Souvenirs

[+tom k.]

I have been in the Caribbean a couple of times and managed to cache in 12 Islands /countries. I was wondering why we don’t get souvenirs for those countries? We get souvenirs for Canada and not Mexico? I would think that the souvenir could at least be a little picture of the countries flag.

[+niraD]

IIRC, Groundspeak has put the creation of new Souvenirs on hold while they sort out what they want to do with the system long term.

[+hzoi]

It does look like new souvenirs are in the works. On this week's "Groundspeak Weekly Newsletter," there were 330-odd photos linked/attached, and in addition to existing souvenirs, I saw what looks like souvenir art for the following places:

 

Kenya? (not labeled)

Japan

New Zealand

Australia (8 in all, one for each state and territory)

South Africa

Wales

Scotland

England

Switzerland

Sweden

Spain

Poland

Norway

Netherlands

Luxemburg

Latvia

Iceland

Hungary

France

Finland

Denmark

Bulgaria

Austria

 

When these will be active, I won't hazard to guess, but they've been drawn, so I would assume they're in the hopper for release at some point.

 

edit: Poland's already been released.

Edited January 5, 2012 by hzoi

[+W8TTS]

Sure would be nice. Also, China, Macau, Hong Kong, Japan, and other Far East countries would be nice.

[+KIAX]

it is interesting.

 

The Hungarian GEOcaching is as old as any other countries geocaching.

it has its own geocaching.hu website, with a little bit more regulated rules then the .com.

 

The total numbe rof cahces on the .com is well over 2000 and they are nicely situated at interesting historical, geographical places ans all different type of terrain and difficulties, including more challenging power trails then in other places.

 

Hungary have hosted a MEGA Event last year, and one is already advertised for this year.

 

Still:

No souvenir for a country. No souvenirs for major districts/states off course.

 

What has to be done to get those souvenirs?

 

Please advise.

[+GeoSheltons]

Any movement on getting the country souvenirs instituted? I just got back from Kenya and entered my first find there. I was disappointed to see that I didn't get a souvenir for this one. Any word?

[+Shinook & White Juan]

Caching for souvenirs, the game has certainly changed.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Caching for souvenirs, the game has certainly changed.

 

Some people like playing the game for the numbers. Some like going for every FTF opportunity while others like doing challenges or caches involving long hikes. There are also some that like finding caches in as many different countries or states as possible and like having a souvenir on their profile as a token of remembrance. There are two somewhat regular posters in the forums that have found caches in 60 or more countries. Collecting souvenirs is no less part of the game than any of the other sub-games.

 

The only country in Africa which has a souvenir available is South Africa. I wish there were more as I've found caches in four African countries but there are a lot of other countries with more caches in them that are likely going to get a souvenir released before any more in Africa.

 

 

[+on4bam]

Souvenirs are yet another half-baked system on gc.com. If you want to award country souvenirs it would only be normal to award them for all countries (or none).

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Souvenirs are yet another half-baked system on gc.com. If you want to award country souvenirs it would only be normal to award them for all countries (or none).

 

I wouldn't really say that it's half-baked (certainly not like some other sub-systems). Because when each country souvenir is released it's retroactively awarded to everyone that found a cache in that country/region the server load is significant. Once the souvenir has been released and retroactively awarded the process works pretty well. I can't remember the last time I've seen a post from someone that found a cache in a country which had a souvenir but didn't get it.

 

It would be great if all countries had them, but since they're awarded retroactively as well as when someone finds a cache after the souvenir has been released, as long as they eventually include all countries, everyone that qualifies for a souvenir will get it.

 

Keep in mind, however, that there some regions which some consider to be countries that won't get souvenirs because they're not on the official countries/territories list. Scotland, Wales and Kosovo come to mind. These "countries" aren't on more authoritative country list sources either (i.e. the U.N. geopoltical ontology or the ISO 3166 standard).