Airport caches

[+NvBrit]

I have a suggestion for Groundspeak and the Geocaching community..

 

I was travelling recently and I didn't have much time to leave the airports to find a Geo-Cache in the states that I was held captive for a few hours! So I came up with an idea/partnership for Groundspeak.

 

Could Groundspeak look into the opportunity of members, or Groundspeak themselves, placing an 'e-Cache' somewhere in airports. I understand that the TSA might have some issues with placing a hidden capsule, so how about a tag similar to a vehicle Travel-bug. But name it in some way that identifies it as an airport tag, no goodies, just a record that a cacher was there and located the e-cache.

 

My suggestion is to partner with Starbucks, to see if a label (with a bar-code for smart phones, and alpha-numerical digits) could be placed at one Starbucks location within every airport within the USA. Geo-cachers could then either scan or log the tag, and help them complete their cache finds in other states.

 

Let me know your thoughts, I believe that not every idea has merit, but I would like you to consider the opportunity of helping cachers overcome boredom in airports.

 

Adrian

AKA NvBrit

[+T.D.M.22]

They could call it a "virtual cache" The had them at one time but there where too many problems. There have been many discussions to bring them back but it's not going to happen.

[+The A-Team]

...with a bar-code for smart phones...

That sounds a lot like that other game that we shall not discuss around these parts.

Plus there's also the "coming soon" ( ) QR Challenges...

[+NvBrit]

I have never heard of the QR Codes, but it does have similarities. But not everybody will like a new challenge and will feel more comfortable doing what they know.

[+FunnyNose]

Or you could do it the hard way. Extend your stay at your favorite airport. Such as catching a later flight then walking a mile or two to get a local cache.

[+The A-Team]

I have never heard of the QR Codes, but it does have similarities. But not everybody will like a new challenge and will feel more comfortable doing what they know.

I thought you were suggesting a totally new cache type? That doesn't seem like "doing what they know". Maybe I'm interpreting things entirely wrong.

 

Anyway, if what you're suggesting is in any way a variation on a "Virtual", trust me, it ain't going to happen. Those had their time, and have now moved on to greener pastures (namely Waymarking and Challenges). I'm not trying to slam your idea, but just giving you the straight goods as I understand them.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Or you could do it the hard way. Extend your stay at your favorite airport. Such as catching a later flight then walking a mile or two to get a local cache.

 

I've done that quite a few times. I travel a few times a year for business and get to plan my own itinerary. I'll look for options that take me through places I haven't previously visited and itineraries which would allow me to have enough time to get out of the airport for a bit. In some cases, that's meant taking a flight on the next day (in which case, I've paid for the overnight hotel stay myself) and allowed me to visit and geocache in a new country. On a very long trip, sometimes an overnight stay is almost unavoidable. On my last business trip (to Malaysia) I spent an extra night in Singapore on the way home then had a seven hour layover in Japan. In another case, I had a two day meeting Champaign, Illinois. Rather than fly into the small local airport, I flew to Indianapolis and rented a car and was able to cache in two states instead of one. Total cost was about the same.

 

I have also found caches in three airports. One was a virtual cache in Frankfurt, Germany. Another was a webcam in Zurich, Switzerland, and the third was actually a traditional cache in Changi airport in Singapore.

 

Something that I have discovered during my travels is that not all airports are set up for security the same. Some international airports have separate terminals, connected via some sort of shuttle to the main terminal (where one can exit/enter the airport). When that airport is a transit stop, you can't get to/from the main terminal without going through immigration and customs. Beijing airport is like that. At Singapore airport, you enter the main terminals after going through passport control but don't go through a security checkpoint until you get to your gate (each gate has it's own security checkpoint).

[+Great Scott!]

I can see it now! Airport Power Trail!

Scan a barcode every 528 ft in the terminal.

[+irisisleuk]

I think (or should I say hope?) geocaching is more than just scoring another state.

 

What is the fun in scanning a barcode? I don't even need to leave my home for that...

Hey that brings me to another idea: I've been geocaching in every country of the world as soon I have scanned a product that was produced there. No thank you.

 

Believe me, you will be much more proud of yourself when you have really found a cache in every state, not just a virtual point in an airport. Getting to know all the states by finding geocaches is much more fun!

 

By the way: I'm not saying there can't/shouldn't be a real geocache in an airport. But we don't need them to score points, we do like to see them when it leads us to something interesting. The cache at Changi airport in Singapore is a very good example. It brought us to a butterfly garden at the airport, a garden we probably would have missed if the geocache wasn't there.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I think (or should I say hope?) geocaching is more than just scoring another state.

 

It *is* more than that but that doesn't mean that it's an aspect about geocaching that some might enjoy more than other aspects. Some people like racking up thousands of finds. Some people like the FTF game while others are into Geocoins. Some people like to find a cache in as many different countries or States as they can.

 

 

What is the fun in scanning a barcode? I don't even need to leave my home for that...

Hey that brings me to another idea: I've been geocaching in every country of the world as soon I have scanned a product that was produced there. No thank you.

 

Believe me, you will be much more proud of yourself when you have really found a cache in every state, not just a virtual point in an airport. Getting to know all the states by finding geocaches is much more fun!

 

 

It is, but it's not always feasible. That said, I wouldn't support the idea of creating a new cache type (i.e. scanning a bar code) that could be used to contribute to ones find count. Groundspeak isn't going create a cache type that can only be found in airports. I have no idea what the status is regarding the QR based Challenges concept (though there has been a web page about it for quite awhile). I have no interest in seeing Challenges count toward ones total find count but I wouldn't mind seeing them count towards coloring in a region on the map where one has played the game, and even obtain a souvenir, even if only for "worldwide" challenges.

 

By the way: I'm not saying there can't/shouldn't be a real geocache in an airport. But we don't need them to score points, we do like to see them when it leads us to something interesting. The cache at Changi airport in Singapore is a very good example. It brought us to a butterfly garden at the airport, a garden we probably would have missed if the geocache wasn't there.

 

I only became aware of the butterfly garden because of that cache and even though I spent a lot of time in the airport (had a 1:00AM arrival flight and a 11:30AM departure) it wasn't that easy to find. On the other hand, even if there wasn't a butterfly garden (and a cache) there, as airports go it's probably one of the nicest airports in the world.