Low culture offers a return to innocence, the escape from real world problems, or the experience of living vicariously through viewing someone else s life on television.

Three years ago, I met John Hanke, who's the head of Google Earth, and I told him how much I loved being able to hold the world in my hands and go exploring vicariously.

I'm well aware of the irony of telling you that we will be blogging and tweeting. You'll be able to live vicariously and virtually through this journey in a way that no one has ever before.