When we describe someone with a smartphone, we often picture them with their head bowed over their phone, oblivious to their surroundings. Here is an app that lets you, in a playful way, lift your head and discover unique places all over the planet for their special features: the beauty of a landscape, the originality of a building, the stories or legends of a place. Alone, with family or with friends, you will enjoy rediscovering treasure hunts in a most friendly atmosphere.
The principle: look for “treasures”, which are boxes (their sizes vary according to the level of difficulty) in places located using geolocation with your smartphone or a GPS.
Once you have found the “cache”, write your name in the “logbook” and put the box back. Then report on the app that you have found the cache. As a bonus, you often learn the history of the place. However, beware of “Muggles” (those not initiated into geocaching) when you find the “treasure”, as they might clumsily destroy the cache.
The idea was created by an American in the 2000s. It has kept evolving since then, and caches can be found all over the world. Today there are almost 3 million caches and 7 million people playing.
You can also swap items in some caches. These are called SWAGs – or Stuff We All Get, in other words simple items of no value. There are also “travelling objects”. They carry a code, and the aim is for them to be sent around the world. The object that has travelled the furthest is on the International Space Station!
The app offers free access, which is more than enough to start the adventure. Once you are hooked, you can switch to the paid version.
If you would like to stop being a Muggle and find caches, swap SWAGs or send a travelling object around the world, go to www.geocatching.com .
F.G.M
Flore Guattari is a developmental and educational psychologist, a psychotherapist in haptonomy and a facilitator of parent workshops.
