Showing posts with label English. Show all posts
Showing posts with label English. Show all posts

November 26, 2019

GIFF 2019

A few weeks back there was GIFF week. Maybe you don't know what it is, but for geocachers it is known term, which decodes as Geocaching International Film Festival. People around the world create 2-3 minutes long video about geocaching for geocachers and 16 of them are chosen for finale. During one week in November movies are presented at GIFF events and cachers vote for the winner.
Simple enough - and movies are often great and funny. Here are several of my favorites over last three years, when I attend these events.


Enjoyed it too and want to see more? Go to Youtube and search for GIFF Film Reel - you can see most movies published since 2013, when this festival was started. Have a good amusement.

October 9, 2019

Search for cache, find the mushroom

Last Friday I undertook small geo hunt with my friend. To find one of caches, we went on the shore of Bata's canal. There is cycle path on the opposite side of the canal, commonly used by people, while our side was abandoned wilderness - high grass, bushes, no path. And where are no people, you can find various good things, like mushrooms or nuts under the tree, which nobody collects.
See what we have found:


Almost 20 cm in diameter - it's good catch, isn't it?

June 30, 2019

Mowing orchid meadow

This weekend there was natural saving event - mowing the orchid meadow in protected landscape area Beskydy. Orchid meadows are located near Huslenky - there is more meadows here (well-known is that one around Hrachovec hill). We were mowing meadow at homestead U Maňáků, because it was completely neglected and unkempt. Grass and various non-local plants, like giant hogweed, completely covers terrain, so orchids can't grow at all. Therefore it is necessary to help the nature and next year we hopefully will be able to see flowers, which should be here.
As a small reward for our work we have seen several animal living at meadows, like grasshoppers, lizzards or even little viper (it was found by one of worker of protected land area, who organized this event).
At the beginning
At 11:00 - end is near
Work over - all done!
Lizard
Little viper

Christmas in June

What? Christmas are held in December, near the end of year, but this year, in my city, took place in June. Of course it was funny event created by one member of geocaching community. Exact event date was June 24th, because it is 6 months from previous "real" Christmas and 6 month to next "real" Christmas. Good reason to test whether we are ready for this celebration, right?
To be authentic enough, people were asked to come with skies, sledge or other winter sport equipment and bring some small gift. Organizer brought used spruce tree - well, it was completely dry and brown, as it was tree used during last Christmas, and also christmas sweets. Illusion was nearly perfect, when we were sitting at the tree and fire, only snow and sparklers were missing.
Here you ever tried something like this?
  




Event link at Geochaching site

July 7, 2017

Underworld

This week there was public holiday in my country, so my family went to small trip. Our destination was small city around 40 kilometers far from my home. We traveled there because in newspaper I found tip, that they built interesting exposition here - and we wanted to see it.
So, we went to Uhersky Ostroh. In this city they have castle (after reconstruction used as municipality). And, of course, some parts are used for exhibitions. First one is castle tower. Here is located exhibition of toys. It contains especially dolls for girls, but also various other toys, school aids, images drawn by children etc. Together with my wife we recognized some toys we had in childhood, it looks so long ago.....
On the top of tower is tower clock, no need to say. But clockfaces are in reality windows, so one can look out and that's not something you do everyday. Look at the pictures.
But main reason to visit Uhersky Ostroh was exhibition in undergroud. It was something special and unique, so I call it Underworld (Czech only). It consists of four parts.
  1. Crystal Cave - inspiration for this part is fact, that underground of the castle is flood by water. On the roof there are crystals made of glass, and water falls down from crystals (what are, in fact, small glass beads). Scene is illuminated by light, whose colors change to simulate day and night cycle
  2. Atlantis - Memory of the World. Interactive exposition utilizes illusion of under-sea world to give basic message where light goes through time and dimensions. It shows you various esoteric images exchanging with images of cosmos on the background of music and spoken words. There is some 3D interaction, like entering mirror or discovering "treasure" (some gems).
  3. Lookout tower and Immense tower. These two object are quite funny here, under ground, but really, they are exactly what their names say. Both object are created of old wooden girders formerly used in bridge. When you enter lookout tower, you get into mirror cube and can see yourself from all sides. Immense tower also utilizes mirrors to create illusion of infinite length. Or depth?
  4. Lukuma - planet of Unicorns. This world is not dissimilar to Pandora - there is blue glowing tree in the center with small red stone under tree. If you put finger into this stone, you can hear beating of your heart (it is scanned, amplified and changed into sound). And when you clink to tube bells, another blue light switch on - and you can see unicorns, butterflies and can feel really like on Pandora in Avatar movie.
This exposition was created two years ago, but not many people knows it. However IMO it is worth to visit it. Don't forget, if you travel nearby.
See some of pictures taken there (not big quality, as there is dark under ground, but enough to get idea how it looks like)

April 20, 2016

'Ite lefngap

I'm currently reading serie Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa. It's fantasy story about Fey land, whose life depends on people's dreams, remembrance and desires. There's Summer Fey and Winter Fey, which take turns at governing the land, but also fight together. As people's world changes, new technologies are brought to life and dreams and desires of people changes too, Iron Fey come to existence and pose threat to both old Feys.
Meghan Chase, the main character, become part of the story on her sixteen as she is daughter of the Summer Fey king, Oberon. She didn't know that Oberon is her real father and know nothing about Fey land, so she must learn, how to survive here and don't let opponents of his farther to employ her against him.
In the second book, The Iron Daughter, at the end of chapter 9, I found a few lines, moving and nice, which I tried to translate into Na'vi. Here's result.

