Expedition Zero

Expedition Zero

Getting Ready for Your Trip Pack light clothes and a hat to protect yourself from the Sun. Also, take insect repellent-the bugs are big where you're going. Throw in an umbrella because it rains often. Don't forget a camera; you might see monkeys, parrots, or pythons. You will be traveling at zero degrees latitude along the equator (ee-KWAY-ter), the imaginary line that separates the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Starting Out in Singapore As your plane nears the airport in Southeast Asia, you look down on Singapore. Its shiny skyscrapers make this small island country look very large. You can see hundreds of ships in the harbor. Singapore has one of the world's busiest ports.

As you begin to explore the city, the tropical heat takes your breath away. You come upon an outdoor market. You can tell that you are in a hot climate by looking at the plants for sale. Sugar cane, limes, papayas, and orchids love Singapore's hot, wet weather. The charts below show what the climate is like at one degree north latitude.

Island Hopping in Indonesia Your next stop is Java, one of Indonesia's thousands of islands. You're traveling on a train without air-conditioning through the lowlands, and it's hot! In the distance, the tops of volcanoes poke above the clouds. You pass paddies-watery fields where rice is grown. The volcanic soil is good for growing crops.

All day long, the train stops in small villages. At each stop, you notice the tall spires of mosques (MOSKS), places of worship in the Islamic religion. Most Indonesians are Muslims. Five times a day, you hear the beautiful cries of men calling people to pray.