 Před 3 měsíci +1

    I know you likely figured this out towards the end of the clip, but the new road has the power lines to the left from your view. The old road which we cannot get to via street view would be power lines to the right which is how it shows in the original photo. Stunning work! I just found this channel as we recently moved to Oregon and are starting to do some geocaching.

  • @DustyCustard
    @DustyCustard Před 3 měsíci +5

    GET INNN

  • @ooiamjengaxxi
    @ooiamjengaxxi Před 3 měsíci +6

    My bf sent me this vid, I am Taiwanese, my hometown is Taitung, and I am aboriginal people in Taiwan too!
    I shared this to my dad, told him just looked at the old pic of Maurice’s dad, he answered the name of the road immediately lol
    And then I continued the vid, I found out oh my god that is the road we always have to passing through from Taitung to my mom’s hometown Kaohsiung, and my dad is always driving….
    No wonder he can recognized right away….
    So happy for you Maurice, have a lovely one in finding the trace!
    p.s. my dad went to Louvre 24 years ago, cus I am currently living in paris, so I did the same imitation picture too on Father’s Day then sent him the pic! So I can feel Maurice why you wanted to do this! It’s so amazing and such meaningful!

  • @pigggy2313
    @pigggy2313 Před 3 měsíci +4

    Doing this as a sort of competition against someone like zigzag would be really fun to see I feel. First to find the location wins

  • @tobias9619
    @tobias9619 Před 3 měsíci +1

    I find it great that at 20:22 there's a article about a highway tree planting project.
    I believe it was successful

  • @mrwazzag
    @mrwazzag Před 3 měsíci +2

    The best channel on CZcams!

  • @nicksimmons2554
    @nicksimmons2554 Před 3 měsíci +3

    Anyone else see the face in the mountain?

    • @13mowe
      @13mowe Před měsícem

      i can see a face in any abstract image , very clearly

  • @gjoel57
    @gjoel57 Před 3 měsíci +2

    You have a heart of gold Tom. Can't wait for the straight line mission!

  • @Lindseyisloony
    @Lindseyisloony Před 26 dny +1

    17:56 That's unmistakable. The thing practically has a face on it lol

  • @soejrd24978
    @soejrd24978 Před 3 měsíci +2

    My mind saying yippee when a new upload strikes

  • @3arendel
    @3arendel Před 3 měsíci +2

    Unbelievable

  • @oupwo7468
    @oupwo7468 Před 3 měsíci +1

    18:02 : Warning ! you are forgetting how the different cameras used (google 360° cam vs old (probably film) camera) may drastically change the appearance of objects in terms of shape because of their f ratio.
    Aside : damn, this is really impressive and I found a great series I am going to follow

  • @19MarkF91
    @19MarkF91 Před 3 měsíci +2

    My favourite series and probably the best one yet.
    So glad you found the exact spot for Maurice. 👍

  • @syrus3k
    @syrus3k Před 3 měsíci +2

    Yo Tom, when are you getting over to AFRICA mate to meet up with a certain GEEZER?!

  • @HPCAT88
    @HPCAT88 Před 3 měsíci +3

    Are the clickbait circles and arrows really necessary?

  • @a7las_01
    @a7las_01 Před 3 měsíci

    One of the best ones yet. I love the series so much. Thank you!

  • @Heylon1313
    @Heylon1313 Před 2 měsíci +1

    what a beautiful video, ,thank you for taking the time to help Maurice find this happy moment.

  • @VectraVX
    @VectraVX Před 3 měsíci +3

    Are you recording?

  • @andyswps
    @andyswps Před 3 měsíci +2

    Taiwanese here, my hunch is also around the southern tip of Taiwan! Glad you were able to find the spot. It would have been a much more strenuous search if you did counter-clockwise😅 The road layout looks pretty much the same since 1985 based on an online map archive I found, but there's limited info since the area is quite rural. For most people, the only reason to be on that road would be en route to Kenting, which is a major tourist destination. It's possible that Maurice's father took this picture during a break on his road trip to Kenting!

  • @da4an1qu1
    @da4an1qu1 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Fantastic work. I was going to counter you on the pin because I was convinced the electrical poles on the East side of the road (the shot is facing South) were the same one's to the West of Maurice's father. However, I found a pole in a 2009 street view, further up to that building, between it an the mound, facing West, that seems very likely to be remnant of that sequence of poles in the photo. That pole is just behind the mound, and the electrical wires no longer continue North, but now turn towards the street view car, that is to the East of the pole. There is also a pole on the West side of the road, a little further back in the North, that is plausibly a remnant in that sequence that runs close to the west side of that road. I have a connection to Taiwan, so loved this. Again, great work.

  • @JakeLongworth
    @JakeLongworth Před 3 měsíci +3

    Wow mate, long time follower myself.
    What a guy are for taking the time to do this for a follower of yours. Kudos!
    Just what I needed to restore my faith in humanity!

  • @johnscotland3744
    @johnscotland3744 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Great work Tom. A straight line mission fan but these geo detective videos are another level of awesome.

  • @Nooticus
    @Nooticus Před 3 měsíci +1

    Absolutely incredible video. That choice to start at the bottom and go clockwise was truly incredible. What a video.

  • @ungabunga7879
    @ungabunga7879 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Man, i was like "oh im in for a long one" was getting food ready, finally getting comfortable, and immediatly saw you zoom into an identical looking mountain.. i was seriously like "nooo...that cant be......oh...."

  • @CarnieUK
    @CarnieUK Před 3 měsíci +2

    I think the actual location is on that dirt track lay-by to the left of the road. If you look at the pylons in the photo, they could be following the side of the main road, as they do in google maps.

  • @davidasher3624
    @davidasher3624 Před 3 měsíci

    This was a very fascinating watch! Great job on finding the location. Maurice does indeed look like a fun feller. RIP

  • @SightedRain40
    @SightedRain40 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Amazing Tom. The compassion you show is unbelievable ❤️

  • @nathanweiss5174
    @nathanweiss5174 Před 3 měsíci +3

    I think the logical assumption is that the road was widened from a two lane road to the divided roadway we see now. What a stroke of luck to start where you did and find it so fast!

  • @petersvideofile
    @petersvideofile Před 3 měsíci

    This was fascinating, watching the process you used and hearing your reasoning. What an art.