Lovely updates on my Korean letterbox

Seoul, South Korea, with N Seoul Tower on Namsan Mountain in the middle of the city

So one of the many things I have been behind on blogging about is my profound delight in getting find notices on a box I planted while in Seoul, South Korea: Love in Suraksan.

In early spring of 2012, I was a very sad Bumble who was missing her baby sister, let's call her Mini Bumble.  A year earlier, Mini Bumble flew across this planet to work at a South Korean hogwan where she was responsible for teaching English to a small class of nine adorable kindergarteners. Since I missed her and wanted to visit the place she had been calling home, I packed up my gear and flew over to meet her - taking a small letterboxing kit with me, obvs. She lived just outside of Nowon, a district of Seoul, at the base of Suraksan Mountain.

At the time, there really weren't many boxes in Seoul - or at least there weren't many listed on AQ.  Combine that with some significant difficulties in getting around without knowing the language meant that I wasn't able to find any boxes while I was there (came oh so close: we found the right spot for one, with certainty, but the box was MIA).

If you haven't been to Seoul, it is a magical place for letterboxing.  The dense urban city is broken up by endless little mountains with an infinite number of walking trails.  The only thing stopping me from heading in was my fear of getting lost.  Anyway - just a tip for any letterboxers who may be going over to visit or teach.

I had no idea what I would plant, and I was actually nervous that I'd have trouble taking a camo'd lock-n-lock through airport security, so I believe I had a box that was clear and a small slab of uncarved material.

In the end, overcome with seeing my sister after so long and absolutely loving the country, I decided on a simple heart with a Canadian flag maple leaf and a Korean flag Taegeuk inside. (If I've somehow spoiled the box for anyone, my apologies.)

I had a bit of a time hiding it, though.  With such a dense population of people, there was never a moment I was alone and my slight hike up Suraksan Mountain wasn't proving to have a lot of hiding spots.  In the end, thanks to the water that was not coming down the mountain while I was there, I was able to hide the box under the decking of the areas beside the water flow areas for which the mountain was named.  I hid it and got out as stealthily as only a tall, white, overweight foreigner can.

I listed the box and finished my wonderful trip, Mini Bumble as my guide, returning to Canada after my trip.

And I waited. 

And I waited.

Really, no hits on the clue.  I couldn't really imagine anyone from North America heading out there and to the end of one of the subway lines to climb a mountain based only on the directions given by a letterbox clue.  And as time went on, I could only imagine that the citizens of the cleanest country I've ever visited would find my box and remove it.  So I waited, but secretly wanted no one to even make an attempt because the thought that it was still there on the other side of the planet made me happier than if I found that it was gone.

But then two years after planting I got a find and a lovely message from Sonoran Girl: "I was the first finder on this box even though it was planted almost two years ago. It was a little mucky from its days by the creek, but it's in perfect condition and has a lovely hand-carved stamp inside. It's well hidden enough to never be noticed by someone not specifically looking for it, which is kind of a miracle here in Korea."

So very happy.

Then not so long later, from Fruitcake: "Just wanted to let you know that I came VERY close to your letterbox, but had the misfortune of searching on Korean independence day when the creek area was swarmed with people. UGH! So close, yet so far away! It is in a beautiful location though, and I really enjoyed my time in the park."

Almost there, but I can't believe all the people in the creek were not seeing the box...

But it was safe! From Lig: "The box and contents are all in great shape. First time trying multiple colors on the same stamp; it worked really well. Check out Cafe Dasio at the end of the street, near the box for an artsy place to stamp in while enjoying something sweet."

And then as recently as March, from JIY: "Hi, the park is beautiful and I loved the Stamp."

I've had a bit of a weird year starting last summer and have been a little down.  These finders don't know that their find logs filled me with an indescribable joy. Maybe I'll send this post their way...

Happy trails!

Where have all the letterboxers gone?

My, how things have changed since last year.  Letterboxing has just about ground to a halt, but I'm sure it's not me: I can count the finds this year on my boxes on one hand.

But today, I signed up for Box ON (I choose to force myself to go rather than wallow in regret) and my carving thumb is getting awfully sore.  I've even dusted off my letterboxing pack.

Who knows what the future holds?

What happened to the summer?

What happened to the summer?  This past winter was, quite frankly, traumatizing and I expected a nice hot summer full of summery activities to lift my spirits.  Instead, we got perhaps a couple of hot days and then a coolish summer that is now almost over.

I didn't even have time to put away my winter coat.

 

Yesterday, I even smelled fall in the air.  It's still mid-August and I could smell autumn. I love the fall - love it - but that it is here already is distressing.