... oe zolenatse slivu husahaw, taluna krra oe menariru piak si, mo lolu teya ta sanhìyä sänrr leyapay. Aysyulang piak soli nìwotx ulte nrr nìfya'o a pxel hì'ia sawkel txonä tok ayrìkit tseyä ulte kurakx tìvawmit neto. Ayhì'ang sì *tonhì'ang lìng io kllte anusrr ulte aysyal feyä sänrrur rì'ìr si. Oe kllkxolem nìzawnong fteke tìtxen silvi Pukur ulte fpxäkìm ne txayo aysyulangä. Oe syeha si tseyä fahew arusou ne tsopì ulte oeri wou krra *txonhì'ang *avawmean kllpä mì oeyä zekwä ulte pori *syoku'up lolu ke'u. Krra oe syeha salmi wrrpa, *txonhì'ang fäkä ulte tswayon ne vawma 'on tutanä a mì kamtseng txayoä.

Ash kllkxem mì kam moä, teyra aysyulang anusrr pxaw po, poru lu menari atstu-susi ulte hì'ia ayatantsyìp mìn pxawngipmì. Sänrr ayseyä 'ul sì nän *nìleyn ulte läpok fìtsap vaykrr aysaw 'awstengyäpem ne vitra alu nusrra rel tutéyä a lu poru ngima nikre. Key peyä lolu lor sì yuey sì yo' nìftxan kuma oeri flew snäpew fa *tìksman sì tìsraw. Poe rikx ne Ash ulte po menarir piak soli, slä mesyokx poeyä tìftang si eo key Ashä. Pori tìnew nrr ta menari ulte tsaswawmì oe 'olefu tìwew a mì tal, taluna vitra nìk'ong kä kxamlä tokx Ashä ulte kxakx mì sompa ayatantsyìpä ahì'i.

San poe lu.... Ariela, srak? sìk, tsìsyì oe ulte lok pot.

Ash mìn nìwin ulte pori menari slu sloa. Krra tslam futa tsapo a mäkxu pot lu oe, keyìl peyä wìntxu hola sì'efut alu *tìksman, tìsti sì *tìnim, slä tsakrr mìn neto.

San kehe sìk, 'eyng po, tengkrr vitra srer nìmun ulte srew kip aysyulang. San fìpo ke lu poe. Ke tsafya a nga fpìl sìk.

San lu peyä rel arusey srak ? sìk.

Nìmun mìn fa re'o, slä ke ftang nivìn vitrati a lìng io kllte tengkrr ayhì'ang tswerayon poepxaw. San kehe nìmun. Awngaru ke lu tìrey a maw kxitx. Awngaru ke lu kea tirea a tsivun kifkeyt txopu seykivi. Fìpo lu.... 'ok nì'aw sìk. Mokri peyä slu 'ango. San poe 'almefu nitram fìtsenge frakrr. Tsaysyulangìl... tsat zerok sìk.

Tsìk oe tslolam. Fìfya Ashìl zerok Arielat a lolu yo', nitram sì teya ta tìrey. Tsaw lolu sä'anla atxukx nìftxan kuma fkol tìng tsar 'onit sì tìlamit, hufwa yola krro nì'aw. Arielal ke tok fìtsenget. Fìpo lu unil nì'aw, ngam tuteyä a hum sre tana krr li.

Oeri menari teya soli fa tsngawpay a nìk'ong rikx nekll few key. Krra wo skxirit a mì flawm, sngä'i nivekx, slä oeru ke'u. Oel tsole'a nì'aw tìsrawit Ashä, *tì'awit sì sä'anlat a käteng hu tuteo a oe ke tsun rivawn. Tsatìsrawìl mun'i oet ne ayhapxì ulte oe ke tsolun piveng kea aylì'uti. Tsìk oel tslolam futa Ash set perlltxe Eywa ngahu moeru nìwotx.

Swawo moe kllkxem nìfnu ulte nìn fya'ot a 'ok Arielayä srew mìkam aysyulang, fyape nikre peyä lìng mì ya ulte pxayopina ayhì'ang mìn poepxaw. Vingkap oeti fula ftxey po lolu yo' nìtxan nìngay ftxey fìpo lu tìlam a new Ashìl ziverok.

San herum sìk, poltxe Ash nìfnu, slä oel li olomum futa po tsakem sayi. Nì'i'a po mìn ulte nìn oet nìyey, keftxo, sayrìp sì alìm pxel sanhì. San GoodFellowìl 'ilveyk ngat ne kelku. Fìtsenge ke lu kxuke li sìk.

Oeyä flew snäpew, menari nekx. Hufwa smon oer tì'eyng, oe tsìsyì san oel ngat ke tsalye'a kawkrr li srak? sìk.

Po mìn fa re'o 'awlo nì'aw. San oel ke zet ngati nìfya'o amuiä. Smon oer frakoren nìltsan to frapo alahe.. Oel olomum futa fìkem zene 'ivì'a ... fìfya. Oel yäkx ronsemit lefpomron ulte tsari oe tsap'alute seri sìk. Mokri peyä ke latem, slä oel 'efu futa txe'lanit oeyä snew tsyokxìl letskxekpay. San fìtxonmaw moe slu kxutu. Ngeyä sempul sì oeyä sa'nok sngä'i tsam sivi fìtsap. Txo oel ultxarayun ngat, kxawm zene ngat tspivang. Ulte fìalo, ma Mekan, oe plltxe nìngay sìk.

