-CJ-

As for drug stashes: it's not that some young people hide their own drugs so that their parents cannot find them at home. It's a well-known way of disseminating drugs here in Russia. A potential client makes pre-payment online. The dealer sends his man to make a stash. After it's made the client gets description of the stash + photo. This is how it works here in Russia. This way of dissemination of drugs is known to everyone, including police and (what is also important) locals. So it can easily be that you see no policemen when you look around but they will come soon because some worried neighbour observed your actions from their windows and thought that "these drugs users came back" and callled police. Another bad thing is that you typically cannot guess whether it's a geocaching container or a drug stash until you grab it and open it. Micros/nanos have the same size and drug dealers use magnets too.

There's a really big problem we have around here. It happens that local drug dealers use similar methods of hiding their stashes as we geocachers do with our containers. There have been numerous reports on drug stashes found accidentally by geocachers. Sometimes cachers were stopped and interrogated by police. I haven't heard about any geocacher being taken to court/jail but this fact doesn't mean that such problems cannot appear in future. (And the situation is getting worse here in general). I personally suggest that you only host/attend events while being in Moscow. Sadly, I suppose that most of you will ignore this advice. Then - if you found anything suspicious please inform the cache owner so that they can take measures. Being a CO myself, I always respond to such signals. What I usually do (depending on circumstances): disable/archive the cache; switch the PMO status on; change its location/difficulty. This is how a "typical" container looks like at the vast majority of geocaches in Moscow that I own. (Pay attention to the black thing in the upper part of this photo). It's a small plastic tube with a magnet attached to it, wrapped in black duct tape.

Russia will host the football cup this year. It's likely that some football fans will visit the country (particularly Moscow) and there will be geocachers among them. - Some usual routes within the city may be temporarily and unexpectedly changed for both locals and visitors. It's common in Russia that they block streets and passages "for security reasons", especially if any "big boss" is going to visit the place. If you see that access to some GZ please don't try to circumvent there barriers for your own (real) safety. - Police and guards usually know nothing about geocaching. For such big events they usually bring here officers from provice and these guys have no idea about these guys have no idea about our sport. Just have this in mind. See my next post for a special announcement.

I never ask for any hints and never give hints (excluding my own caches indeed).

I'd say, the value of a log doesn't depend on its type. It's mostly about the personality of the author of the log. For example, a log could be really interesting if it provides new information about the hiding place and it's surroundings after this cache was announced missing some time ago. I myself have written pretty informative logs about working hours, timetables, access fees, with tips on other great spots nearby or just about my adventures - but for some reason I didn't attempt these caches (e.g. because I saw too many muggles there). From my point of view, many logs are poor because they lack any content.

My DNF is about what happened earlier at some particular moment - when I was in field and tried to find a cache and made my decision to stop searching. At that moment I didn't knew that there (maybe) were other visitors around at the same time. Anyway, DNF stands for "Did Not Find". I tried to find this cache but did not find it. So DNF. The cache could be muggled, or I could use wrong GPS coordinates, or some previous visitor put the container in a wrong place, or local guards appeared and questioned me, in any case it's DNF. I agree with you that there may be no need to log a DNF if there's a cache with terrain beyond my ability to reach container but I saw the container clearly (e.g. hanging on a tree) and identified it as a geocache without any hesitations. Then it could be a "Write note" log - just to tell others about my adventures, address the owner with "thanks for taking me here" and let them know that the cache was OK.

It's very simple: if my searches started but I failed to find the cache I log DNF. I can see only one acceptable situation when this rule may be interpreted differently: if a visitor replaces the missing cache (on behalf and with prior approval from the CO). Physically this visitor hasn't found the original cache but they did much more important job and probably deserves something more than previous users who were not cafeful at all and made the cache vulnerable to muggles but got their smileys. I don't write "found it" logs myself when I replace someone's cache - but I really don't care about smileys This arguement sounds pointless because there is always chance that the cache is missing if I cannot find it.

I would also add that the very popular statement "a GPSr is more accurate than a smartphone" should not be accepted "as is". Both types of devices have different chipsets and support for different satellite systems. (Yes, not only GPS). They also have different screens, sizes, weight, price, etc. So, it probably makes sense to compare specific characteristics of specific devices, not doing this "in general". The world of geocaching respects the good old tradition of using GPSr devices for this game. This comes from the past when there was no adequate support of satellite navigation in phones and buying a handheld device was an obvious choice for a newbie geocacher. This approach can be still seen at the website (https://www.geocaching.com/about/buying.aspx) - you can run into phrases like "consider models built after 1997" and "newer GPS units often support USB".

