My most emotional (and insane) Geo Detective to date

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
  • 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 :)

КОМЕНТАРІ • 1,5 тис.

  • @MauriceMoves
    @MauriceMoves 11 місяців тому +32908

    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 11 місяців тому +1057

      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 11 місяців тому +71

      👏🏼👏🏼

    • @tomonmars
      @tomonmars 11 місяців тому +201

      I'm so happy for you Maurice!!!

    • @alexbarnet6982
      @alexbarnet6982 11 місяців тому +34

    • @tikkukko
      @tikkukko 11 місяців тому +36

  • @nutsbutdum
    @nutsbutdum 11 місяців тому +3891

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

    • @Thomashorsman
      @Thomashorsman 11 місяців тому +105

      he would call it anticlockwise because he is English

    • @kryspy5160
      @kryspy5160 11 місяців тому +62

      @@Thomashorsman who cares

    • @iamjeramy
      @iamjeramy 11 місяців тому +3

      @@Thomashorsman LOL

    • @evanever
      @evanever 11 місяців тому +11

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

    • @Thomashorsman
      @Thomashorsman 11 місяців тому

      24 people clearly@@kryspy5160

  • @lazarus3956
    @lazarus3956 11 місяців тому +7543

    Imagine if Tom went counter-clockwise!🤯

    • @maximeanselot3007
      @maximeanselot3007 11 місяців тому +158

      OMG I didn't think about that

    • @keyrone77
      @keyrone77 11 місяців тому +114

      Yep that would have been grrrrreeeeeeeaaaaaatt

    • @brendangarske553
      @brendangarske553 11 місяців тому +24

      Bruh.

    • @pinedrops7542
      @pinedrops7542 11 місяців тому +43

      I was thinking this very thing throughout most of this video

    • @shonuff4323
      @shonuff4323 11 місяців тому +5

      LOL

  • @GeoWizard
    @GeoWizard  11 місяців тому +3959

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

    • @sputukgmail
      @sputukgmail 11 місяців тому +7

      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 11 місяців тому +1

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

    • @BirdDogg
      @BirdDogg 11 місяців тому

      Use historic aerials form older imagery

    • @jaycefeet8257
      @jaycefeet8257 11 місяців тому

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

    • @KaladinVegapunk
      @KaladinVegapunk 11 місяців тому +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

  • @czajla
    @czajla 11 місяців тому +7404

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

    • @jlt131
      @jlt131 11 місяців тому +135

      I would love to see the photos he takes here!

    • @Sleezy.Design
      @Sleezy.Design 11 місяців тому +114

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

    • @RyanMcLeanau
      @RyanMcLeanau 11 місяців тому +23

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

    • @xxsantyxx
      @xxsantyxx 11 місяців тому +4

      Yes please, we want to see it!!

    • @guttelol
      @guttelol 11 місяців тому +6

      Staying tuned for Maurices vlog there!

  • @BigRigCreates
    @BigRigCreates 11 місяців тому +2749

    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.

    • @mip4422
      @mip4422 11 місяців тому +1

      Innitive?

    • @Cornucopia99
      @Cornucopia99 11 місяців тому

      ​@@mip4422 Initiative

    • @stjernestruck
      @stjernestruck 11 місяців тому

      @@mip4422initiative

    • @pinedrops7542
      @pinedrops7542 11 місяців тому +165

      @@mip4422he meant initiative

    • @henrick5989
      @henrick5989 11 місяців тому +64

      Well spotted!

  • @egodreas
    @egodreas 11 місяців тому +5226

    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 11 місяців тому +147

      Dude sweet knowledge, thank you 🙏

    • @colmwhateveryoulike3240
      @colmwhateveryoulike3240 11 місяців тому +84

      Commenting to bring attention.

    • @Normonaut
      @Normonaut 11 місяців тому +50

      bumping this one towards the top

    • @Oznej
      @Oznej 11 місяців тому +64

      Chinese transcription of Xiaojianshan: 小尖山

    • @ExpedientFalcon
      @ExpedientFalcon 11 місяців тому +146

      "Small Pointy Mountain". Valid name.

