X marks the spot
For a journey that really is more important that the destination, you can't beat Confluence Hunting.

15 years ago, a guy in America was playing with his new toy, a GPS, and realised that he crossed the 72W line of longitude on his journey to work. He also noticed that he was quite near 43N latitude, so decided to go to the point where they crossed, and see what was there. After making it to the exact point - which was in a hedge at the side of a field - he took some photos and posted them on the net.

Soon, others were doing the same, and a project was conceived: to visit every integer crossing point of latitude and longitude on the planet. This is known as the Degree Confluence Project (http://www.confluence.org/). There are something like 13,000 of these points on (or visible from) land, and you are always within 79km (49Mi) of one.

Now, since this has been running for some years, all the easy ones have been done, often many times. Of course, the real thrill is to be the first person to get to one of these points, so when I discovered that the four closest to my wife's home town in Brazil had not yet been done, I was determined to bag at least one of them the next time we went.

It was a little tricky to explain to her family what it was all about, but eventually her brothers caught on and became enthusiastic. We pored over the map and chose our first target, and the next day set off.

We drove as close as we could, first on main roads, then minor ones and finally dirt tracks. We finally had to stop some 8km from the point, on a farm. The first problem was explaining to the farmer what we wanted, and I don't think he really understood - but once we'd explained that all we wanted were photos, he was fine with it, and we set off.

After trekking through fields of corn higher than our head, snake infested undergrowth, jumping over (and in one case falling into) streams, and being stalked by spiny anteaters, we finally made it to the exact point. We did the "confluence dance", trying to get all 0's on the GPS, and took our commemorative photos, before retracing our steps back to the car.

Yes, a completely futile exercise, but it felt so amazing to reach the magical point that we did it all again the next day. And the weekend after that. In all we managed to reach three of the four closest points, and although I was gutted to find that I'd been beaten to two of them - by mere days - I am the proud First Visitor to a degree confluence point*.

If you've never heard of it, visit the site. Then find a point and do it. The point you reach may be entirely unremarkable, but the journey - no, quest - will change your life.

* I'm not going to tell you which one, on the "no personal details" rule
(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:14, 12 replies)

This is awesome.

( scarpe We Stole Bikes, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:24, closed)

Read the stories!
Mine were mere strolls compared to what some people have been through in order to "bag" a point: for example, one guy got caught in a forest fire and had a heart attack in the middle of nowhere. Then, a year later when he'd recovered, came back to complete the task...
(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:31, closed)

Yer link disnae work.
(chuckle_h0und You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:34, closed)

great stuff

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 11:41, closed)

That would be a genuine buzz to last awhile.

(boozehound is drinking your bar dry, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 12:48, closed)

Clearly the other two you were beaten to were claimed by the farmer.
Sly bastard pretending not to understand.
( Pig Bodine., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 12:49, closed)

I'm sure I speak for a lot of people
but this "hobby" sounds wank.
(The Kwyjibo A big, dumb, balding North American ape., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 14:38, closed)

Most hobbies do, to those not interested
I mean, what the hell is the appeal of watching 22 tattooed fuckwits running around a muddy field? Baffles me, but millions seem to enjoy it.

Also, plenty of positive comments above, so not everyone shares your viewpoint
(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 14:42, closed)

I don't know if it negates my statement that what you do is awesome.
But I love football too.
( scarpe We Stole Bikes, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 14:48, closed)

Not at all; my point was that all hobbies seem pointless to some people
and fascinating to others.

Golf is another good example. Imagine trying to describe that to a visitor from another galaxy! And yet I believe it's the most popular recreational activity* in the world.

* yes, all right, apart from that
(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 15:06, closed)

What's your hobby?

( scarpe We Stole Bikes, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 14:47, closed)

Mainly bumming.

(The Kwyjibo A big, dumb, balding North American ape., Tue 19 Jul 2011, 15:05, closed)

wait, and you have a WIFE?
part of this is lies, but I can't work out which bit...
( janet aylia y'all motherfuckers need jesus, Tue 19 Jul 2011, 17:16, closed)