Clue Me In: Geocaching in Gwangju
People keep telling me that running is a great way to get to know a new area. Go for a run, they say optimistically, just pick a random direction, you will get a good workout and maybe discover something cool. The trouble is, I hate running. I do not understand the appeal of running and I generally do not understand those who enjoy it either. So what about me, or the millions like me, who want to discover something cool, but cannot stomach running? Enter Geocaching. Geocaching is a sport that challenges volunteer “Geocachers” to channel their inner pirate to go searching for hidden treasure — treasure that other Geocachers have hidden specifically for them to find. After downloading the app, Geocaching, for iPhone, Android or Windows, green dots will appear superimposed on a map of your local area. Each of these dots is a treasure trove, accurate to approximately 10 meters, and they are everywhere. Once located, the cache, often a box or bottle but occasionally something as nefarious as a hollowed out stump or fake rock, will contain a piece of paper for the successful treasure hunter to sign and a treasure to take, with the assumption that another treasure will be left for the next intrepid adventurer.
In the spirit of investigative journalism and with the desire to promote and encourage other Geocachers, I downloaded the app and scoured Gwangju for the perfect beginner cache to cut my teeth on. It turns out there is one, yes one, Geocache in Gwangju and it is way out at the Honam University Satellite campus. Inconvenient, certainly, but as the ancient proverb goes — no pain no gain. One brilliant Saturday morning I hauled myself, and my semi-reluctant girlfriend, out of bed, popped a couple of Advil and caught the bus to the South Gwangju subway station. Staying true to the nature of the sport, I had banned the use of taxis as the subway is the most convenient way to get out to the airport. The train was followed by a three-and-a-half kilometer walk in the sunshine, including a stop at a 7-Eleven for kimbap triangles, before we arrived at the campus. After consulting the map for a final time, we searched for almost 30 minutes before we found — nothing. Yes, ma’am, not a thing. I checked the app one more time to make sure we were in the right place and noticed that other Geocachers had found it, but not since February 2011 and the last person to go looking for it had been unsuccessful in November 2012. We probably should have done our homework. Nonetheless, and in the cheesiest possible way, it did not matter that the treasure was gone. While I received some well-deserved ribbing from my companion for a goose chase well led, we both had a great time and did more walking around, particularly in a new area, than we probably would have otherwise.
My first, and certainly not my last, time Geocaching was also inspiring. How can a city so well endowed with beautiful natural scenery and cool urban spots be so lacking in hidden treasures of the literal rather than metaphorical variety? My initial disappointment was burned away by a fiery resolve to remedy this blatant oversight. There are now five active Geocaching sites scattered around Gwangju for you and your friends to go out and find, potentially on a Saturday or Sunday when otherwise you would stay inside and order pizza. Why not go have an adventure?