Po mìn *nìmawl nìfya'o a po new hivum pxiset. Sänrrìl aysyulangä pxaw po ngolop atanä yapayit a tsan'eykul peyä tìlorit. Ariela srew alìm, fkol zong poet wä fratìsraw, yengwal sì sìngäzìk ruseyä. San tivätxaw ne kelku, ma *eyktatenay. Tivätxaw ne kelku sì tswa'. Fìtsenge ke lu ngeyä kifkey sìk.

Aylì'u akeawnomum:

Mekan - Meghan Chase, daughter of Summer Court king
Ash - prince of Winter Court
Ariela - former girlfriend of Ash, already dead
Puk - Puck, Robin Goodfellow, Meghan's guardian and friend
hì'ang - here used as butterfly
txonhì'ang - moth
tsawke txonä - moon
fahew arusou - heady scent
syoku'up - weight
vawmean - dark blue
nìleyn - repeatedly
tìksman - amazement, surprise, shock
tì'aw - loneliness
tìnim - shyness
nìmawl - half way
eyktatenay - princess, future queen

December 30, 2015

Fail of the day

You may know that I'm passionate geocacher. At the end of year I usually go somewhere, where I can find a few last caches of this year. Today I wanted to go by car to Vsetín, city about 40 km from my home, continue by bus to the top of Soláň and go back by walk on mountain crest, while collecting some caches. There was chance to find over 30 caches in single hunt.
Excellent idea! I got up at 5:00 to catch bus at 6:45 from Vsetín. All went well, I was there 10 minutes before departure, bus already at station. It's time to get wallet and buy ticket. Well, I can't find it. Hmm, I even don't remember I put it in my backpack. And where are my documents and driving license? At home, sad to say.... So I get up early only to find that I'm silly person. Day failed so early :(
But, earth still rotates in the same direction, I have GPS full of caches in the surroundings, so I simply change route and everything is ok. Finally I have opportunity to find one special cache hidden in sewer under city. It wasn't easy, as sewer has low ceiling, but fortunately cache is located not  too far from the entrance. And it was quite clean sewer. :)
Of course, I spent my time mostly out of city, in the forest and hills, so I enjoyed day as it was planned. Only difference is number of kilometers walked and number of caches found (24 altogether. Not my record, but not bad).
As they sing in Monty Python's Life of Brian - Always look on the bright side of the life. I did. :)

October 25, 2014

Stratocaching 2

This years was repeated experiment with sending balloon with some device to the stratosphere. As last year, balloon carries module called Dropion, which contains camera and some caches, which will be released at altitudes near 30 km. When they land back to the ground, people will search them and get some prize when they're successful.
As like last time there were some technical difficulties. Camera transmitter had interference with GPS modules in caches, so finally flight was launched without live stream from the Dropion. Recording of the flight will therefore be released later. However last year's problems were solved - frost this time didn't damaged any cache despite temperature of -60 centigrade!
Some data: balloon was released on 11:43 and 11:56 reached altitude of 5 km. Five minutes later it reached 8 km and 12:15 it was 12 km above sea level. Temperature outside was -60 centigrades, inside of technical equipment -13 centigrades.
Ascent speed at this moment was 6 meters per second.
12:30 - altitude 19 km, temperature -60/-24 centigrades
12:54 - altitude 28,5 km. Caches were released a few minutes later.
~ 13:30 caches start to inform about its positions as they reach GSM signal.
Two hours after start Dropion module safely landed near Lipany just a few kilometers from Prague together with most of caches. Except one all were found.

Video from the start (Czech)
Some English info

January 31, 2014

Sìrol Larenä Tor - hapxì a'awve

This work is translation of story "The Lonely songs of Laren Dorr" by George R. R. Martin. Text is based on Czech version of the story, original English version can be found here. There are some missing words, so translation into Na'vi is not easy. Some words I created on my own and such words are explained at the end of every part. Also I mark them by *. Some sentence too hard to translate are deleted, however I tried my best to keep original meaning. I hope you enjoy this Na'vi version.



Terìran 'evenge mìkam hifkey.

Lu poru menari angul sì neyna ta'leng - fkol plltxe tsaylì'ut, sì nikre pxel layon-na-txona se'ayl. Yo'ko lefngap alu vawma ioi klltxay mì zare' peyä ulte krro krro ngop ukit mì menari peyä. Syaw por Tsyara, pol omum *aysäfpxäkìmit.

Sngä'ikrrit vurä peyä fkol tolatep tì'i'avay krrä, 'awsiteng hu 'ok hifkeyä a tsakxamlä po kolä. Ulte tì'i'ari? Tì'i'a ke lolen mi. Krra layen, awnga ke omum tsateri.

Omum awngal kxamit nì'aw, fu 'itit tseyä, hapxìvit tìsopä peyä. Hì'ia vur teri 'awa kifkey a tsamì Tsyara ftang, teri rolyu alu Loren Tor sì teri ultxa mefeyä.


