It's a new game for the new digital age: geocaching - "the sport where you are the search engine." Grab yourself a GPS and you can join the hunt. Here's the gist:
Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for gps users. Participating in a
cache hunt is a good way to take advantage of the wonderful features and
capability of a gps unit. The basic idea is to have individuals and
organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these
caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find
the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of
rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something they should
try to leave something for the cache.
So you track down the cache, you take something from the hidden satchel, you add your own item, and you log it all in the included logbook. And just where are these caches?
A cache located on the side of a rocky cliff
accessible only by rock climbing equipment may be hard to find. An underwater
cache may only be accessed by scuba. Other caches may require long difficult
hiking, orienteering, and special equipment to get to. Caches may be located in
cities both above and below ground, inside and outside buildings. The skillful
placement of a small logbook in an urban environment may be quite challenging
to find even with the accuracy of a gps. That little logbook may have a hundred
dollar bill in it or a map to greater treasure.
Amazingly, caches can be found all over the world. Even, for instance, in the sands of Saudi. Even in the Riyadh airport. Or the road from Jeddah to Medinah.
One word of caution, however, when pursuing this last geocache: Don't miss your exit while geocaching or - like the hapless Indian gentleman - you may find yourself on death row. One wrong turn while geocaching outside Medinah and you may become the item buried in the ground.
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