"You will travel to many exotic places."

[+RealWorldAvatars]

Basically, I have an idea for a travel bug, but I don't know whether it would be interesting to people, or whether they'd consider it too much trouble to bother with. And so I hassle you guys for opinions.

 

I was dining out at a Chinese place last week, and lo and behold, the little slip of paper in my fortune cookie read: "You will travel to many exotic places." Like any good geocacher, I immediately thought hey, this would make a great travel bug. So I laminated it with some clear packing tape, ordered a bug tag, and started pondering what I wanted my new traveler to do. Here's my thought...

 

If you want to move the fortune cookie travel bug, you need to either go out for Chinese food or nab some takeout somewhere, anything that will get you a fortune cookie. You waterproof the resultant fortune slip with a bit of tape, punch a hole in the end, and add it to the chain on top of the previous fortune. Then you place the bug in a cache that seems particularly appropriate to your fortune. For example, if you get the old standard, "You love children and animals," you could place the bug in a kid-themed cache, or one that has an animal in its name, or a cache located on a playground or a farm.

 

Keeping in mind that I'm still fairly new to caching and bugs (in other words, if this is a stupid idea, please be nice about saying so ), does this sound like a reasonable condition for moving a bug? Or would you just leave it behind in favor of another bug that doesn't require any sort of action other than just transport?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[+BlueDeuce]

I think it sounds like a grand idea. The only problem with having people add things to TBs is that they either don't do a very good job or the thing just gets too big. (Like when people want you to add a post card)

 

I say have people take your bug to an exotic location, or out for Chinese food, or post their recent or favorite fortune, or all of the above. I liked the premise of the fortune just by itself.

[+The Foote]

if this is a stupid idea, please be nice about saying so

 

This is a stupid idea!!!

 

Jsut kidding of course. That is kind of a cool idea I think. as I could read through all of the old fortunes. My 7 year old sone has a habit of collecting all of his old fortunes and has a drawer that has tons of them in it!

 

I would follow the rules of this bug!

[+Team Snorkasaurus]

(QUOTE EDITED) ...I was dining out at a Chinese place last week, and lo and behold, the little slip of paper in my fortune cookie read: "You will travel to many exotic places." Like any good geocacher, I immediately thought hey, this would make a great travel bug. So I laminated it with some clear packing tape, ordered a bug tag, and started pondering what I wanted my new traveler to do. Here's my thought... If you want to move the fortune cookie travel bug, you need to either go out for Chinese food or nab some takeout somewhere, anything that will get you a fortune cookie. You waterproof the resultant fortune slip with a bit of tape, punch a hole in the end, and add it to the chain on top of the previous fortune. Then you place the bug in a cache that seems particularly appropriate to your fortune... Does this sound like a reasonable condition for moving a bug?

A fortune cookie themed TB is a terrific and FUN idea! Also, since it is not a 'collectable' item it will likely last for a while. I have an odd-food themed TB named "Chocolate Cheeseburger" that is doing quite well. I know I would enjoy finding your fortune cookie TB; besides, any excuse for eating Chinese food sounds good to me... YUMMY!

 

[+Hula Bum]

I like the idea. It would give me a great excuse to go out to my favorite chinese restaurant! Don't count on everyone following it the way you want, but some will and it could be a lot of fun!

[+the hermit crabs]

Keeping in mind that I'm still fairly new to caching and bugs (in other words, if this is a stupid idea, please be nice about saying so ), does this sound like a reasonable condition for moving a bug? Or would you just leave it behind in favor of another bug that doesn't require any sort of action other than just transport?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice!

It's not a stupid idea at all! I think that some of the best travel bugs are ones that have missions that are fun and unique, and yet easy and sraightforward enough for anyone to participate in. If I found this one, I'd definitely do what it asks.

 

The only suggestion I have is that you use your idea as a "suggestion" or "request" rather than a requirement. You mention that you're fairly new to caching and to travel bugs -- well, pretty quickly you will see that, regardless of a bug's stated goal, about 90% of its logs will be "Found it; will move along soon". Not many people seem to want to go out of their way to do any more than that. But that's okay -- as long as your bug is moving rather than MIA, then the occasional log that you do get where someone goes along with your request will be that much more fun.

[+evelbug]

I like the idea, and would be happy to help that bug along if I found it. I have a suggestion though. For the bug itself, get a nice, small journal. (I picked one up at the dollar store for a cache log). Explain the mission on the first page have people tape or glue their fortunes to the pages. I think this would hold up better than keycahain idea.

