It has all been said already but these are my views.

1) If a GPS is good at sea, not many markers out there, for getting you travelling in the general direction that you want to go then that's one good reason for having it.

2) My simple etrex is little more than a reciever, however once plugged into my laptop it locates me on the map.

3) I use Autoroute Express (£50) to navigate any part of Europe by street name. Also good for booking hotels on the way home through France as it has all the phone numbers. Also works with the GPS.

4) I use Fugawi Global (£120) Navigator for North Africa, this can use all of the IGN and Russian maps the Daaer have available on CD. This is far cheaper than buying the paper maps, and you can print off any paper maps that you require.

5) I don't have to constantly navigate on the laptop, I can upload waypoints,and just use the goto command.

6) When I've been somewhere, and got lost, I can download the track to display it on the map.

7) I have a papertrail to follow if I do have to turn back.

8) Finally - ever lost the car when you've gone shopping? Take the GPS with you, mark the point where you left the car, and however far you stray looking for somewhere to eat you'll still be able to find the car.

I think having all of the maps available on a laptop is extremely useful, and yes perhaps I do rely on it a little to much but it's saved me from getting rather lost in the Tunisian Sahara at least 3 times. Unfortunately where I was at the time there was no one esle to ask.

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