~ Curious Charlie ~

A Scavenger/Treasure Hunt in the CBD @ Monday, August 06, 2012

On Friday we did treasure hunt as a part of Multicultural Week 2012, it was awesome. The weather was ~~hot~~ warm and sunny, a rare thing in winter, as it rains pretty much daily. A lot of the schools run the city treasure/scavenger hunt as a team building activity. I've always wanted to do one, but never have, as there wasn't really an opportunity, plus I tend to work the events, not participate in them. We're thinking of doing the City Romp next year, more as a fun activity rather than in it to win it though.

Things to Bring
- a fully charged phone with credit (each)

- fully charged camera (point & shoot is fine)
- a map of the area & an ability to read that map
- clipboard + pen/highlighter

- a bag (not a puny handbag)
- running/walking shoes
- energy drinks says Drew
~~- the library~~

Ideally you'd exchange numbers via text and have a GPS Tracking app, so you can see where your team members are. We were a bit on the unorganized side of things, as we were given no info till on the day. We started at 12.15pm at the meeting place, and were given booklets with a map (which we didn't use), shirts, and the instructions. There were no rules. Around 10 team participated, I was with Toby (who I know) Drew (met during O-week) and Leigh (an inter'). The event was for all, but almost everyone was an International student, from china, except 6.

T-Shirts came in four colours. Colour coordination failed, as everyone picked their size/colour. I got the green zebra, Toby the red panda, Drew the blue panda and Leigh, I forgot what he wore... as the shirts didn't have to be visible - I think.

There were 3 Categories:
Snap - photo/video (doesn't say you can't take a picture of a screen :P)
Collect - bring back the items to the finish line
Document - answer the Qs provided

Attempt as many tasks before the ending time as possible (you got 2.5hrs), ~~you don't have to do them all~~. The team with the most points wins. My goal was to do them all, but we ran out of time, though we got most covered. We initially started off together but split into pairs to cover more ground. Half way through I headed to the library for research and sent directions from there, texting from the computer, and did the doc. tasks. While Drew went looking for the Greek pillar and got lost, and the other boys went to the pool. The activity was fun, and group work wasn't so bad. 3/4 of us decided to start off by running around, though alone I'd head to the library for some research first. I'd post a picture of the page but I kinda drew all over it... so I'll retype it instead.

Snap
1. Your team forming a conga line on the city loop train involving 10 strangers. (50pts)
2. Australia's most famous bushranger was hung here. (20pts)
3. A member of your team ordering McD through song, record this. (30pts)
~~4. Your team making a pizza. (50pts)~~
5. Marble pillar commemorating Melb's sister city r'ship with Greece's Thessaloniki. (30pts)
6. Biggest free outdoor wifi site in Au. (10pts)
7. The now renovated site of the 1956 Melb Olympic Swimming Pool. (40pts)
8. Statue of two of Au's most prominent Indi. leaders & trad. owners. (30pts)
140/260 - the crossed off ones we didn't do.

#1 - was too hard, unless you had a gun, and in that case you'd be arrested.
#2 - not sure what happened there. Toby & Leigh were onto that.
#3 - Toby our performer did this, w/o hesitation. Unfortunately security attacked, no filming rule, but we still got it. :)
#4 - OH&S, good luck with that one. No team got that one.
#5 - Google is your friend, Drew got that one.
#6 - It's fed square.
#7 - This is where it's important to read. It say now renovated. Toby & Leigh covered it, the furthest distance task.
#8 - Only google know this, it ain't Mabo or at the Koori Court/Museum. It's a pastor and lady in the par gardens.

#5 Sister Cities Pillar/Block of Imprinted Cement

Collect
9. 100 Chopsticks (80pts)
10. Business cards for an ~~African~~, Italian, Mexican restaurant (30pts)
11. A Guinness (40pts)
12. [Y, yen symbol]100 (40pts)
13. Taco Bill take-away menu (20pts)
14. Pizza Box (10pts)
15. A brochure for the exhibition 'Sweet: tastes/traditions from cultures' (30pts)
16. A flyer for the stage show based on a curly haired English Orphan (10pts)
250/260

#9 - Mainly "borrowed" from a MC eatery by Drew. Toby, being the ethical one also bought some.
#10 - Good luck finding an African eatery in the CBD. Momo was closed, couldn't find Sahara on Liz.
#11 - Me: Is that a book? O.o Toby: It's a beer *buy a black can*
#12 - Leigh had this covered, as he had Chinese money in his wallet. O.o Did others go to the exchange booth?
#13 - Step One: location Taco Bill. I knew it was on Collins, Drew collected a menu & card.
#14 - The first task we completed, just around the block from the starting location.
#15 - Toby knew this one, Immigration Museum. I would have said fed sq, Visitor's Info.
#16 - A difficult one for most teams, being internationals, low on musical knowledge. Annie @ the Princess Theatre.