  • @David_K_Booth
    @David_K_Booth 11 місяців тому +863

    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  11 місяців тому +99

      Thank you David 😊

    • @highestpeeqs9532
      @highestpeeqs9532 10 місяців тому +1

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

  • @BarrytheSuperScot
    @BarrytheSuperScot 11 місяців тому +1018

    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 UA-cam 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 11 місяців тому +11

      👏👏👏👏💯

    • @MinasanKonnichiwa777
      @MinasanKonnichiwa777 10 місяців тому +61

      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 10 місяців тому +5

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

  • @Destroy666x
    @Destroy666x 11 місяців тому +987

    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 11 місяців тому +110

      Yup, just learn every written language in the world.

    • @Michael-kp4bd
      @Michael-kp4bd 11 місяців тому +271

      @@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 11 місяців тому +108

      @@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 11 місяців тому +11

      @@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 11 місяців тому +4

      ​@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 11 місяців тому +471

    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 10 місяців тому +11

      So cute

    • @highestpeeqs9532
      @highestpeeqs9532 10 місяців тому +2

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

    • @SabrinaHawk
      @SabrinaHawk 10 місяців тому

      Beautiful

    • @fudzzz
      @fudzzz 10 місяців тому +3

      Well now you've just made me cry.

    • @justno984
      @justno984 9 місяців тому

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

  • @stefanomorandi7150
    @stefanomorandi7150 11 місяців тому +303

    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 10 місяців тому

      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 11 місяців тому +140

    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 11 місяців тому +11

      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 10 місяців тому

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

  • @steviechesney6610
    @steviechesney6610 11 місяців тому +229

    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 11 місяців тому +7

      Probably

    • @highestpeeqs9532
      @highestpeeqs9532 10 місяців тому

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

  • @ra-yo-su
    @ra-yo-su 11 місяців тому +154

    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.

  • @mitchellhiggon547
    @mitchellhiggon547 11 місяців тому +288

    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 11 місяців тому +13

      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 11 місяців тому +17

      @@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

    • @Dohnjoe5940
      @Dohnjoe5940 11 місяців тому +4

      @@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 11 місяців тому +7

      @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 11 місяців тому

      @@Dohnjoe5940 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.

  • @Alexand3ry
    @Alexand3ry 11 місяців тому +195

    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.

  • @fearsomebunny
    @fearsomebunny 11 місяців тому +10

    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.

  • @linolafettatnet
    @linolafettatnet 11 місяців тому +224

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

    • @henkenn
      @henkenn 11 місяців тому +7

      why the quotations around maurice?

    • @merseyviking
      @merseyviking 11 місяців тому +42

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

    • @Claricio
      @Claricio 11 місяців тому +52

      @@henkennhe uses fake names for this series

    • @OuterGalaxyLounge
      @OuterGalaxyLounge 11 місяців тому +6

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

    • @findmeinthefuture.
      @findmeinthefuture. 11 місяців тому +17

      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.

  • @2timkat
    @2timkat 11 місяців тому +18

    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.

  • @joshwilkinson947
    @joshwilkinson947 11 місяців тому +149

    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.

    • @cucurbitdev
      @cucurbitdev 11 місяців тому +2

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

    • @BarrytheSuperScot
      @BarrytheSuperScot 11 місяців тому +9

      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 11 місяців тому +2

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

  • @Bnuttn
    @Bnuttn 11 місяців тому +68

    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 11 місяців тому

    • @HotDogWizard
      @HotDogWizard 10 місяців тому +1

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

  • @cultoftyler9045
    @cultoftyler9045 11 місяців тому +123

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

  • @msachin4885
    @msachin4885 11 місяців тому +590

    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 11 місяців тому +20

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

    • @Michael-kp4bd
      @Michael-kp4bd 11 місяців тому +103

      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 11 місяців тому

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

    • @ApathyBM
      @ApathyBM 11 місяців тому +33

      @@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 11 місяців тому +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.

  • @Ultraw
    @Ultraw 11 місяців тому +14

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

  • @blindamalgam7125
    @blindamalgam7125 11 місяців тому +23

    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 10 місяців тому +1

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

    • @lisve
      @lisve 10 місяців тому

      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.

    • @DanSmeed
      @DanSmeed 5 місяців тому

      ​@@lisveLooks right to me. The difference might be the foliage and everything. That place has changed a lot. It looks even more different now on Google Maps. The hill to the right looks different, but... Well, it's different. In the photo it's a bit rocky and uneven. In the newer image it's smooth. Also, everything between the man and the hill has changed. The sharpness of the mountain might also be because of foliage. I'm no expert, but it's what I see.