I think it's a different topic.

Some Russian cachers write their logs in English for caches in Russia. Indeed, English is not their first language and they mostly don't speak fluent English to it takes some efforts to write such logs - but they still do. Why? It could be because they want more people to read their logs. Or probably they think that corresponding COs are foreigners who don't know Russian. (We still have such caches around here). Or maybe they just think that geocaching is international so English is preferrable being an "international language". Or they may even don't know that the website has Russian interface (yes, there still are people who haven't tried that dropdown menu at the bottom) so they think that if all menus and explanations and everything are in English (the default language) their logs should be in this language too. Or people can see the previous logs and if these logs are all in English they just use the same approach thinking that Russian is probably not welcomed here. Or they can be too lazy and just have one log for all caches/countries. See, I provided six possible reasons and I think that there also can be different reasons for publishing logs in Polish on a cache page written in English for a cache located in Norway.

We've experienced no troubles with Cyrillic characters in logs. Encryption doesn't work for Cyrillic logs, this seems to be the only trouble.

I think baer2006 provided excellent explanation and the answer to my question, thank you. Good point, thebruce0, thanks for looking from that perspective. No one here in this thread expected this, I hope No one here in this thread do this, I hope

Or "Wherefore do we need war?" but a bit more expressive. Anyway, the original post was not about Google Translate It was about the situation when someone successfully reads descriptions and hints in English (so it looks like he/she knows English), finds a cache and writes his log in Dutch. I wonder why.

- Find one geocache on your first day, - suggested the wise man. - Find 2 caches on the second day, then 4, then 8, then 16... - Ha-ha, - responded the cache guru. - This will be an easy streak!

This cache is quite unusual, arisoft. But, you know, if -NZ- logged it in Japanese he would fit into the category I described in my first message here

Logs serve for communications. If I communicate with anyone I will probably make sure that this person understands me. A decent log which is unreadable by the target audience is probably not the best way for people to communicate, no? The cache page is in Russian and English - you can use English, right? My idea is that you probably should have doubts before using German. (German?) I liked your example Make one small but important correction ("война", not "воина"), add a question mark to the end (it's actually a question) and tell me if you're satisfied with the translation. You would probably also like translating this typically geocaching phrase from Russian: Лажа какая-то с этим кешем получилась. I forgive them because they're nice One of the best meet-and-greet events I've hosted was in Helsinki. It was also in this city where I tried to find a cache with both description and hint in Finnish only without knowing the language and without using Google Translate or its alternatives - and succeeded

Just thinking. A person comes to Russia and finds a cache which has description/hints in English. After returning to the hotel he/she logs the cache in Latvian. Or Portuguese. Or Greek. Doesn't matter. I can (partially) understand Finnish cachers who drive to Karelia and log caches in Finnish, but it's not that easy to find reasons for French logs in Moscow. Obviously, it's up to visitors what language to use in logs and seeing a log in a language which I don't know doesn't make me feel insulted On the other hand, I can imagine that if one writes something they do this for someone to read it. The only simple explanation I have is that one copies his "typical home log" which they use for every next cache, no details, no specific data, something like "We travel a lot and visited your wonderful country and liked it very much and found some caches here though failed to find some other caches and it was sunny all the time though it was rainy as well thank you very much for bringing us to this location and for the cache spasiba". However, sometimes when I try translating some logs with Google Translate I discover useful details in such logs (as a CO).

"Life is not fair" should be a button somewhere right above or under this text field.

I owned various devices and even worked for a local Garmin distributor - tried their handheld GPSrs in field and wrote reviews. Nowadays I doubt these devices can be recommended as upgrade for the vast majority of customers. Accuracy is not an issue anymore. Surely, a portable GPSr a) is rugged, b ) is waterproof and c) can work eternally as long as you replace AA batteries that you filled your backpack with. So, it's an obvious choice for a long hike, three and more nights in field, far from civilization. Sometimes I do this (rarely now) so I keep my old Garmin Venture ready. For all other situations I simply switch GPS in my smartphone on. I also purchased a simple 10000mAh power bank (~ 20 USD) so I can charge my smartphone several times and I consider this solution to be rather effective for city walks and even for short hikes.

Yeah, this is what we do now before having breakfast. Steal souvenirs, add favorite points and mark randomly chosen mysteries as found by those whom we've never seen.