Mì swaw a'aw tsong lolu teya ta sreton'ong. Tsawke a'om kllkxem io ayram, ayatanvi nìfnu zarmup ne tìfnunga'a na'rìng; lu ayutralur layona sangek sì ayrìk a luke 'opin. Le'awa fam lu tìrusol *sngawyayoä sì sätsìsyì payfyayä a mì na'rìng.

Tsakrr Tsyara zola'u kxamlä *säfpxäkìm aketsuktse'a, ngeyn sì weyn fa reypay, nemfa kifkey Larenä Tor. Poel yemstokx penit a lu fyin sì teyr, set tsewtx, sì ioangä ku'upa flawkxit a fwel lu mì tal. Ftära pxun alukpen mi *reypay si ta pxeskxir angim. Po srer mì hilvantsyìpä pxawpa; srekrr poel zeyko skxirit sneyä, nìwin sì nìzawnong tìng nari tsengur a pouo. Pay, hufwa tul nìwin, lu tsewtx fa kllte sì rìkean nìvawm. Tsyara ke tsolun 'en sivi ftxey skxir peyä fe'ul ta tsapay fuke, slä lolu meyp sì 'efu väng. Po noläk, yur pxunit nìltsan txantxewvay ulte yän skxirit fa hapxì pxenä. Krra 'oma tsawke kllzola'u uo ayram, po kä ne zongtseng a mìkam ayutral ulte holahaw nìngeyn.

Poe tìtxen si mì sämyam tuteoä, txura mepunìl kxeltek pot nìftue ulte munge ne tsengo. Po sngä'i häpivawnu, slä mepunìl fyep pot nìk'ärìp.
- San tam tam sìk, stolawm poel mokrit atstunwi ulte tse'a tutanä keyt a lu ngim sì flrr nìfya'o-o. San nga lu meyp ulte txon zera'u. Zene kivä nemfa srekrr atan 'ìp nìwotx sìk.

Tsyara tìhawnu ke säpi, ke set, hufwa smon poru fwa sweylu txo tsakem sivi. Poe wolem txankrr, set 'efu ngeyn. Slä pori lu poer yayayr. Polawm poe:
- San pelun? Pesu lu ngenga? Ngal oet merunge peseng? sìk.
- San zongtsengne sìk, 'eyng po.
- San ne kelku ngeyä, srak? sìk.
- San kehe sìk, tsìsyì nìfnu fìtxan kuma poel ke stawm pot stum. San tsaw ke lu kelku, slä tayam sìk. Poel stawm futa pol munge poet few kilvantsyìp ulte tse'a letskxea snamot alayon sìn ram. Hek, tsaw ke kllkxem tsatsenge pxiswawam.
Po holahaw.


Krra poe tìtxen soli, pol tok tsengit a poelok ulte nìn poet. Poe klltxay mì *nivi ahewne, po heyn mì lahea pa'o moä, tengkrr ayukìl pot wan. *Txeptsyìp atanä rì'ìr si mì menari peyä ulte mesyokxit peyä fkol 'awstengyem äo tsuksìm.
- San ngaru lu fpom srak? sìk polawm po luke fwa rikx.

Poe holeyn ulte run futa lukpen lu. Tsyokx poeyä rikx ne re'o. Slä vawma ioil ake'awnampi mi tok zare'it poeyä. Fngapìl sleyku zare't wur. Poe slu mawey ulte lew säpi.
- San sì'efu oeyä lu sìltsan nì'ul nìtxan sìk. Krra poltxe tsaylì'ut, run futa fraskxir poeyä 'ìp.

Tutan lrrtok si nìkeftxo. Lolu poru ketsuktswa' keyt, nikre alayon-na-txon zerup ne vawma menari. Hufwa heyn, tse'a fkol futa lu kxayl sì tsawl. Pxenit peyä fkol ngop fa hewnea flawkx angul.
- San smìm *ayzekwäyä ioangä sìk, poltxe ulte lrrtok si. San lolu ngar tsaysmìm mì pun, pxen a fwel lu mì tal. Tuteoru nga ke sunu sìk.

- San kea tute letrrtrr sìk, 'oleyng Tsyara. San zongyu *säfpxäkìma. Zongyul frakrr tok *säfpxäkìmit. KINä ke 'efu nitram krra ayoe sop ftu kifkey ne kifkey. Ulte oet ve'kì txantxewvay sìk.

Po rikx fa re'o, slä keftxoa lrrtok ke 'ìp.
- San ha, ngar smon KINä ulte omum *aysäfpxäkìmit sìk. Menari peyä rikx ne zare' poeyä. San ioi lefngap, nìlun. Fì'uri sweylu fwa oe 'en sami sìk.

Tsyara lrrtok soli. San nga 'en soli, ulte keng nì'ul. Pesu lu ngenga? Fìkifkey lu pefum? sìk

- San lu kifkey oeyä sìk, 'eyng nìmwey. San oel tìng tstxot tsar mezamlo, slä kea tstxo oeru ke ha'. 'Awlie tsar lolu 'awa tstxo a sunu oer. Slä oel tswa'. Txana krr ftem. Oeyä tstxo lu Laren Tor, fu lolu oeyä srekrr, krra fkeytok lun a sar tsat. Set sì fìtsenge lam oer fwa lu stxong nì'it. Slä ke tswola' tsat oel sìk.
- San kifkey ngeyä sìk, poltxe Tsyara. San nga lu eyktan srak? Fu Eywa srak? sìk
- San sran sìk, lrrtok si Laren Tor. San keng nì'ul. Oe lu fra'u a new oe. Ke lu kawtu a tsivun por livu ayam'a sìk.
- San skxirìri oeyä nga pehem soli ? sìk
- San zeykolo. Lu kifkey oeyä. Lu oer aysu'o-o. Ke aysu'o a nivew oe, slä aysu'o sìk.
- San tslolam sìk, poltxe poe. Ke lam fkor fwa poe spaw.

