rd95's recent post brought the line "tyranny of distance" to my mind, which reminded me of this classic song :

  When I was a young boy
  I wanted to sail around the world
  That's the life for me, living on the sea
  Spirit of a sailor, circumnavigates the globe
  The lust of a pioneer, will acknowledge
  No frontier
  I remember you by, thunderclap in the sky
  Lightning flash, tempers flare,
  'round the horn if you dare
  I just spent six months in a leaky boat
  Lucky just to keep afloat

  Aotearoa, rugged individual
  Glisten like a pearl
  At the bottom of the world
  The tyranny of distance
  Didn't stop the cavalier
  So why should it stop me
  I'll conquer and stay free
  Ah c'mon all you lads
  Let's forget and forgive
  There's a world to explore
  Tales to tell back on shore
  I just spent six months in a leaky boat
  Six months in a leaky boat

  Ship-wrecked love can be cruel
  Don't be fooled by her kind
  There's a wind in my sails
  Will protect and prevail
  I just spent six months in a leaky boat
  Nothing to it leaky boat.