A Guinness & 140+ Chopsticks

Document
#17 - Who are the two men that look over the crn of Collins (x) Swanston St? (10pts)
#18 - What is the order of world clocks on lvl10, at building x? (20pts)
#19 - What animal guards Tianjin Garden? (20pts)
#20 - Where would you find the French, naked and very famous Chole? (30pts)
#21 - What is the price of Seafood Ceviche from Nobu? (20pts)
#22 - What is the famous restaurant on the crn of Flinders (x) Hosier Lane? Who is the owner? (20pts)
#23 - At the MCG which famous ex-Australian cricketer is located at light post 6? (30pts)
#24 - In what year was Cooks Cottage built? (20pts)
170/170

#17 - Bourke & Wills. Explorers. Thanks to the visitor's guide near Collins for directions.
#18 - LA, Beijing, Delhi, Singapore, Paris, Ottwa. London & NY missing.
#19 - China town. Shi zi - lion. Help from inter' girls at the library.
#20 - First thought, strip club :P Young & Jacksons Hotel, 1st floor. It's a painting. Thanks to the visitor's guide near Collins.
#21 - $18, see their menu on their website. If you want to to go there it's on the other side of the Yarra.
#22 - Movida, Frank Camora. Drew went there.
#23 - Google doesn't know the ans. We could go the the MCG... or I could call and ask. ;) It's Dennis Lillee.
#24 - Fitzroy Gardens? Or we could google it. 1755, Yorkshire.

Drew believes in Energy Drinks.

I had my first and last energy drink, it was like a soft drink, but not as sugary.

While I was at the library (googling stuff), Toby & Leigh went to find the pool and statues near Parliament, and Drew got a little lost finding the Greek Pillar (which I sent him a picture of) but got it in the end. We didn't manage to get to Sahara (African restaurant) as the address wasn't clear. Didn't make it back in time, 3pm sharp, but we made it in the end. :)

Collected Items

At 3.15pm we met up at the finishing location for pizza and drinks, while that was going on each team was called up and points were calculated. Pizza was great, not sure where it was from, but I know it wasn't from the numerous pizza places around the corner from our building, and it was too thin for Pizza Hut, ~~plus there's no pizza hut in the CBD~~. Edit: There's one if you take the tram away from the city, past the expo center. Not sure if that's still in the CBD though.

I love thin crust pizza. :P

You can never go wrong with Margherita.

Picture taken on another occasion, not on the day.

The total number of points you could get was 690, we got 560. Did attempt to take a peek at the other team's scores but they didn't have them all lying around. :P Finally they announced the winners, though not how many points they got. It's always scary when that happens, 2nd and 3rd have been announced. So you either won or didn't make it into the top three.

...'the Winners'! O.o I'm not too fond of team names, especially when it's something that suggests that you think you're better than everyone else. Or in this case, Toby brimming with enthusiasm and positivity. We won! O.O I didn't think we would, as there were about 10 teams and we weren't there on the dot at the finish line, and the fact that we didn't complete every task...

We were ahead of the team that came 2nd by 90pts. I suppose we had the advantage that we had 2/4 members who knew the city, ~~an expert thief~~, and one who carries around Chinese money. Also we were the only team to use the library, the others probably used google on their tiny phones. Drew said we were one of the only two teams that visited Movida. We also sourced outside help, (no rules :P) and got help from a couple visitor's guides, called the MCG and googled Nobu's menu.

Everyone on our Team won a $30 Gift Card.

- Thinking of getting 15 macarons from Thomas Dux. -

Leigh gave everyone on our team 10yen ($2 Au) as a collectible. :)

But if you're wondering, we did have a legit 100 yen for #12.

Our Top Three Tips would be...

Plan before you go anywhere
For places where you could call for info do (from HQ aka the library :P)
Ask for help. We found the vistor guides very helpful.

Have you ever done a treasure hunt?