Laren rikx fa tsyokx nìkemweypey.
- San ngal fpìl futa tsakem ke tsunslu. Kezemplltxe, ngeyä lefngapa ioi. Tam, lu tìngayä mawl nì'aw. Oe ke tsun skxir seykivi ngat fa oeyä..ìì.. aysu'o, tengkrr nga ioi säpi tsafa. Slä tsun oe srung sivi ngar sìk. Po lrrtok soli nìmun, menari peyä slu flrr sì hewne. San slä tsaw ke tsranten. Keng txo oe tsivun, oel kawkrr ke skxir seykivi ngat, ma Tsyara. Spaw oet. Txankrr oel ke skxir seykivi kawtut sìk.

Poer lu yayayr. San ngar smon oeyä tstxo. Fyape? sìk.

Laren ftang hiveyn, kolä ka mo tengkrr lrrtok si ulte heyn poene mì nivi. Srekrr po 'eyng, fyep tsyokxit peyä. San sran, tstxo ngeyä smon oer. Syaw ngar Tsyara a tìran mìkam hifkey. Sre *mezama zìsìt apxay, krra ayram lolu keteng ulte 'oma tsawke nolrr nìtun mì sngä'ikrr fya'oä tseyä, fol frrfen oet ulte poltxe fayluta poe zaya'u. Oel ve'kì fot aKINä nìwotx. Ulte frakrr fot vaye'kì, slä tsatxon solunu oer tìsrese'a a tìng oer. Fol peng oer nì'aw tstxot ngeyä ulte futa nga zaya'u fìtsenge, ne kifkey oeyä. Ulte 'uot alahe. Slä tsaw tolam oer. Pänu. Pänu tì'i'ayä fu sngä'ikrrä fu latemä. Mì fìkifkey fratìlatem fkoru sunu. Oe lu nì'awtu mevozama *tìmìno tsawkeyä ulte fratìmìn len mezama zìsìto. Nì'aw hola tìlenìl wìntxu tìtusulit krrä sìk.

Tsyara rikx fa layona nikre, mì meypa atan tsatsenge nrr tuna ayatanvi.
- San ha fo lu alìm eo oe nìtxan, srak? 'eyng poe. San fol omum kemit a layen, srak? sìk
Fko tsun stivawm txoput mokrimì poeyä. Poel nìn pot. San paylìu't alahe poltxe ngar? sìk

Pol fyep tsyokxit peyä, nìflrr nìtxan. San poleng futa nga yawne layu oer sìk, 'eyng Laren. Lolu por mokri akeftxo mi. San tsaw ke lolu kea tìsrese'a atxan. Tsari tsun oe 'en sivi nìteng. Sre krr atxan - fpìl futa tsawke lolu rim tsakrr - tslam oel futa yawne oer layu framokri a ke lu ngam mokriyä oeyä sìk.



Aylì'u akeawnomum:
Tsyara -  Sharra, female name
Laren Tor - Laren Dorr, male name
säfpxäkìm - gate, entrance (proposed, unapproved yet)
tsngawyayo - mourning bird (lit. weeping bird)
reypay si - to bleed
nivi - bed (from ASG)
KINä - The Seven; unspecified Seven Gods
txeptsyìp atanä - candle (lit. little fire of light)
tìmìn tsawkeyä - sun cycle, solar circulation
ayzekwäyä ioangä - claws
mezama zìsìt apxay - many centuries

November 16, 2013

Stratocaching

Today was performed interesting experiment connected with game. As you can guess, it has something common with geocaching.
Core of experiment is launching of balloon filled with helium (similar to those used in meteorology) with module called Dropion. It contains camera, which records the whole course of experiment. Goal is to reach stratosphere (~ 30 km over ground). Here game starts - module drops 12 stratocaches in the form of maple seed. Ten of them have GPS module which allows to track them. When they land on the earth again, GPS coordinates will be published and geohunters start to search for them.
Another two caches contains radio module, so they are prey for radioamateurs.
There were various problems with this project - mobile applications which should help players to get about stratocaches were published just a few hours before start and they still didn't contained some functionality, so reporting finds is more difficult. Start was delayed because of technical difficulties, but on 10:24 balloon took off in Prague, Libuš. On 10:40 reached altitude of 6 km and on 11:29 at 28 800 meters was near its final level .
On 11:39 stratocaches were dropped off. Because lack of wind balloon fly still near the Prague, so we, cachers from Moravia are out of game; but nevermind, thanks to internet we can see what happens in realtime.
On 11:42 balloon goes back to Earth and successfully landed on 12:21 with no damage. Maximal altitude was about 31 000 meters. Stratocaches weren't so good, only two of them reported its position. They probably were harmed by low temperature (-42 °C). Another two caches were found  thanks to massive searching by thousands of cachers, however another six are probably lost. Maybe some searchers will be successful in the next days, but without exact coordinates it is just attempt to find needle in the cock.

