31 days of Geocaching...

That's the plan. 31 days in August and the goal is to be active for all 31 of them, So who is taking part? Seeking, placing and attending - it all counts!
First off - are there enough caches in your area? And if not, are there enough places to hide caches? The reviewers are going to be pretty busy. Planning? I guess, like me, you start with the caches closest to home that have been on your "must get around to do" list! And then go further and further. Who knows where we end up by August the 31st!

Maybe what we need is some professional help. Maybe this is the perfect time to take that safari that we've been promising ourselves.

So what caches are we planning on placing? And is there going to be the usual rush of FTF seekers? Exciting times ahead by the looks of things!

TFTC - What's in a log?

Are you one of those people who simply write "TFTC" as proof that you were there? Personally, I think it's a bit rude and very impersonal. But it's seems to be the accepted way lately. I always like to take time to let the owner of the cache know what I think. I mean, they went out of their way to place it. Most of us are proud of our caches (at least we should be). And feedback, whether good or bad is always appreciated. It also gives other cachers a clue as to what to expect. "Great view" or "watch out for dogs/ticks/ muggles/etc" is always helpful. I like to try and get a bit creative with my logs. And I appreciate it when people do the same for my hides. And I'm not talking about those people out there who like to write whole essays on the hide, the hunt, the find and their life story. But a simple note on what they think of your cache, the condition in is in and anything else that they might find of interest is always appreciated. And if you are wondering what all those names and abbreviations stand for, those clever people at Geocaching HQ have it all explained.  I think next time I see a very good entry I am going to share it here. In the meantime TNLNSL - TFTC.

Open Caching

As the name implies, this site is free and open to everyone. Will it be as popular as Groundspeak? Only time will tell. Am I a member? Yes, I enjoy this game and I don't want to lose out! This site has far fewer rules and regulations. It's linked directly to Garmin. I am still exploring it and I will report back when I find out more about it.

Getting crafty with containers.

While waiting for Chrigi to return from his latest adventure I am sitting here thinking about what the "ultimate geocache hide" would look like. Lets face it, Geocachers have become very resourceful over the years. But living in Africa must surely push the envelope a bit. Caches get muggled, stolen, cleaned away, washed away and befall all manner of disappearing acts, much to our frustration and dismay. Recently I found a micro cache that we extremely inventive. The clue said "right under your nose" and indeed, it was. But it still took 20 minutes of hard looking. Looking on good old "google" I found some really interesting hides. I mean, who would expect a piece of discarded chewing gums under a table to be the "find" you are looking for? Very clever! And a dog pooh cache. Yup - that's been done too! Although around these parts I wouldn't be very keen on that - there is way too much of the "real thing" lying around!
So what would be the ultimate hide? Seasoned Geocachers are become very good at spotting the seemingly obvious and slightly out-of-place item. I guess I will have to keep on wracking my brains till I come up with something. As they say: "watch this space"!

Munzee anybody?

Has anyone ever played Munzee? Looking at the site Munzee I see there are only four in the whole of the southern hemisphere, two in Australia and two in New Zealand. Looks like a fun type of Geocaching to me. All you need is a smartphone to find the location and scan the Munzee QR code and you get your points added. You also get points when other players find your hides. I have just signed up. Will report back on my experiences soon.

Treasure hunting....

Do you know there is a University in the USA just for treasure hunters? The Treasure Hunters University claim to be "The only university dedicated to and for the treasure hunter or huntress, in all of us"!

According to Wikipedia one certain socialite called Elsa Maxwell described a game where: " In the Treasure Hunt . . . intellectual men were paired off with great beauties, glamor with talent. In the course of the night's escapades anything could happen."  
All you need do is ask good old Google and it's amazing what you can discover.

Personally, I think I prefer sticking to Geocaching for the time being. Finding caches in Africa and already you have an adventure. I will talk about other famous hidden treasures as I go along. Just to make things a little more interesting. Hopefully I will be able for get out and add to my smilie numbers before the weekend.

