Equator

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Kampala is about 3 ½ hours away but normally takes up to a day - that’s a ¾ hour walk to town to get a taxi to masaka, then an hour or so waiting for a taxi to leave, another hour into masaka, a further hour waiting for the bus to Kampala to fill up and then 2 ½ hours on the road. Time just goes. But the journey to Kampala is full of amusement! The whole road, 130 km, is currently being widened - why they do the entire section at once and don’t finish one bit before starting the next I have no idea. All the way there are people selling produce stacked up so artistically on the side of the road in front of their land - potatoes, coal, fruit, veg, crafts, you name it. And then if the driver ever stops in a village/town the bus is charged by dozens of people selling roasted plantain, meat on sticks, cold water, snacks - the lot. Plus we cross the equator (each and every time!).

It astounds me the way water on one side of the equator goes down the plughole in one direction and on the other side of the equator it goes down in the opposite direction and then on the actual equator it goes straight down…..is it really true? And how far either side of the equator do you have to go to notice the direction of the water ie that’s it’s not going straight down.

Well I’m living just 100km south of the equator and I can tell you that the water goes down the plughole anti clockwise and I’m pretty sure at home it’s clockwise so fancy that! With a lack of a sink, plug and tub of water each time I cross the equator I haven’t managed to carry out the experiment of whether it goes straight down on the actual equator so I’ll just have to trust the scientists on that one!

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Comments

[Helli]

plug hole
Could you experiment with inverting a water bottle with a little water in (not too muhc so it glugs!)? I think you should try and do a test either side and on the actual equater. You would think there would be sinks aligned along the equater for tourists to test! xh

[katy]

I've always wondered if the water swirling thing was a myth...thanks for debunking it. I'll check the toilet at work and let you know which way it swirls. I live the photo of the fruit and veg stand...the colors are fabulous!

[Amy]

Equator
I don't know if this is right but I'm sure QI or some programme said the water down the plug hole is a myth?!