English description of the project can be found here.
Status of stratocaches (in Czech only)
Photo gallery
Video (in Czech)

June 9, 2013

Holiday

Today I went to holiday with my family. Not far, just a few tens kilometers to the Beskydy mountains. But I'm afraid this holiday will be a small disaster.
There was problem at time of departure. We needed to give keys to wife's mother to care about flowers. But when we wanted to give them to her, keys weren't.... Ok, I gave her one of my key, but wife was afraid she forgot them outside of flat. Ok, back home (only a few hundreds meters) - keys weren't outside. Let's go.
In the city I noticed I forgot my notebook. Back home, I need it for searching geocaches! Many new were published in location we are going to! So 3 kilometers back. Wife also said she forgot all toothbrushes. Ok, I took all things and found the lost key. Now we can really leave.
But... another losses were detected at the place. I forgot my slippers and pyjamas are at home too. Good. I'm looking forward to morning to discover what else we left at home. Wiya!

March 22, 2013

Tsakem si set

Nìsok oel fwolew säomumot mì eltu lefngap oeyä. Oel inan pamrelit sì nìn ayrelit ulte rolun aylì'u atxantslusam. Sweylu txo awnga livek sat hufwa tsakem ketsunslu frakrr.... Ivinan ulte fpivìl.

'Eylanìl oeyä munge 'uot moftu mutxateyä sneyä. Lolu tsaw pen alor. Pol nìn sì 'ampi sat. Poleng oeru:
- San oel tìng poeru faypenit krra nì'awve tolok moel tsrayit apxa. Tsatseng sìltsana säftxuyu rey ulte ngerop aypen akosman. Stum vomuna zìsìt ftolem tsakrrta. Poel kawkrr ke yemstokx kea hapxìt tsapxenä. Po nolew tsakem sivi krra zeya ftxozä za'u. Fpìl oe, tsaswaw zola'u pxiset sìk.
Pol yem penit ne sästarsìm lahea ayuä a new fpive' ne sute a kllyem sutet akerusey. Muntxate peyä tìmerkup. 'Eylan mìn ne oe tengkrr plltxe:
- San zeya trrìri kawkrr ke pivey. Fratrr lu zey tengkrr nga rey sìk.
Mi fperìl teri aylì'u peyä taluna leykatem tìreyit oeyä.

Fìtrr oel erinan fukit nì'ul nìtxan ulte vezeyko nìnän. Klltxay lok kelku ulte nìn lora aysulangit luke fwa tse'a ewllit akelsar. Käteng nì'ul hu soaia sì eylan ulte tìkangkem si nìnän. Futa tìrey lu sästarsìm aylieyä a fko zene zivong, tslolam oel. Fìtrrta oel ke'ut ke wan ki sar mipa snganit frakrr. Oel yemstokx penit leftxozä krra new oe. Nìteng oel sar nìtrrtrr ayfahewit a sunu oeru. Trrìri ftxozäyä oe ke pey. Tswama' oel aylì'uti alu san Zusakrrmì oe tsakem si...sìk. Krra tsakem lu pxan, new oe stivawm, tsive'a sì tsakem sivi set. Nìngay oel ke omum kemit a muntxate 'eylanä sivi txo ivomum futa trray pol ke tok fìtsenget li.

Lì'utsyìpit alu trray awngal serar pxìm nìftue nìhawng. Fpìl oel futa poe syilvaw soaiaru sì eylanur asìltsan frato fa spulmokri. Kxawm po pivängkxo hu lahea eylan fte tsap'alute sivi talun sìwäte fu zeykivo sìngäzìkit. Nìteng sunu oeru säfpìl a po kivä ne tseng wutsoä fte yivom sneyä syuvet ayawne. Lu hì'ia frakem akehasey-sawni a hultstxem oet txo ivomum oel futa aysrr oeyä 'eri'a. Oe livu kemawey txo smivon oeru fwa ke tsivun tsive'a eylanit a nolew oe ultxa sivi 'awvea alo zusawkrrmì. Oe livu kemawey txo ke pamrel sivi oe upxareru a nolew oe pamrel sivi mì srr a'awve zusawkrrmì. 'Ivefu oe keftxo, txo ke tsolun piveng yawnetur oeyä fayluta Nga yawne lu oer fìtxan.
Set oeri kawkrr ke lu hawngkrr frakemo si. Ke'ut a tsun mivunge tìprrte'it sì lrrtokit nemfa tìrey oeyä oel ke wan fpi lahea krr.
Päperlltxe san Fratrr, fratrrvi, fraswaw lu keteng, lu zey....

English:
Original text was in Czech, but I believe it exist in many languages and maybe you received it by mail. For those who do not know it, I translated it into English too.

My friend opened drawer of his wife's commode and took out package wrapped up in silky paper. It wasn't some ordinary package, it contained beautiful underwear. He discarded paper and looked at silk and laces.
"I bought it to her when we were in New York for first time. Eight or nine years passed by since that time. She never put it on. She wanted to leave it for special ocassion. Now, I think, that moment came."
He approached bed and placed the underwear to other things he wanted to send to funeral parlor. His wife recently died. He turned to me and said:
"Do not postpone anything for special ocassion; every day you live is exceptional."
I still think about his words because they changed my life.

