Asking Directions

From Henry Dudeney:

Imagine a man going to the North Pole. The points of the compass are, as everyone knows:

dudeney - asking directions

He reaches the Pole and, having passed over it, must turn about to look North. East is now on his left-hand side, West on his right-hand side, and the points of the compass therefore

dudeney - asking directions

… which is absurd. What is the explanation?

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