  • @NUFCSuraj
    @NUFCSuraj 11 місяців тому +59

    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.

  • @ChokyoDK
    @ChokyoDK 11 місяців тому +24

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

  • @himynameshayden
    @himynameshayden 11 місяців тому +6

    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.

  • @DarthVader-om5rg
    @DarthVader-om5rg 11 місяців тому +326

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

    • @clairechocolate12
      @clairechocolate12 11 місяців тому +18

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

    • @mip4422
      @mip4422 11 місяців тому +6

      What’s a hobbyhorse 😂

    • @larryfoulke1596
      @larryfoulke1596 11 місяців тому +8

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

    • @AuntyAwesome
      @AuntyAwesome 11 місяців тому +11

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

    • @Zanbaktau
      @Zanbaktau 11 місяців тому +6

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

  • @souvlakizeitgeist6001
    @souvlakizeitgeist6001 11 місяців тому +22

    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 :)

  • @ouchymytoe
    @ouchymytoe 11 місяців тому +601

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

    • @TheJesusCrysist
      @TheJesusCrysist 11 місяців тому +55

      Damn you're right!

    • @0114CP
      @0114CP 11 місяців тому +19

      I hope tom does a follow up to this!

    • @lazarus3956
      @lazarus3956 11 місяців тому +30

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

    • @Atarian6502
      @Atarian6502 11 місяців тому +68

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

    • @theobent3942
      @theobent3942 11 місяців тому +1

      Wow you are right!!!!!!

  • @othertwishart
    @othertwishart 11 місяців тому +14

    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.

  • @christinae30
    @christinae30 11 місяців тому +4

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

  • @iamjeramy
    @iamjeramy 11 місяців тому +62

    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 11 місяців тому +4

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

    • @iamjeramy
      @iamjeramy 11 місяців тому +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 11 місяців тому +1

      Here’s a comment for visibility, very cool

    • @ReyNico
      @ReyNico 11 місяців тому +1

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

    • @iamjeramy
      @iamjeramy 11 місяців тому

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

  • @schism8286
    @schism8286 11 місяців тому +4

    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.

  • @Insorteduplo
    @Insorteduplo 11 місяців тому +10

    That was the most wonderful and wholesome Geo Detective from you

  • @liamedwards2517
    @liamedwards2517 6 місяців тому +2

    Absolutely wonderful! Isn't it amazing how seeing you find place, from a picture of a bloke I have never met and obviously do not know, could be so emotional. He looks like a lovely chap too.

  • @mattamiller2002
    @mattamiller2002 11 місяців тому +73

    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 11 місяців тому +4

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

    • @reddwarfer999
      @reddwarfer999 10 місяців тому +1

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

  • @LeiniLebt
    @LeiniLebt 11 місяців тому +19

    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 11 місяців тому +1

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

  • @funkymoney3373
    @funkymoney3373 11 місяців тому +18

    I love these Geodetective rounds so much

  • @Guacapoke
    @Guacapoke 11 місяців тому +29

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

    • @x9x9x9x9x9
      @x9x9x9x9x9 11 місяців тому +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 11 місяців тому

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

    • @Flippokid
      @Flippokid 11 місяців тому

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

  • @JakeTPE
    @JakeTPE 11 місяців тому +20

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

  • @jsun6396
    @jsun6396 10 місяців тому +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

  • @toffinabof
    @toffinabof 11 місяців тому +5

    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

  • @googleyebigteeth7185
    @googleyebigteeth7185 2 місяці тому

    The best video and subsequently best channel i have come across this year. Its introduced me to geoguessr and timeguessr, the geo detective and straight line missions are intriguing to watch. The only reason this works as well as it does is that Tom is a genuine good bugger, you can't fake that. I heard a couple of guys get interviewed about doing a straight line mission in my little old home country of New Zealand yesterday, you have inspired people worldwide! Best of luck to you and your young family, i hope i am watching GeoWizard vids in 10 years time

  • @claiminglight
    @claiminglight 11 місяців тому +4

    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.

  • @nikaiwolf
    @nikaiwolf 10 місяців тому +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.

  • @lifeintaiwan
    @lifeintaiwan 11 місяців тому +3

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

  • @Liatriss
    @Liatriss 10 місяців тому +2

    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!