[+Renegade Knight]

I like the idea, but most cachers move TB's from cache to cache or count coop on them at events. A few will follow your theme. A lot won't. Go for it, but be realistic in your expectations.

[+RealWorldAvatars]

Hi, all! Thanks so very much for the sanity check... I really appreciate all your advice.

 

I hereby promise not to get bent out of shape if people move the bug without adding a fortune to it, heehee! Considering all the stories I've heard about disappearing bugs, I'll be very happy just to see it stay in circulation... it sounds like that's a challenge unto itself!

 

I also really liked the idea of a little logbook that people could paste fortunes into, but ultimately decided against it. I've only found 37 caches so far (told you I was new, heh), but probably half of those were really damp inside. I fear that a logbook would become a sodden mess fairly early into the process.

 

Anyway, here's the little folding label I'm going to include with the bug. I'll get it launched later this week!

 

 

Can't wait to see whether the finders like it, heehee!

[+huskerrich2000]

you might check, I think you can buy fortune cookie without going to the restaurant if chinese isn't your coup of tea

[+the hermit crabs]

you might check, I think you can buy fortune cookie without going to the restaurant if chinese isn't your coup of tea

Or you cen get one for free at The Fortune Cookie Generator, or Bad Cookie, or Random Fortune Cookie... but getting real ones with food is much more fun

 

("Bad Cookie" just told me that "Now would be a good time for automobile servicing." And they are quite right, and so I felt guilty about neglecting my car, and I wanted to escape from the scolding, so I quickly clicked on "new cookie" and it must have sensed the guilt I was feeling, for it immediately pounced on me: "Your heart is impure, and your mind clouded, and your soul evil." Just because I'm 1,000 miles overdue for an oil change!)

[+RealWorldAvatars]

Heeheee!! Do not attempt to fool the cookie generator, because all machines can talk to each other, and your car has been complaining.

[+IfIOnlyHadABrain]

I am newer to caching than you are (16 found) and I absolutely love your idea. I think a lot of people made good points about expectations, suggestions vs. requirements, etc. I will say though that, as for me, I would love to find a bug that directs me to go eat Chinese food, and I would definitely do it! I hope your bug does well, and I hope that someday it makes its way to Pittsburgh, PA. There are a few really great Chinese restaurnats here!

[+Pegasi]

I think this is an excellent idea - would love to find this one and would definately participate. I would probably name it "...In Bed" after the old fortune cookie game.

[+Bundyrumandcoke]

It sounds like a great idea. I recently moved a TB thats goal is to collect beer bottle tops from around the world. You punch a hole in the top, and add it to the chain.

[+RealWorldAvatars]

It sounds like a great idea. I recently moved a TB thats goal is to collect beer bottle tops from around the world. You punch a hole in the top, and add it to the chain.

 

Ooooo! Now that's all kinds of spiffy. If it ever makes the rounds to Seattle, WA, USA, hubby and I will sample a few microbrews in your honor.

[b-strong]

I like the fortune cookie fortune idea. It's more fun to pick up TBs that have fun or interesting goals.

 

This week a TB got me into a bike shop I hadn't been in for several years, because its goal is to be photographed in bike shops around the country. When I explained why I wanted to take pictures of a stuffed animal on a bike, the guys there were very interested and wanted to know how to find the geocaching website.

 

Another TB got me to stop by the local skatepark (which I'd never visited, even though there is a cache there) for a "photoshoot" recently. I've been back several times since, mostly because it took a couple of tries to be able to actually look for the cache, due to soccer tournaments in the end of the park where the cache is located.

 

And when I picked up a monkey TB last summer (my first TB find) I took him to the zoo with my granddaughters and to the midnight showing of Pirates of the Caribbean 2 so he could watch the monkey in the movie. I took his picture both places (before the movie, with family & friends dressed as pirates, not during the movie!) It does surprise me how few people actually tell what the bug did while they had it, or take & post photos. (But then, maybe I just have too much time on my hands... HA!)

 

If you want to use a little notebook but are concerned about dampness, you might want to try a waterproof notebook that can be purchased at sporting goods stores. The paper is waterproof and very durable. I recently saw them in several sizes and styles at REI. They're more spendy than the regular little spirals, but it might be worth it for a TB or as a cache log book in a moisture-prone cache.