I observed in Southern _Africa and the northern hemissphere. assumption 1 is correct, assumption 2 is not. If you set up your scope to align with the opposite pole, then it also needs to turn in the opposite direction to compensate for earths rotation. Therefore a scope to be used in either hemisphere must have a switch to turn clock- and counterclockwise.
The good news is most Meade scopes are equipped for this eventuality.
as for the difference in cycles, nothing to worry there, most drives use battery power and even those plugged into an outlet have AC/DC transformers for precisely that purpose. I use Meades LX 5 and LX 50 models and a small refractor mounted on Apogees fork mount. Both meades and the fork mount work well in either hemisphere.
>But befor you buy, reassure yourself and get written confirmation that the scope is layed out for use in both hemispheres.