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We sold the general bookstore/travel store in 1995, but retained the name Travel Genie Maps and the portion of the business that now sells the detailed sectional maps of Britain, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden.

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To complicate matters, researchers may have a name taken from an old handwritten record, with problems ranging from spelling variations to border changes.

The place is usually still there, if one has a map detailed enough to show it. We use various indexes and gazetteers to help locate places on modern, detailed maps.

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Again, the exceptions are the historic reproductions, which are about 14" x 18".

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Map scale is described by a ratio. If a map has a scale of 1:100,000, this means that 1 centimeter on the map represents 100,000 centimeters in real life. A map with a scale of 1:100,000 should have more detail (it is larger scale) than a map with a scale of 1:300,000.

On a 1:100 000 scale map, 1 inch = about 1.58 miles; on a 1:300 000 scale map, 1 inch = about 4.73 miles.

Note: A SMALLER number on the right side of the ratio means that the map is LARGER scale. Don't let this confuse you!

If you use a camera with a zoom lens, you may think of the 1:100,000 scale map as a map set on "telephoto," and the 1:300,000 scale map as one set on "wide angle." On "telephoto" you see many things you can't see when you look through a lens set on "wide angle," but you can't see as much territory at one time.

For instance, you can fit all of Germany on one map with a scale of 1:800,000. It takes 18 maps about the same size to cover all of Germany at at scale of 1:150,000. Looking at that would be like looking at a map of one State as compared to looking at a map that covers all of the U.S. You see a lot of towns on a State map that are not shown on the U.S. map, but you can't see the whole U.S. at once.

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Shipping and Handling is US$5.00 per order for orders sent to the USA (see order form for details). Please ask for a quote on orders sent to other countries.

Sales tax applies if you live in IA, IL, KS, MN, MO, NE, or WI.

Do you accept credit cards?

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If you have trouble accessing our online brochures, we will send a printed one to addresses in North America if you send us a request by mail or email telling us your name, mailing address, and which brochure(s) you want.

Due to postal costs, we do not mail free brochures outside of North America, but we would be glad to answer specific questions by email.

Do you really travel often and if so, how do I get a job like that?

Travel Genie is so specialized that we can't expect others to do what we (Warren and Elaine) do, yet we can't be here all the time. Therefore, we warn you ahead of time that sometimes your email may not be answered for up to a week. Usually, even when we are travelling, we can answer email at least once a week.

How do you get a job like this? We call it "semi-retirement." There are only two requirements: 1. Develop a knowledge base so specialized that no one else does what you do; and 2. Serve your customers very well when you are "on the job" so they recommend you to others.