Forrest Fenn.

This morning, while drinking my coffee I discovered what can only be described as the ultimate Geocache. "The thrill of the chase: A memoir." by Forrest Fenn. Story goes that during an illness and probably in a fit of madness Fenn filled a container with gold nuggets and all kinds of other valuable treasures with the intention of hiding it in the wilderness. But he recovered from his illness. In March this year (2013) he revealed that he had hidden it 3 or 4 years ago in the Rocky Mountains in Santa Fe, 5000 feet about sea level. So now there are loads of muggles out there on the ultimate treasure hunt. I read of one man arrested for digging under a casino. An interview with the author.

And this makes me think of all those stories of hidden treasures in Africa. The Kruger millions supposedly hidden somewhere in the Lowveld is one such story. I am sure there are more. Maybe a lucky Geocacher will one day, unwittingly discover one of the famous caches of old.

Looking for an Adventure.

After all, don't we all need adventure in our lives? Don't we all strive for that next highlight? We spend most of our lives just surviving, making ends meet. Living from payday to payday, weekend to weekend.We spend so much time making a living that we forget to live. And it is often said we regret more the things we don't do than the things we do. Life can be cut short at any moment. None of us get out alive. So why not live a little? From personal experience I know, saving up for that perfect holiday can sometimes be all in vain. So grab it while you can. Let's take that trip. Let's get out there and find that hidden treasure. It won't be there forever.  Not all who wander are lost.

Just to start with.

When I was first asked to revive my writing skills to help out a friend I was perturbed! Writing about things I am familiar with is one thing. Writing about my personal experiences, my favorite past times and a hobby I enjoy is something I found easy a few years ago. Back then I had regular readers who would stop me in the street to ask when I was going to be turning out the next newsletter or article for the local newspaper. But that was more than a few years ago. Lots of things have happened since then. I have made memories, some good, and sadly some I'd rather not have to remember. But that is life, and as the saying goes: "time and tide wait for no man!"

But why am I rambling on? Probably because I have no idea where to start really. New opportunities come along, some hit you in the face and scream: "Look, I am here! Do you want me or not?" And others simply hide in the corner waiting for you to take notice. And this one was, well, neither really. It started as a casual suggestion, more like my mind wondering, as it is prone to do. But this time the idea struck a note with the person I was in conversation with. He pounced on it with a ferocity that made me a bit nervous. He described the idea as "brilliant", not once, but time after time! I always liked the saying "behind every successful woman is a man who tried to stop her", but it's obvious that this man is not going to be the one to stop this idea. As I type he is in another country doing the groundwork for this new project.

So what to do, I ask myself. This is just the first teeny, baby step in this new venture/project/adventure! And I am heading off the topic, ever so slightly! Okay, Geocaching, the game that has seemly sane human beings running around after hidden treasure in obscure locations. I have seen very feminine "girly" types putting their long immaculately manicured fingers into the most unimaginable places to retrieve dirty little containers so that they can prise them open, sign the paper contents and return them carefully to the same spot to be re-found by the next hunter. I have seen grown men almost reduced to tears when the treasure they seek seems to have been "muggled" or is simply so well camouflaged or hidden that is has them beaten! These people have special meetings, they speak in code. It's almost like a secret religious sect. It's addictive, geocachers are always striving for the next find, 100 finds, 250 finds, 1000 finds, and the list goes on. There is a certain, unwritten honor for those who claim a FTF. First to find a freshly hidden cache.

So I guess that is just scratching the surface when I admit that I am one of these strange people. I am a Geocacher! I started back in 2006. I was looking for a sport that would get me out doors. And something that I could do with my dogs. I have located Geocaches in 5 different countries.  And where will it take me? We are going to work on Africa to start with.  African Geocaching Safaris to be precise. Planning is starting. Foundations are being laid down. "Together we will walk this road."