He says that if the winner chooses to make a narrow, too-specific topic for next month competition, most people will be left out.
It's not like anybody can jump to North Pole. And sunrise on North Pole happens like, once a year? Depending on the month, it's possible the conditions will be impossible to fulfil.
Don't bet on the winner, just yet. The clarity of the raindrop is stunning, yes. But I personally prefer another photograph amidst those already submitted in the thread - maybe, because there is too much of the violet-red color in the last one.
Unfortunately, I am not much of a traveller, or I would have found underground caves to practice macro-photography inside. You know, stalactites-stalagmites-waterfalls-et-cetera... But there aren't much of these caves open to visitors. You cannot just walk inside: the organic matter, soil you would leave from your shoes would surely disturb the pristine water and the processes going on in the stones. That's why there are catwalks. Besides, they need to be sure nobody gets lost inside, in the cold.
Besides, you could theoretically take many macro-photographs and stitch the panorama together, with Hugin. As long as you give both original macro-photographs and the resulting panorama.
Best wishes.