  • @oupwo7468
    @oupwo7468 11 місяців тому +3

    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

  • @ccx1590
    @ccx1590 9 місяців тому +2

    This is my first video of yours to have watched. I work on environmental investigations and I want to recommend some resources we use for “detective” work. Some cost money but they are helpful! Nearmap; historical typos from USGS; sanborn maps; RealQuest; gis tax parcel maps/land records viewers; EDR (definitely not cheap but gives you sanborn maps, aerials, topos, groundwater flow direction…)

  • @CallieMasters5000
    @CallieMasters5000 11 місяців тому +18

    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 11 місяців тому +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

  • @Heylon1313
    @Heylon1313 10 місяців тому +1

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

  • @Flippokid
    @Flippokid 11 місяців тому +154

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

    • @ThatOneReviewer
      @ThatOneReviewer 11 місяців тому +14

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

    • @SamMC08
      @SamMC08 11 місяців тому +1

      Do you know which philosopher said that? Dolly Parton.

    • @Smogshaik
      @Smogshaik 11 місяців тому +1

      Lowkey worthy of being in a film script, that line

    • @erichohl
      @erichohl 11 місяців тому

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

  • @temmporadadepatos
    @temmporadadepatos 11 місяців тому +630

    9:17 My girlfriend trying to cheer me up

    • @arnoldmmbb
      @arnoldmmbb 11 місяців тому +26

      Ayo 😂

    • @Gic424_YT
      @Gic424_YT 11 місяців тому +13

      Nah 😭

    • @Hugzzi
      @Hugzzi 11 місяців тому +33

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

    • @josefanon8504
      @josefanon8504 11 місяців тому +7

      lmao

    • @highestpeeqs9532
      @highestpeeqs9532 10 місяців тому

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

  • @DonerKetty
    @DonerKetty 11 місяців тому +3

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

  • @xos
    @xos 11 місяців тому +4

    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.

  • @mcterb7142
    @mcterb7142 11 місяців тому +34

    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 11 місяців тому +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 11 місяців тому +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 11 місяців тому

      mono no aware

  • @19MarkF91
    @19MarkF91 11 місяців тому +3

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

  • @Normonaut
    @Normonaut 11 місяців тому +6

    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

  • @readventurekids
    @readventurekids 11 місяців тому +1

    That's pretty mad, that you found it so quickly. Uncanny. Sent goosebumps down my spine a little bit!

  • @bbbbbblacknj
    @bbbbbblacknj 11 місяців тому +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 😊

  • @andyswps
    @andyswps 11 місяців тому +3

    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!

  • @thatowensbloke
    @thatowensbloke 11 місяців тому +15

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

  • @snarepusher
    @snarepusher 11 місяців тому +13

    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.

  • @ooiamjengaxxi
    @ooiamjengaxxi 11 місяців тому +11

    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!

  • @tylerouimette2934
    @tylerouimette2934 10 місяців тому

    A good idea to consider in the future. A good understanding of Flora will really go a long way. Knowing what grows where and when, or common bushes etc etc.

  • @olekosikowicz6382
    @olekosikowicz6382 11 місяців тому +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_ 11 місяців тому +2

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

  • @worldsedge4991
    @worldsedge4991 5 місяців тому

    Amazing! @17:34 you can see a face in both images!
    And, yes. It is truly amazing that we live in a time where we can plop ourselves down on a 3D model of anywhere in the world and look around, finding non-descript places…

  • @MrLegendra
    @MrLegendra 11 місяців тому +131

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

    • @Blackadder75
      @Blackadder75 11 місяців тому +5

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

    • @tomasdvorak7307
      @tomasdvorak7307 11 місяців тому +47

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

    • @16m49x3
      @16m49x3 11 місяців тому

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

  • @stevenohenries5127
    @stevenohenries5127 11 місяців тому +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 ☺️🙏🏻

  • @CarnieUK
    @CarnieUK 11 місяців тому +5

    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.

  • @JakeLongworth
    @JakeLongworth 11 місяців тому +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!

  • @Lindseyisloony
    @Lindseyisloony 8 місяців тому +3

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

    • @mariannewilliams845
      @mariannewilliams845 6 місяців тому

      Yes I saw the face, very clear on both pictures 😊

  • @Tmanaz480
    @Tmanaz480 5 місяців тому +1

    Recently discovered your channel. Excellent and addictive 😊. Some great examples of the power of random intuition.