 

I've not even been out for a good letterboxing adventure this season.  I have a find from down in San Diego I haven't logged yet, but otherwise, nada.

 

But... but...

 

I have an idea... It's in my noggin.  I can't get it out.  Gears are turning... I miss 2012.  Could it be? Should I do it? I have an idea, a place, a timeframe... Should I?

Desconstructing the Devil's Advocate, Part V: The Devil Himself

Okay, this might be the last of my very spoilery posts for a while, but once again, danger - spoilers!

Desconstructing the Devil's Advocate, Part IV: The Court's Decree is Poetry

Warning! Danger, Will Robinson! Spoilers ahead...

Desconstructing the Devil's Advocate, Part III: Alien Rights

Warning! Spoilers ahead...

Desconstructing the Devil's Advocate, Part II: Jail Bird

Danger! This box is still alive, and able to be found and logged.  Nevertheless, the clues is mostly broken down below.  Spoilers ahead...

Deconstructing the Devil's Advocate

Okay, so it really shouldn't be news to anyone who boxes in Ontario that the Devil's Advocate is an alias account that I have and that the four boxes were actually mine.

Unfortunately, for various reasons, I had to pull the Devil's Advocate box which makes the whole series of the puzzle impossible to solve.  Nevertheless, I really enjoyed putting that puzzle together, it was great fun, but for anyone who didn't get the chance to hunt them (or for anyone looking for inspiration for future puzzle boxes) I've decided to deconstruct the making of this puzzle series as well as the solution to it all.

In case you do *not* want to be spoiled or still think you can solve these, I'll try to put the content after a jump break.  You have been warned.

I love creating puzzles.  It's incredibly fun and part of the massive allure of letterboxing for me.  I'm not so great at solving ciphers in particular and can get notoriously frustrated, but I love putting them together and watching others.  It's the same feeling I get when I get an awesome Christmas present for someone.

I've been making tricky boxes for a while, but I had been wondering about how to make a clue that was based on an actual stamp itself.   Leave bits of clues everywhere and let the fun begin!  This, to me, is like the ARGs that I love so much (again, I follow them on the sidelines because I get notoriously frustrated).


SPOILERS AHOY!

I am the letterbox thief

The Grande Hermine {The Big Weasel} Jordan Harbour, Jordan Station, Ontario

Warning: spoiler photo at the end of this post.

Before I ever started letterboxing, another local boxer had done great work and had (has) marvelous boxes planted all over the province.  One day, without notice, she deleted all the clues, deleted the comments, and retired all of her boxes.  Why? I'll never know.  Those were some of my favourite boxes, they contained the amazing history of letterboxing in Ontario.  And now they're gone.  Poof.  This happened over a year ago, so I'm not sure why I'm whinging about it now...

Except now I've done the unthinkable.  I've taken someone else's letterbox.  On purpose.  With intent. Not to relocate because of danger, not to repair due to damage.  To keep. 

My log from 2010.

This particular box had special meaning to me; when I found it, where I found it, who I found it with. I was gutted to think it was gone when that letterboxer deleted the clues and retired the whole lot.  But I had this niggling suspicion that told me that there was no way she had physically pulled so many actual boxes given their geographic spread.  I pretty much knew that these boxes still existed.  I just had no way to find them, or even re-find the ones I had already had logged.

Nonetheless, after moving back to Burlington, I had decided I was going to replace the one box.  It's the perfect location, the perfect theme, and it's perfect to stop at if you're traveling along the QEW back/forth from Canada/US.  So I created a box and headed out today to replant with the hopes that even without the clue, I'd find the box.

I found it.  In perfect condition.  I took it and literally planted mine in its place.  I have it, it's mine.  The log is dry and only half filled...  Its clue is gone and the owner retired it.  This baffles me.  And those lovely boxes are still out there, lonely and unloved - abandoned.  Does anyone keep old clues?  I never have, and now I'm sad because I'll never be able to retrace my steps to some of these now lost gems.

Have I committed a letterboxing crime? I'm not sure.  I plan to show people this box and its contents, I plan to maintain my new replacement box (or at least not destroy it for future finders should I decide to retire from boxing...).

I hope you and future generations of letterboxers enjoy my replacement box.  If you ever want to see the old one, please let me know...

In with the new...

Out with the old, in with the new...

I know Fiddleheads would be disappointed with me if I didn't regularly recarve my signature stamp.  So with the move back to the area of my letterboxing roots comes a new stamp!

Old at the left, new at the right.

Hope you're all out on the trail this beautiful weekend!

Happy trails!