Today I read much more than before and tidy much less. I'm sitting in the garden and enjoy the nature without noticing the weeds. I'm spending more time with family and with my friends and less time in the work. I realized that life is collection of experience which one must save. Since this time I don't hide anything. I use my crystal cups every day. If I want, I take my new jacket when I go to do shopping into market. Also I use my favorite smells every time I want, I do not retain them for holidays.
Words like "one day I'll do...." disappeared from my vocabulary. If it is worth, I want things now and I want them to see, hear, feel and do them. I'm not quite sure what wife of my friend would do if she'd know that tomorrow she will not be here anymore.

Tomorrow - we take this small word easy too often. I think she'd call to her family and to nearest friends. Maybe she'd call also to other friends to make it up with them or apologize for quarels. I also like idea that she'd goto Chinese restaurant to eat her favorite meal. These are all small unfinished actions, which would trouble me in case I know that my days are finished. It'd make me nervous if I couldn't see friends I wanted to meet "one day".  It'd make me nervous if I couldn't write letters I wanted to write "one day". It'd make me nervous if I wouldn't say often enough to my honey how I love her.
Now I don't miss anything. Nothing, what can bring joy and smile into my life, I don't shift off and not postpone for later time.
I'm saying myself, that every day is special,.... every day, hour, every minute is something exceptional.

September 17, 2012

Haya tsawlultxa

Zìsìtam sì fìzìsìtlolu tsawlultxa suteyä a ta pängkxotseng awngeyä sì suteyä alahe a sunu foru Uniltìrantokx; kxawm zìsìtay layu nìteng. Ke tsun oe ziva'u tsatseng, lu lìm nìhawng. Slä oel rolun fya'ot a tok tsatsawlultxa. Oel fpe' ikranit oeyä :)
Oel ngolop 'eylanit ahì'i a set tswayon ka kifkey. Kxawm po kllpalyä mì tsawlultxa, kxawm tswalyayon ne tseng alahe. Ke omum oe, ke omum kawtu. Txo pol wivo tsengit amuiä, ayultxatu tsalyun ivinan 'upxaret a pol munge. Lu oeyä san kaltxì sìk frapor.
Fyape ikran rikx? Fa srung lahea sute. Aynga tsun sivutx pot mì weptseng alu geocaching.com. Sar aungiati alu TB3YKY4 (nì'ìnglìsì: tracking code).
Txo ayngal ultxarun pot, rutxe poru srung sivi. Oel new futa po za'u ne ultxa ulte zamunge oeyä 'upxaret. Spaw futa tsakem tsunslu.
Sätswayon asìltsan, ma Tswayonyu Aean, ulte ngaru fpom!

This and last year there was big meeting of people from LN.org and other Avatar fans; next year maybe it will be too. I can't go there, it's too far away. But I found a way how to be there. I send my ikran!
I created this small friend, which now flies across the world. Maybe he will land at that meeting, maybe he will fly to different place. I don't know; nobody knows. If he reach the correct place, meeting participants will be able to read message carried by ikran. It's my "hello" to all.
How ikran moves? By help of other people. You can track him at geocaching.com. Use tracking code TB3YKY4 (you do not need account).
If you meet him, please help him. I want him to come to the meeting and bring my message. I believe it is possible.
Good fly, BlueGreen Flyer and be well!

July 28, 2012

Geohunt madness

On last Saturday I was on trip. My wife with daughters was at the sea, so why to sit at home. I had plan to go by car to Vsetín, than continue by train or bus to Bystřička, go to dam (here is recreation area) and by walk back to Vsetín. I went through this path already, is takes about 20 kilometres. But I'm also geocacher, so let's look what we can do in this area. Whoa, I found about 40 caches here - it is real madness! Of course not all are on my path, but in surrounding places. How to optimize my traveling to find as many caches as possible? Solution was to go directly to dam by bus, go circle trace here and continue to Vsetín.


Easy to say and go there, but... time planing  is the hardest part. Due to bus delay I arrived at 10:30 and went to the start of 10 caches serie, which should take about an hour. But it took more than hour to get there, although I've also found one cache out of this serie. And complete serie took about two and half hours. Well, searching requires some time, especially when you misinterpret hint...
So I ended at the time when I should be on the way back to Vsetín. Ok, I'll try some other cache and return by bus. As I was hungry, I've selected the shortest possible path - the direct line. No problem, GPS lead me correctly, but another hour left. I found next cache and another one had to give up and as quickly as possible went to restaurant. It was some more than hour to bus departure, so I eat some food and tried my last multi-cache, but I found that I have coordinates just for first stage, other two were missing. Damn!
Okay, I'll be back again in the future and find them all. Finally I have 13 caches collected, that's fair good number too. Day was spent in correct way.

July 14, 2012

Undercity cave

Last Friday I was on another geo-hunt. I found that in our city is cache, located in some forgotten old cave, with lake. Entrance is at the shore of river, near big shopping centre. So, I prepared some equipment, like rubber boots and torch. According the listing I though there's a big cave with stalactites, but....
After a few meters after entrance I entered the sewer, quite big so I was able to stand without problems (I'm 190 centimeters tall...). I went more than 200 meters (it was distance needed to reach the cache), but found nothing. Just something like small "bath-tub" (30 x70 cm).
However I was not disappointed - it was exciting to walk under the city. At home I read records of previous visitors of the cave and.... well, I became victim of geo-joke, I think.
Cave in fact was eartch-cache, so nothing to find. And lake in the cave - was that bath-tub I found :)
So it was big joke and simply I caught myself. It is nice if there are people what can create such funny actions.

