A classic tricky geography question involves the orientation of the Panama Canal. Because the Atlantic Ocean is generally to the east of the Americas and the Pacific is to the west, most assume you travel west to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific. However, due to the 'S' shape of the Isthmus of Panama, the canal actually runs from the northwest to the southeast. Consequently, a ship traveling from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean actually exits the canal at a point further east than where it entered. This counter-intuitive reality often confuses those looking at large-scale maps. To navigate from the Atlantic to the Pacific, you must travel 'eastward' through the Panamanian jungle.