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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

about terrorists the Royal Wedding and Geocaching!

86 replies

GypsyMoth · 19/04/2011 11:35

i am taking some teens down to London to watch Royal Wedding....

a bit worried about the terrorist thing now,i wasnt previously but i am now!! just niggling feelings really. but feeling more worried due to seeing on the news police apparently 'scouring' London looking for hidden bombs and weapons

However,if thats reassuring for everyone,it makes it worse for me.....as i know for a fact there are hundreds and hundreds of geocaches hidden across London!!

and they have been there for years! some large enough to hold devices or weapons or whatever!!

so,terrorists....its more possible in my mind now i've realised this.

AIBU????

OP posts:
Original poster
GypsyMoth · 19/04/2011 16:14

i got into it from a thread here on mumsnet!

my lot love it,even the 3 year old up to my 16 year old,and my brother is addicted now too

yes,you could put me down,ill pm you my username!!

just looked,manchester has hundreds!

OP posts:
MrSpoc · 19/04/2011 16:47

there are loads of caches near me and it looks like I have located the spot of one vey close to me. I am going to go tonight to try and find it.

Do you take the item inside of leave it? What do you replace it with?

sfxmum · 19/04/2011 16:51

usually there is a log so you sign it, it is good to take some trinket or a 'bug' to place in box before taking anything, if you choose to take anything then go online and share

sfxmum · 19/04/2011 16:51

there should be a stop after the anythingGrin sorry always share

VivaLeBeaver · 19/04/2011 16:54

Years ago an ex colleague of mine who worked in sewers was sent down every manhole in the city centre before the Queen came. The police were with him and sealed every one afetr him. He did all the manholes and the police thanked him and said right thats it.

My colleague said what about the 6ft wide, 5ft high tunnel that runs under half the length of the High St, right under where the Quuen will be. Police were like "errr, what tunnel". If it ain't on the maps they don't know about it. Grin

But somehow I think the Met will be more clued up.

MrSpoc · 19/04/2011 16:57

can you put any sort of trinket inplace?

sfxmum · 19/04/2011 17:28

we put things like badges bracelets little pens little wind up toys and sometimes trackables which are meant to be moved from cache to cache

btw love the tunnel story, her Madge saved by the swear man just goes to show a multi disciplinary team is sometimes useful Grin

sfxmum · 19/04/2011 17:29

sewer not swear although he might

ChippyMinton · 19/04/2011 17:39

LOL at the idea of the police not knowing about geocaches - they are on the website, with maps and clues!!

The police deal with anti-terrorism every day, there is so much work behind the scenes, what the public see/hear about is the tip of a very large iceberg.

Original poster
GypsyMoth · 19/04/2011 18:25

lol chippy,i know!!

i'm ex police....met tooBlush

never knew about caching tho....perhaps it didnt exist in early 90's

OP posts:
ChippyMinton · 19/04/2011 18:36

We tried geocaching last week, using the car satnav. The DC loved it.

mummylin2495 · 19/04/2011 18:41

i have never heard of geocahes before ,but i just searched to find out what it is,i must say it all sounds great fun.are they found in most towns ?

Original poster
GypsyMoth · 19/04/2011 19:49

mummylin......yes,pretty much everywhere. and they get you out and about to parks,lakes,riversides etc....and also 'cache in trash out' where you take some litter back out with you,helping the environment.

take a small first aid kit for stings,bites and scratches when searching!

OP posts:
mummylin2495 · 20/04/2011 08:40

it sounds fab,i asked dh if he had ever heard of it and rather than say no he said i wasnt pronouncing it right ! do you have to get a special sat nav which then stores the areas of the caches ? i want to have a go.

Original poster
GypsyMoth · 20/04/2011 09:20

a handheld gps unit ot an iphone,or other phone with gps and you're away

or a compass

our first ever was local so we did it with nothing but local knowledge.

OP posts:
mummylin2495 · 20/04/2011 09:43

so how on earth do you know where to start ?

mummylin2495 · 20/04/2011 09:44

i really would like to have a go at this and it would be great if i could find somewhere local to start with

Original poster
GypsyMoth · 20/04/2011 09:58

put your postcode in the 'hide and seeek a cache' at www.geocaching.com

that wiill show whats local to you

sign up for a free account to log what you ffind!

OP posts:
springbokdoc · 20/04/2011 10:06

We started geocaching a few years ago and no w can't wait for ds to be big enough to do it with (he's only 4/12 so have awhile to go!). They can be found all over the world too and are great way to find out about more unusual spots (not that I have planned a hol so that we can do a few Blush)

glastocat · 20/04/2011 10:54

Yayy! I love to see fellow geocachers, there aren't many of us here in Ireland. We have found 109 caches to date, my mum is on over 200. We have also placed a few caches, its brilliant when they are found, so the more the merrier. Its a fantastic hobby to do with your kids, especially those reluctant to go on walks. And its free! We invested in a hand held Garmin (about £60) which is more accurate than a car sat nav (we use both, the car sat nav gets us to the general location first, then we use the garmin). Its well worth getting a hand-held, we have had so many free days out, and its brilliant fun bringing kids who have never been geocaching, they always LOVE finding treasure in hidden places. Just remember to not get caught (muggled) and if you are taking any trinket out,always put something as good or better in. And familiarise yourself with what is ok to put in a box, no food, flammables etc. I've also done caches in Rome and Turkey, and intend to do at least one in Greece later this year. I bet there are some amazing ones to do in London! Just exercise usual caution. I have heard of caches being found by cops in America being blown up in controlled expolsions as they thought they were suspicious!

glastocat · 20/04/2011 10:56

springbokdoc, my kid has been caching since he was five! Just pick an easy one with a big box at the end, your kid will love it.

Original poster
GypsyMoth · 20/04/2011 10:57

lol at those cops!!!

OP posts:
glastocat · 20/04/2011 10:57

Ilove Tiffany, it didn't exist as a hobby in the early 90s, as the satellites weren't switched on for everyone to use back then.

Original poster
GypsyMoth · 20/04/2011 10:57

my youngest was 2 when we started!!

OP posts:
mummylin2495 · 21/04/2011 09:06

ILoveTIFFANY thanks for info ,i have found one that is in a local church[ in fact where my brother got married ] and my sis in law and i really fancy having a go as there are quite a few around only a short distance from where we live.We will need to study how you go about it and all the rules but it sounds enormous fun.Cant believe i have never heard of this before!

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