Have you ever thought about hosting a meet-and-greet event in Moscow? Here are some ideas you may find useful. Be ready for not so many cachers to come. Simply because there are not many of them in Moscow. 5-6 people make a big company here. Choose central location. Moscow streets are organized in circles, and you can see four of them on the map: Bul'varnoye Koltso (Boulevard Circle), Sadovoe Koltso (Garden Circle), Tretye Transportnoye Koltso (Third Transport Circle) and MKAD (Moscow circle highway, the largest one). Better choose location in the downtown, within the Garden Circle or slightly outside of the Garden Circle area. Don't choose the Red Square for your event. (See above why). Better avoid places close to governmental structures such as courts and police stations. Russian governmental regulations are rather strict towards the organizers of any public events, and a small crowd of geocachers may seem suspicious. Check your supposed location at Google map (or any other map) before submitting your event. If you like your event to happen anywhere near Kremlin remember that GPS spoofing mode is sometimes on. This means your guests will find themselves in Vnukovo airport when they turn their GPS devices on. So, either move your place further from these red walls or provide additional hints helping attendees. Walking is a good alternative to standing in one point (if weather is nice indeed). Moscow is an expensive city according to Russian standards and Russians mostly earn not so much money to go to restaurants, especially nowadays. If you schedule your event in a restaurant, cafe or pub where customers are expected to pay 10 EUR or more for a meal be prepared that some people just won't come. If you gonna stay indoors and have a pint or two better choose something cheaper. Don't host your events at the entrance of your hotel or in the lobby. This would look like if you lack time. Best time would be midweek about 7pm. In this case people can attend your event after work. If you prefer weekends better avoid scheduling your events in the morning. Sunday is better than Saturday because parking is free in Moscow on Sundays. Few Russian cachers speak fluent English but most cachers know English enough to understand what you'll be saying and respond so you could understand them. Just be ready for more time to be spent on communications. If you like getting assistance with your event (choosing place, translating your page into Russian, etc.) please contact me in advance. Now some suggestions about particular nice places for meet-and-greet geocaching events. Hermitage Garden (close to GC6VQB3) is a small but nice park with benches and a couple of cafes where one can buy a cup of coffee. May be overcrowded on holidays. Tsvetnoy Boulevard (close to GC3AAF5) is also nice if weather is good. Or, if you like less noise you can host an event in a tiny park close to one of the finest Moscow street art caches (GC590FB). The whole Boulevard Circle is walkable and centrally located and nice. Muzeon park is really nice when it's sunny. Many interesting sculptures and cool views from the embankment (GC61CAN). Something really close to a metro station: GC6ZR5V. Nice park close by metro "Sukharevskaya" and few cafes at walkable distance. Do you mind a short walking tour? Try these three simple field puzzle caches on Povarskaya St.: GC4JXW8, GC4JVM1, GC4JXM8.

Winter time Unlike many other countries, it's snowy in the vast majority of Russian regions in winter. Some notes for a foreigner coming to Russia in winter: It may be quite cold, especially in Siberia, where temperatures can fall below -40c. If you take risk of getting frozen, please choose clothing according to actual weather conditions and consult locals when necessary. If you host an outdoor event better do some walking. Standing still for half an hour doesn't make you much good. Caches marked with the snowflake attribute: no guarantee you will find them easily in winter. They may be under the snow carpet. Caches lacking this attribute may be unreachable. Better check description/map/logs before going for a cache. On the contrary, some caches are better be visited in winter: those located on isles where wading/boat is required normally. Most lakes, ponds, rivers get frozen in winter here and their surface is walkable. However, my strong advice is that you consult locals before stepping on ice. Geocachers usually leave distinct traces on snow so it's common that hiding places become traceable after such visits. Sometimes cachers from warm countries where no such troubles exist at all forget about traces on snow. If you see no way of a cache being grabbed without sharing its location with muggles please better avoid taking it at all. There are other caches waiting for you. If a container gets frozen in its hiding place please don't use brute force and sharp instruments to get it out of there. Most probably you will damage the container. Leave it as is. There are other caches waiting for you. Russians don't drink vodka to avoid getting frozen all the time. It's a hoax. Well, partially a hoax.

That's funny. I have just been randomly browsing the topics here on the forum and noticed that you solved my riddle in Moscow, Russia

When I hear something like "I hate micros" I always check the speaker's profile to see how many caches they own and maintain, and of what type. It's so common when people criticize others without having any experience in hiding a cache. "Damned micros, why not placing a good old container full of interesting and useful stuff here?" Why: because the owner already checked different variants and probably even tried hiding a regular tupperware box but this container was stolen two days after that, and it was replaced, and stolen again, and replaced, and stolen, and then there appeared a nano cache which have survived 2 seasons already. The story may be different in this particular case, and we the owners know how many different stories happen.

Wish you luck with fixing that. Indeed, it happened when I created a PQ for my journey tomorrow and was going to download it