Welcome to the globetrotting Olympics- AKA Geocaching
Hi again globetrotters and welcome to another installment of questionable yet hopefully entertaining travel advice. Also on that note, any feedback from those who have tested last week’s ambassador theory? This week we shine the spotlight on a global pheonomonon that has taken the mobile world by storm.
What is Geocaching?
According to the noble Wikipedia:
“Geocaching /ˈdʒiːəˌkæʃɪŋ/ is an outdoor recreational activity, in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called “geocaches” or “caches”, anywhere in the world.
A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook where the geocacher enters the date they found it and signs it with their established code name. After signing the log, the cache must be placed back exactly where the person found it. Larger containers such as plastic storage containers (Tupperware or similar) or ammunition boxes can also contain items for trading, usually toys or trinkets of little financial value, although sometimes they are sentimental. Geocaching shares many aspects with benchmarking, trigpointing, orienteering, treasure-hunting, letterboxing, and waymarking“.
According to the official geocaching website:
“Geocaching is the real-world treasure hunt that’s happening right now, all around you. There are 2,308,789 active geocaches and over 6 million geocachers worldwide”.
What’s the appeal?
- Geocaching can be done solo or in a group.
- Participants register with a code name offering tentative annonymity.
- It is relatively low cost, if not free.
- Geochaching can be a great way to explore a new place or to explore your home area in a completely new way.
- It can be a great form of exercise and promote an active lifestyle.
- You will be taken to places both in and out of the guide books.
- It can be a valid excuse for adults to embark on treasure hunts in broad daylight.
- Harry Potter references are perfectly acceptable.
On a more analytical note, Geocaching embraces many of the general prinicpals of travel, encompassing everything from mystery to orienteering skills. Geocaching also embraces a sense of community which many globetrotters feel is a fundamental component of travel. You can access the official Geocaching website throught the link on this post or on the GTG’s home page. Well that just about wraps up our coverage of the globetrotting Olympics but stay tuned for nexts weeks daring revelations.
