So, I decided to hunt treasures 😎 Real treasures, not the ones from movies or TV series. Some real humans hid real treasures around the world. And of course they created real maps with instructions. This way other people can find those treasures!

They1 named this ‘sport’ Geocaching. It’s quite a fancy name, but treasure hunting sounds much cooler. The concept it simple: an adventurous person hides a small treasure somewhere. They then create the treasure map.

The treasure is also called a cache. It is mainly a log book. When you find one, you should sign and celebrate! There might also have something else for trade, like an used sock or foreign money. The treasures have an ethereal value, not a financial one. The reward is locating it, not selling gold. It’s in a container that should be waterproof and able to survive the local weather and police. The police just loves exploding them[^bomb1][^bomb2][^bomb3][^bomb4][^bomb5][^bomb6]2!

We are in the 21st century, it doesn’t make any sense to make maps using papyrus and quill pens. That is really cool but not compatible with today’s technology. The current treasure maps rely on GNSS, such as GPS and GLONASS. The map is the approximate co-ordinates of the treasure. Sometimes with some more tips or with instructions to get to the exact place.

The Geocaching website maintains a big list of treasure maps around the world. Go check if there’s a treasure near you right now! And there’s the c:geo app to use in an Android phone. For free. Yep, it’s free to hunt treasures 😃

I went with my friend Przemysław to hunt two treasures in the French side of Geneva. It was a very fun adventure. This is where we went (we started near the blue dots):

There was a very nice house and we decided to get a closer look, before the quest.

We then decided to go for our first treasure. Near the Saint-Pierre de Pouilly Church. This church was build in the Roman Era, in the 13th century or earlier3.

After looking around for a while, we decided to give up. Yep. Really. But why not a last look around? Then we found it! Hidden there! There was it:

A small piece of paper inside a plastic bag! The front was full, so we squeezed our names in the back :) The first treasure we found! We were so excited! Can you imagine finding a treasure?!?

Then we walked to the second treasure! We walked to the region in the map with lots of brown (?), green (?) and purple (?) points. There we found something unexpected.

In the middle of nowhere, there was a fence surrounding it. This way the cattle don’t get inside. It’s in the end of a small forest there. There was it:

This place is lovelly! Hidden from society, a small temple. Simple and yet breathtaking.

The second treasure was supposed to be there. We didn’t find it though…

That was our adventure! 191 kcal burned, 3.74 km walked, 1 hour and 16 minutes. Our success rate is quite low, 50%. But it was very fun! And the landscape is awesome!