This was discussed a while back but I want to open another thread.

I seem to have lots of problems in my sense of direction especially in new places. I sort of totally lack a "bird eye view" or "map" of the environment. This means I only remember the "pathways" i.e. roads I travel. So once I master one route from place a to place b it is hard for me to get of that route without getting lost. Once I have mastered enough routes I can start to improvise and sort of combine those routes to new routes. But still I pretty much have to work with the routes I have travelled. I just cannot see the topology of the area "from above". I am tied to "ground level" navigation. I am also generally lost about where is north, south etc. I just remember the routes and where they cross and completely rely on that information to navigate. Once I have learned enough routes I can give the impression to outsiders that I have a bird eye view but I never really do. I can just travel the different "pathways" or routes in my head in a very fast speed to calculate the most optimal route. Once we get of the familiar territory I immediately lose my sense of direction and any impression of "bird eye view" I might have seemingly shown is gone...It also seems I have to focus very hard to remember the routes but once I have mastered them they and their combinations come easily.

So what are the functional properties of navigation, sense of direction, "bird eye view" of your environment, having a "map" in your head etc. What functions play what role?