When it is not raining too hard, Natalie and I have once again begun to play the hi tech game of geocaching. Geocaching, for those unfamiliar with the term, refers to an activity where one uses GPS coordinates to find hidden treasure (sorry, no money included) or caches that are placed on public property. In many ways, geocaching is an excellent way to add a bit more adventure to the great outdoors. I think it is the perfect activity for individuals with ADD who like to be outside. Needless to say, Natalie and I have been running all over Fiordland, finding caches and talking to people about geocaching. (We even tried to ford a big river but it was swollen from the rain and we decided against it.) What is more, we even took our new Kiwi friend Cath along to introduce her to the addiction of geocaching.

Go Geocaching!

Geocaching is an international game that anyone with a field GPS unit can take part in. Interested in geocaching in your area? This is a cheap hobby and should provided endless hours of fun during the current recession . Follow these simple steps.

1. Buy a Cheap GPS Unit: No need to spend more than $US 100. This game is intended to be affordable so don’t break the bank when you buy your GPS unit. If you really like geocaching, you can always buy a high quality unit later. That being said, be sure to go with a reliable brand such as Garmin
2. Go to Geocaching.com: Sign up for a free account and explore the very simple rules of geocaching (no caches on private property, do not leave food in a cache, take something, leave something etc.) Geocaching.com is the central hub for all things geocaching and this is the best place to plug into game.
3. Find a Cache Near Your Home: Use Geocaching.com to find a cache near your home. Chance are, their is at least one cache in your city. Plug the coordinates into your new GPS unit and go find it!
4. Look Out for Muggles: Stealing a term from the Harry Potter series, a muggle (pronounced “Mug – gill”)is any person who is not a geocacher. Muggles have a tendency to tamper with caches as they are unfamiliar with the game. By all means, introduce muggles to geocaching but try to avoid being conspicuous when you are out caching. Not only does this preserve the cache for the next geocacher, but it also lends a certain about of Mission Impossible sneakiness to the whole affair. This is especially true when finding urban caches.
5. Log Your Find on Geocaching.com: After you visit a cache, be sure to log into geocaching.com and log your experience. Even if you were not able to find it, be sure to leave your records. You will be able to leave messages to the cache creator and post pictures of your experience. The geocaching community is very welcoming to newbies!

Next time you take a vacation, either within your home country or overseas, take your GPS unit with you and spend a day finding a few caches.

Are you a geocacher and a world traveler? Have you gone geocaching outside of your home country? Share your unique experience with us!

Tags | New Zealand