June 27, 2012

Things exchange

Yesterday while driving from my mother to home, I went to hunt for cache and took my daughters with me to show them something new. To find the cache was quite easy, but there was problem on exchange. As cachers should do fair trade, one should exchange thing by another thing. And I had just one thing, but two daughters :) I changed small plastic piggy for corals and have given then to the younger Barbora. But Magdalena get angry as she wanted something too (not saying that inside was also travel bug. I didn't dare to take it as it would lead to endless complaints (dad, why you didn't want to give it to me?)). Ngaytxoa, ma 'ite - haya alo... Next time we must prepare better.

June 24, 2012

Where the fool is located?

Real life story:
we have created some accounting system which also offers interface for 3rd parties. At one customer, we were asked to store some extra data which 3rd party cashdesk software sends to us. When we did necessary changes, no data are logged. Ok, we called to the vendor:
- Hey, we do not receive data you said you are sending to us. Can you check it?
- No, we are sure we are sending them. Check it on your side.

Okay, we checked, but no error found. So we installed Wireshark to analyze network packets - and we found that those data aren't filled in.
- Ok, said the boss, send them captured data, let they analyze them and repair their stupid mistake.
- Let's stake, was my answer, they will not be able to analyze it.
- Why? They install Wireshark too and can see it. Well, I hope they are able to install such software on their machines.

What was the answer?
They can't analyze network data (as I said), because they aren't allowed to install any software on computers (as boss said). But story continues:
We did another test at the customer with different cashdesk and extra data were received! Boss was angry and sent the mail with complete description and analysis. After some time, vendor called back to us and still was stating that on their side is everything ok.
- We did test on two cashdesks. One sends extra data to us, second one not. You have two different versions of software and one is incorrect. Have you read my mail?
- Yes, but.... Does it mean that problem is really on our side?

YES, ma skxawng, can read or is this just our bad dream? Is fool on our or their side? If I'd hear this story from someone else, I wouldn't believe it.
Lesson: people can't understand something what according their opinion can't come in.

June 17, 2012

New amusement

Oel rolun mipa tì'o'ti - I have found a new amusement :) It is geocaching - searching for hidden things named caches using GPS coordinates. How it occurred?
A week ago we had meeting of class friends from the high school (25th anniversary of completion of the school). Two of them mentioned they are geocachers and I remembered last year I was on geo-hunt (see first post of this blog). So, why to not try myself too? One just must register on www.geocaching.com and that's all. I was surprised how many caches are directly in my city and near surrounding. So I spent some time to discover rules, found that my mobile (Nokia 2710) with appropriate software can be used as GPS, downloaded the software and learnt how to use it. And here's result - today I found my first cache (GC2H3G2)! It is very near to my flat, but I visited that place three times:
1/ to collect information needed for getting final coordinates
2/ to find the final position. This time I wasn't successful yet as I did just quick find
3/ to do deep search and finish action!
It was micro (or even nano) size cache - small cylinder of diameter 1 cm and length 1.5 cm, kept by magnet under metal surface. My joy was really big. Even if I will not be cacher with hundreds of found caches, I'm sure it is great amusement. You must often solve quiz to get coordinates and go to the place you won't visit otherwise. That's both good - you train your brain and see new places. Both actions counts.

May 19, 2012

Bicycling

Well, a week before weather (or temperature) become warm enough to ride the bicycle. I use it for traveling to my workplace - it is faster and cheaper (maybe also healthy :)). A few first days are hard, as legs hurt me at the end of day, body is not used to strain :)
What is problem is track profile. First part of road goes downhill ~ 2 kilometers (not pleasant on cold mornings...), then plain another 2 kilometers, small hill up and down, again plain and finally a few hundred meters uphill at the end of my 10 kilometers long way. It takes big amount of energy to overcome it... and one gets into a sweat a little.
Even worse during return, as final hill is much longer and all my remaining energy is out. But after one or two weeks it is not problem.
However this week morning cold is back, on Friday I had to take gloves, otherwise I probably couldn't remove my hands from handlebar on arrival to my company. Well, ice men (or cold spell in mid-May) this years really came (sadly, they destroyed many plants on my mother's garden).
I hope this is last scream of the winter and bicycling will be pleasant only.

February 3, 2012

Am I skxawng?

Yesterday I wasn't lucky. In the morning I needed to take my younger daughter to my mom, but I couldn't to start my car. It was too cold and battery was on strike. Ok, we had to go by public transport. To speed up my travel to the office I borrowed bicycle from the sister and went on the bike (about 3 kilometers).
When I came to office, I feel as I heard my wife:
"Hey, how did you get here? Don't joke, by bike, really? It's not normal! Hear, I have a good psychiatrist, can I make an appointment for you?"
Well, I must admit, it wasn't great idea as temperature was about 20 Centigrades under zero, my hands and ears were freezing even through gloves and cap. But it saved me some time. So am I skxawng just because of using bike in the winter?
I'm not comfortable with many things, but it is not reason to call someone that he is not normal or even stupid. Let anyone to do what he want - if it doesn't bother anybody, it is ok.
I'm not so called "average person" and I'm glad about it. Such people haven't an easy life...