Hidden clues to travel freebies.
Have you ever heard of the book Masquerade?
Published in 1979, this children’s book was the genius creation of Kit Williams. It was a beautifully illustrated and cleverly written map (each page contained a clue) to the location of an exquisite treasure (a jeweled golden hare).
I loved this book. It was gorgeous and complex and captivating; it was a lush puzzle waiting to be solved, a tricky riddle without an easy answer.
I also loved the idea that there was a real treasure hunt afoot in the world, and that hundreds (or thousands!) of people were searching for it, for years.
This book improved my life. It caused me to think creatively and wonder about things. Even though I had no real hope of finding the treasure (it was hidden in Britain, while I lived in Berkeley), I dreamt about it, and that was enough.
I’ve been thinking about this book a lot recently, and I’m inspired. While I’ve set up little treasure hunts in the past, I’m going to do more in the future (maybe in New Orleans!), especially in light of my renewed commitment to “pay it forward.”
Wouldn’t it be amazing to find a little treasure? Have you ever hidden goodies or freebies for someone else to find while traveling?
…and stay tuned for clues after my next trip!
this is so cool. I had never heard of this before.
I always wanted to find a postcard hidden in POSTSECRETS book.
People leave them behind all the time apparently.
There are tons of people doing this. Most noted is Geocaching. https://www.geocaching.com
That book sounds amazing. What a great idea! I love the whole notion of a treasure hunt – and you are well suited to the endeavor. While it’s not quite the same, there is a little wooden box at a park near my house that people leave little surprises for others to find. It’s official purpose is to hold bags for unprepared dog owners, but this community seems to have expanded its role. I left some Magnum PI trading cards once. They were snapped up by the next day 🙂