Travel Nurses Enjoy The Outdoors In A Unique Way!

Spring is finally here again, and the weather is already warming up across the states.

As it does, travel nurses across the country are seeing the flu season die down – and the annual epidemic of spring fever settle in.

Unfortunately, exploring the great outdoors when it’s outside of your normal stomping grounds can be challenging.

Sure, there’s word of mouth and travel guides, but sometimes a travel nurse just wants to spontaneously get out of the house and explore somewhere new. If this sounds like you, we recommend you give letterboxing a try.

What Is A Letterbox?

A typical letterbox contains a stamp pad and a book. In this case, they were tucked inside a vitamin bottle.

Letterboxes are small containers – usually plastic food storage containers – that are hidden in public places. Each letterbox contains a rubber stamp (usually homemade) and a notepad.

In most cases, there’s also an ink pad and/or pen. To protect them from rain and moisture, most letterboxes are also placed in plastic sandwich bags.

When searching for a letterbox, you bring your own stamp and sketchbook. Once you find the letterbox, you stamp your book with their stamp, and stamp their book with your stamp.

Then, you leave them a nice note, saying where you’re from, the date when you found it, and maybe a few thoughts. If you like, you can read through their book and see who else has found the letterbox.

Directions to these letterboxes are posted on online forums – often on letterboxing.org or www.atlasquest.com. These directions can be printed out on your computer, or even accessed on your cell phone while you’re searching.

Where Are Letterboxes Found?

Lifting up this rock (seen right) reveals a letterbox concealed in the leaves.

Letterboxes can be found in just about any publicly accessible place, including nature trails, parks, historic cemeteries, beaches, near monuments, on the fringes of parking lots, and more.

These boxes are found in tucked-away locations, most commonly either behind a rock in a stone wall, or in the hollows of a tree.

If you’re looking for it, it will be obvious – in almost every case, there’s an “Ohhhh!” moment when you find the spot, and know it’s the place you were looking for.  If you’ve been looking for some time for it, this can be very exciting!

In some cases, the people who place letterboxes are very creative about it. I’ve found letterboxes inside hollow books in libraries, at the top of defunct ski slopes, and even under a clay pot in a letterboxer’s yard – the owner of the home came out to greet us when we found it!

But will there be letterboxes at the location of your job? The answer is yes – letterboxes can be found in all 50 states. Below is a breakdown of the US cities that need travel healthcare professionals most, and how many letterboxes can be found in the general area.

Searching For A Letterbox

The instructions to find a letterbox vary as well – some are completely straightforward, while others may guide you with hints or even a cryptograph. You can look for a single letterbox or find a “series” of 2, 3, 6, or more. There’s one series in New York that has 26!

Spend as little or as much time searching for a letterbox as you want. Finding one can be as simple as a five-minute detour in a parking lot, or as complicated as a two-hour excursion up a mountain (Be sure to bring a friend if the journey will be treacherous!). The choice is yours!

Why Travel Nurses Love Letterboxing

The great thing about letterboxing is that you find many lesser-known (But beautiful!) places in the area that you’d never find any other way. It’s fun, child-appropriate, and a great way to build memories as you collect new “finds” at every unique place you visit.

Are you ready for your next travel nursing job? Use our online form to apply for a travel healthcare job today!!

Letterbox shown was found in Wilton, CT.

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