Well it has come and it has gone. The patchy tarmac roads pox plagued with ass breaking potholes in this little Mediterranean island have been blessed with a couple of fresh tread marks along with charms, traditionally cast using indiscreet incantations muttered in the well versed ancient language of go-fuck-yourself to the same thirty year old driving a caravan holding up the traffic.

I cannot justifiably claim that I am a devout churchman. However I distinctly remember in one sermon that according to the reverend book it is paged that Jesus told onto his disciples;

“It is Sunday brethren and he closest to the alarm clock which rings well before the cockerel’s call must dump the morning coffee your loving mum has graciously left on the bedside table upon the malevolent instrument until its monotonous screams have been silenced. And all awoken from slumber’s grace shall snuggle even tighter within your anime themed blanket until you no longer are distinguishable from a well-preserved Egyptian mummy”.

Well this divine message apparently did not arrive to the eleven teams whom last Spring Sunday enthusiastically arrived at the university quadrangle in the early morning to confidently accept the IAESTE Car Treasure Hunt challenge. All gathered their most trusted, competitively hungry, brightest and eccentric of friends to join in the seventy-five and over kilometre journey to create cherished long-lasting memories whilst playing the game with a great marriage of gamesmanship pedigree and etiquette. Nah…I am just pulling your leg. It is all about being number one. The unrivaled winner. To be the first to get their hands wrapped around the feast of goodies kindly given to us by our amazing sponsors. It is all about rubbing your inextinguishable pride in front of the whimpering faces of the losers by mockingly posting photos on social media of you with your champions spending the prizes as you delightfully wish.

But like all great and remembered victors, their conquest stems from the overcoming of obstacles. With only a booklet printed with riddles to secret location spots, a bottle of water and tasty rice treats all competitors spent the next eight hours delving into the realm of gonzo and surrealism to scour across the island trying to solve the self-inducing headache clues and attempting to complete any checkpoints along their way. And with overjoyed pride I say all of them did so excellently and creatively.

Selfies were taken in the most audacious of poses in front of the unsuspecting public who look at them in such a concerning way that they pull their children closer to their sides. Some went bolder dressed in on-the-spot prepared costumes asking the relaxed and wanted recluse for novelties only a trash-loving hoarding goblin would prize dearly.  Many laughed. Many cried. And with the winner finally announced the IAESTE team can proudly say another job well done. To all intrigued readers I finish off with a warning: expect crazier tasks and adventures for the coming competition J