Three years ago this coming April I attended my Step Father’s 60th birthday celebrations, it was a lovely day if a bit of an effort for me, I was 39 weeks pregnant at the time. Sitting at a table with my sisters, their partners and children I noticed my neice child was playing with a rather large plastic toy tiger which she gracefully allowed my daughter to play with too. It was her new “treasure”. “What do you mean treasure?” I asked “We found it in a geocache on the way here” “Geocache? Whats that?”
I’m sure this film explains it better that I can…
Well I was a bit busy for the next few weeks as I’m sure you can imagine but when things started to settle into a routine my curiosity got the better of me…
This is the point where I discovered a new hobby and a new pet hate too, I hate thinking something is out there and hidden and I don’t know where it is…
We signed on to geocaching.com The hardest bit of which is choosing a team name (once chosen you can’t change it!) and it is free to become a normal member, a few weeks later whilst in Devon on holiday we found our first cache using our Tomtom!
GC16ww1 St Swithens Launcells 🙂
668 finds later I am still a happy geocacher and now the Little Man is managing without the buggy I’m sure we will do many more this year.
Geocaches are placed and their location and logged using GPS technology so you need a GPS receiver to locate them, lots of gadgets have gps now, my husband uses his HTC mobile, there is an app for an iphone (of course) Tom Toms can often be programmed to find a location via northing and westing co ordinates and of course there are many GPSr’s on the market purpose built for the job, my first GPSr was a Garmin Etrex which is basic but does the job well enough 🙂
First timers may like to note that GPSr will take you in a direct line to the cache but please make sure you look up occasionally in case of cliff edges, rivers etc 😉
Once you are gadgeted up and signed on to www.geocaching.com click on to the Hide and seek a cache on the left hand side, then look for the search with google maps link, type in your town/city (if in the UK you will need to put this in like Bristol, UK or you will find somewhere in the USA!)
On the map you will see lots of different types of icons..
A Traditional Cache is a good place to start, the co-ordinates for it are listed, no working out co-ordinates like multi caches, no puzzles like (you got it) mystery caches and I suggest for your first attempt to go for a small or regular sized cache as listed on the cache description page, especially if you are caching with children, finding treasure ie: swaps is often the best part of the experience for them… So you have your gadget, you have decided where to go, have you found some swaps?
Caches can often take small swaps, we have found playdoh eggs, bouncy balls, keyrings, childrens beads – all sorts, it works on a take something leave something basis, you will often see on logs “TNLN” Took nothing left nothing, so it’s best to have a few items to swap before you go, old christmas cracker gifts work well.
Off you go then – don’t forget your pencil….
Let me know how you get on…
Please pop over to Thinly Spread for more Something for the Weekend…
Yesterday we took the smalls to Cannon Hall Farm on the recommendation of a Twitter friend Himupnorth. The smalls had a really great day out, loved feeding the animals and seeing all the babies, wandering in the kitchen garden and visiting the many Rhododendrons in the fairy garden. We even managed to do two Geocaches in the grounds. Here are some pictures of our day, you will see that the adventure playground was especially popular.
In just under a week my family and I are traveling up to Yorkshire to house sit for my Brother in Law whilst he and his family fly off some where exotic (ash cloud allowing).
This arrangement came about when, last year with a cut back in my husbands hours and a company wide pay cut we couldn’t stretch to a “proper” holiday and ended up borrowing my nieces flat in Cardiff for a week. That turned out really well for a Dr.Who / Torchwood fan, we visited various sights of interest and did some great geocaches. Cardiff is a fabulous holiday destination, we had a great time at Mermaids Quay, St Fagans was awesome my daughter loved the “big dollies houses” and we had a great time flying my husbands kites and finding shells on the various nearby beaches.
I digress, at a family wedding just before new year my Sister in Law “reminded” me of a conversation we had apparently had about house sitting for them (neither I nor my husband can remember this but hey, we are flexible) and looking after their 10 month old German Shepherd and two cats, and so we agreed to do it….
I must have been really drunk at that wedding because it’s fast approaching and I’m getting seriously cold feet, the logistics of shipping 2 kids, with everything they need including booster seats to sit in whilst eating, a push chair, bath toys, normal toys, a travel cot for little him – this is not small stuff.  The dog, Poppy will need her cage as the thought of leaving the two dogs together overnight sends shivers down my spine, we might need a few things too – it’s frightening!
Also, I have just under a week to get the house in a resemblance of order as the neighbours are kind enough to come in and feed Pippa and Sophie. They are really lovely people but I don’t want them tripping over bits of “Happy Valley” whilst emptying the dirt tray…
On the bright side we have been to the BIL’s house before so I can picture the kitchen with it’s hard wipe-able floor, so I know the dining room carpet is safe. We will have cbeebies and a DVD player for afternoons while the Little Man has a nap.  There is a small bath in the second bathroom which the kids can use rather than worrying that their might only be a shower as there is so often nowerdays. It’s only Yorkshire, not darkest peru, so no fumbling over currency, worrying about not tipping enough or struggling to be understood in a foreign dialect – ok so there might be a little bit of that – hehehe.
My sister in law (bless her) has kindly provided us with a list of parks to visit, where to find the swimming pool and cinemas, some local museums, the “last of the summer wine bus tour” too! I have had a good look at http://www.geocaching.com and I’m really looking forward to an almost fresh field of attainable geocaches (we did a few last year in the area), the town itself is also really cute and has many different shops to look at, so we will be well entertained.
I know what you are thinking, I worry too much. It’s true. I have a big fear of the unknown since the smalls arrive, I like to plan stuff out not go off in my own little spontaneous way like I used too. I pour over websites of the intended location especially the accommodations, I need to know I can feed them and keep them safe and warm – old mother hen!!!
I’m sure everything will really be brilliant, the kids will behave and not break the ornaments, the dogs will get on great (but not too great!) The husband will be supersupportive and we will have a really great break, as with Cardiff, sometimes a holiday without expectations is often better than one longed for and placed on a pedestal, I will of course let you know how we get on.
Image credits
Mermaid Quay by Me
“Hoovering up the mess from” Flickr by Sad Old Biker
“Don’t worry everything is going to be amazing” from Flickr by Supercapacity
Kailexness 