Getting the naggy stuff over with…
Before trekking around outside, it is important to ensure
your skill level and gear measure up to what’s needed.
For longer walks into wilder areas, respect the potential
of wildlife and the weather. Bring warm enough clothing and
adequate food and water. If your quest involves hill climbing,
ensure you have the skills to navigate using compass and map
if there is any chance of clouds or mist sinking in. People
die up in the hills each year, and it is sometimes the case
it is a result of inadequate preparation or skills. Alright,
enough mother henning!
Another naggy point: respect the environment. Please avoid
hiding boxes in fragile sites where those looking for it might
do problematic damage (e.g. stone walls). Pack out what your
bring in, and respect private lands. Most folks who are into
letterboxing don’t need to be told this, and apologies
if you are one of them. Okay, no more nagging.
What You Need
To start out, you’ll need a journal, a stamp and an
inkpad. Journals can be found in stationery or gift shops,
and ones without lines are often preferable for better stamped
effect.
If you’re keen to learn to carve your own stamp, there
is loads of information available online. A search using ‘rubber
stamp carving’ on a search engine will yield many hits.
You can also buy a rubber stamp. The link below can be a good
starting point for looking for one. It gives several vendors
in the UK who sell rubber stamps:
http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/artemalluk.html
Inkpads can be found at most stationery shops, though there
are many more colours and colour combination pads now available.
Many of the sites in the link above will also sell these inkpads
in their accessories section.
Additional Items
A few additional items will be quite useful when searching
out boxes:
- Sturdy gloves--to protect your hands from muck or bites
when accessing a box
- A compass for clues that involve compass points
- Something to write with
- Kitchen paper or a towel—to clean off a mucky box
and hands before opening it, and to clean the stamp before
returning it to the box.
This is only the bare basics, and there are several sites
that give much better detail for getting started. Have a scout
about, and then go for it! |
