Traveling to a foreign country can be intimidating. You don't speak the language, there are unfamiliar customs and cultural differences. The service of a great travel agent can help you plan with confidence, but they are usually not there to walk with you through the streets of your destination. It is up to you to research the destination and the mannerisms so you won't feel completely out of place.
It's the same with a game like geocaching. When you've spent the money required to get you to the destination- you want to make sure you have ample opportunity to find caches efficiently and quickly. You need to prepare for your geocache adventure before you walk out the door.
I strongly recommend looking closely at each geocache you plan to find when you're in a destination. Use the Geocaching.com Favorite Points to quickly see the best caches in a region. Read the descriptions and D/T Ratings of each geocache carefully. If it doesn't sound fun, cross it off your list. Focus on the geocaches you know you will enjoy finding- don't waste your time on lamp posts if that's not your thing.
Once you've got your list of favorite cache opportunities, study them on a map to familiarize yourself with the immediate region, look for landmarks to help you when you're onsite. Google Maps is amazing for this, especially Street View. Read the hints- sometimes you'll be able to narrow down Ground Zero on the street view.
Google can also help with translation! It won't be perfect, but you'll be able to use Google Translate to get the gist of the description and log entries before you go. Make sure the cache doesn't have a string of recent DNF's, no matter how many favorite points it is. If it's not there, you'll waste precious time on the cache.
Use pocket queries. Yes, that means a dedicated GPS. When you're traveling abroad, you may not have the cell service you need to use your smartphone. Plus it's easy to rack up international roaming charges, even if you use offline lists. Check with your wireless carrier for an international data plan!
Reach out to local geocachers on Facebook or Reddit. Locals will be able to guide you on region specific geocaching lingo and hide styles.
AMS Travel Sales includes a free .GPX file of the region you're visiting, so you're one step ahead of the game when you book your trip with us! Give us a call or Request a Quote to start planning your next vacation!