  • @criena
    @criena 11 місяців тому +69

    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 11 місяців тому +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 11 місяців тому

      Ha ha ha spot on!

    • @criena
      @criena 11 місяців тому +1

      @@GeorgeVenturi you’re welcome! Hahaha

    • @amyhatto4420
      @amyhatto4420 11 місяців тому

      No I thought it was a wooden horse too 😅

  • @gjoel57
    @gjoel57 11 місяців тому +2

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

  • @WLSG422
    @WLSG422 11 місяців тому +8

    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!

  • @Nooticus
    @Nooticus 11 місяців тому +1

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

  • @robin1987100
    @robin1987100 11 місяців тому +106

    if he was smoking id think it was Natsuki.

    • @Blackadder75
      @Blackadder75 11 місяців тому +7

      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 11 місяців тому +14

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

  • @ikemeitz5287
    @ikemeitz5287 11 місяців тому +1

    That's absolutely incredible. I love these Geo Detective episodes.

  • @finthakilla9125
    @finthakilla9125 11 місяців тому +12

    23:49 Inspirational quote for the day😊

  • @joelg4849
    @joelg4849 9 місяців тому

    @18:00 minutes you can see the "faces"on both the rock formations. That was when I knew you were spot on.
    First time watching one of your videos and I was hooked!

  • @norsemark
    @norsemark 11 місяців тому +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.

  • @eugenetswong
    @eugenetswong 11 місяців тому +1

    I don't plan on watching this, but thank you so much for helping these people. It was very nice. I literally cake here just say a nice thing in return to you, and to boost the algorithm and click a few like-buttons.

  • @jack91g
    @jack91g 3 місяці тому +4

    屏東縣車城鄉的尖山,named peak mountain

  • @steveb1972
    @steveb1972 10 місяців тому

    This is one of the most moving UA-cams I’ve seen for a long time. Continue to rest in peace Maurice’s Dad 😔🙏🏻

  • @lukecannon
    @lukecannon 11 місяців тому +3

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

  • @jockepett1
    @jockepett1 11 місяців тому +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. 🙂

  • @danm.9045
    @danm.9045 11 місяців тому +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 11 місяців тому +4

      Yes like an Easter Island statue - Rapa Nui

    • @sammelchi
      @sammelchi 11 місяців тому +1

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

    • @skalet66a
      @skalet66a 11 місяців тому +2

      Same here. The gorilla.

  • @IHamilton9320
    @IHamilton9320 10 місяців тому

    Goodness me Tom that thumbnail illicited a very unique emotion 😂 I love these videos. Comments like Maurice’s are a beautiful reminder of just what you’re capable of with seemingly trivial skills like general geography knowledge and a good sense for googling. Absolutely love it ❤

  • @RealTal.
    @RealTal. 11 місяців тому +6

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

  • @MrRenneck
    @MrRenneck 11 місяців тому +2

    I've never noticed that you say "Telegraph Poles" before now! Growing up here in the states, we always referenced to them as "Telephone poles", though these days I think of them as "power lines". Was interesting to me is all lol. Good job on this, amazingly fast!

  • @mrwazzag
    @mrwazzag 11 місяців тому +2

    The best channel on UA-cam!

  • @JohnReavesLive
    @JohnReavesLive 11 місяців тому +1

    I absolutely loved this!!! First video of yours to check and I’m subbed nown

  • @DustyCustard
    @DustyCustard 11 місяців тому +4

    GET INNN

  • @adambarker9893
    @adambarker9893 11 місяців тому

    Watched Tom for YEARS! Geoguesser (and obvs straight line challenge) have always been my best watches! But this... this is the reason I watch these videos! So glad Maurice found his dad! And good job Tom! Hope you see the massive affect you have on People's lives you have making these videos ✊

  • @soejrd24978
    @soejrd24978 11 місяців тому +2

    My mind saying yippee when a new upload strikes

  • @typerexc
    @typerexc 11 місяців тому +1

    Really beautiful, moving video. I know it means so much to connect with things from the past, and this is especially poignant. So happy for you, Maurice.
    This was kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack, and having a haystack falling on you and the needle dropping into your palm. It does look like morning light in the original photo, but now you know where it is I think it's early afternoon? Might have that flipped; course it was always one or the other, but whichever it is can be confirmed now. I'm sure a better Sherlock than I could deduce the exact time of day and even the month or week this was taken.