By popular demand (oh, didn’t know we were taking requests?—-we read the comments!), I am filing this post about a very important topic.
Geocaching.
For the uninitiated, this is an international (actually, it’s cosmic, since there is a cache on the International Space Station and a trackable on a space craft headed to Mars!!!) game where things are hidden (often in plain sight) that can be found, logged on an internet app. It allows for a fun way to experience the world, is a little geeky and brings you to interesting places you might otherwise not visit. Some have an actual item to find, others are virtual—-go to this place and answer geological questions. That’s a synopsis.
(The caching map on my phone, zoomed out)
My friend Jo and I are avid cachers. Yes there are hundreds of caches in Namibia. This is where it gets interesting.
Many areas of Namibia don’t have cell phone reception. I actually researched the route this spring, loaded it all in my phone, so I had the ability to search sans internet. For all those who are poo pooing this, it has helped us navigate from place to place several times when we were unable to get google maps. So there.
((Refueling in a place without reception…)
So caches are usually well maintained by the CO, or owner who placed the item. Sometimes things go missing, which is called ‘muggled.’ I don’t make this up. Just bear with me. In Namibia there are extra permutations. There are a lot of baboons here and they are curious little creatures, and are likely the source of physical caches going missing. I am now using the term ‘babooned’ when this occurs. That probably happened here where, between the rock hyraxes and baboons even the rope tying the container to the rock was gone...
I had to defer on a couple caches. One was 500 meters up a super steep hill with finely loose gravel, and it was 95F in blazing sun. Ugh. Another was absolutely achievable terrain-wise, but there were leopard tracks noted that morning at the lodge, and Karen refused to accompany me. Lodge folks were visibly nervous about me....how you say? Gallivanting about looking under rocks.
(Doing the selfie for the earthcache as compensation for the leopard obstacle)
I have had to approach a few caches with caution due to concerns about scorpions....but none seen. Jim was my senior assistant!
The logs of other finds are visible to me, and most are from Germany, sometimes France or Switzerland. I rarely see Americans logging here. That’s part of the fun. And the fact that, oh, did I mention? Geocaching originated in the Great Pacific Northwest and it’s headquarters are in Seattle! I make sure to mention that when I log :)
You can leave items in physical caches for people to transport from cache to cache, called trackables.
I have dropped 2 of these while here, and one has already been picked up! 
The other may disappear, as it was dropped in a cache in a very odd museum in Rehoboth (google it for a real story). The museum owner was a very odd woman, and may....well we shall see.
The most reliable, educational and interactive have been the Earthcaches where I am mining Jim’s brain for information on Inselbergs, dolomite, dune shapes, desert types, and the like. He had to calculate the metric tons of material that drained out of the Karst lake for me the other day.
(The salt pan is intense and stretches as far as the eye can see)
As I have said before, this vacation is about all of us, and we all should get something out of it. This was certainly one of mine.
Love it, and soooo jealous!!!
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