The Hunt

The night before, John P. Davies was getting things together. He was finalizing the details of the clues in a little black notebook. When he was finished, he placed the bookmark inside and closed it. He placed the book on his desk, along with last will and testament, drawings and other maps construed among the desk.

The maid discovered that John passed away in his sleep. All of John’s papers were gathered up and put in a yellow manila envelope, ready to be given to John’s attorney. When Oliver received the manila envelope, he made plans to go see John’s only living heir. Oliver hopes she isn’t as eccentric and illogical as John was.

Alicia was in her condominium wondering when she will ever go to exotic places. Oliver was stepping out of his Mercedes and strolling over to the condo’s call box. He pressed the button with Alicia William's name on it, a loud buzz came through and then a woman’s voice.

“Good afternoon, how may I help you?” Alicia asked.

“Afternoon, my name is Oliver Jenkins. Are you Alicia Williams, Daughter of Jacob and Hannah Williams?” Oliver asked.

“Yes, what’s this about?” she asked.

“I think we should discuss this inside Ms. Williams,” he said.

“Come on in,” she said and pressed the number 9 button, the door unlocked. Oliver walked into the lobby and then to the elevator.

When Oliver reached the floor, he walked to Alicia’s door and knocked. Alicia opened the door and gestured for him to come in. She walked him through and to her living room couch.

“Please sit down,” Alicia said. Oliver sat down and so did Alicia. Oliver placed his briefcase on the coffee table and opened it.

“So, Alicia I’m here because there has been a death in your family,” Oliver said.

“You may not have heard of him, but his name was John P. Davies,” he added.

“You are right about that,” she said.

“Well, I’m handling his estate. He is your long-lost Grandfather,” he said and took out the manila envelope along with the notebook.

“You are his only living family and you also have to understand that he was eccentric and illogical,” he handed Alicia the notebook and continued to open the manila folder.

Alicia opened the notebook and started to read from the bookmarked page.

Dear Alicia,

I know you may not know me; I haven’t been in your life either. This will make up for all the times that I have missed in your life, so I’m leaving everything to you. I have $20,000, I know it isn’t a lot but it’s hidden somewhere where most people wouldn’t think to look. So, this little black notebook that you hold in your hands contains a lot of my work. It contains a mixture of letters, riddles, coordinates, and many other things.

Consider this like a scavenger hunt that will take you on an adventure of a lifetime. The manila envelope that my attorney will hand you contains photocopies. You must take the time to do this hunt in order to follow my last dying wish. Happy Hunting.

Sincerely, Your Long-Lost Grandfather,

John P. Davies

P.S. Please be sure to read this book from page to page and don’t skim through to where the treasure is.

Oliver handed Alicia the contents of the manila folder and continued to talk about Alicia’s long-lost Grandfather’s legacy.

“So, all I have to do is just travel to where the $20,000 is hidden?” Alicia said interrupting Oliver in mid-sentence.

“Yes, the tasks and the places you’re traveling to maybe treacherous,” Oliver said.

“It will also take about a month, maybe more to accomplish this adventure,” he added.

After Oliver left her condo, she got to it and started to pack for where she was going. She looked in the notebook and read from where she left off.

Alicia,

So, your adventure starts in the UK. You have to go backpacking from the Thruxton Aerodrome Airport to your destination.

I’m a prehistoric monument in England and many people believe I was created by other beings from another planet. What am I?

John P. Davies

Alicia reread the riddle; she knew nothing about backpacking. So, she planned on going to classes for backpacking and bought a plane ticket to the Thruxton Aerodrome Airport. Alicia read the riddle again and knew where she was going backpacking to.

Alicia was already on a plane and was about to land at her destination. After the plane landed, she grabbed her backpacking gear from the baggage holding area of the plane and started on her 4-hour journey to Stonehenge.

Alicia started hiking, she stopped to drink water, eat a protein bar, and continued hiking. She took pictures, then continued hiking. She can now see Stonehenge in the distance, when she got closer, she hiked the shorter distance compared to what her GPS has.

Alicia finally arrives at Stonehenge and took pictures. She wondered where her riddle was, she looked in the notebook and turned the page.

Alicia,

If you haven’t found my riddle, here is a clue.

Many people ask why was Stonehenge built here? Go to the historical plaque, that will tell you where to find your answer.

John P. Davies

Alicia looked at the tourist map of the area and saw that the plaque is on the North East side. She walked to the plaque and looked underneath. There was an envelope taped to the plaque so she took it off and opened it.

Alicia,

You must backpack to your destination, but get a ride when you’re 10 miles from the city of London.

My name is Ben and I am pretty big in London. I can see the London Bridge and the London Eye from where I stand. Who am I?

John P. Davies

Alicia immediately knew where she was going, she took last-minute pictures of the site. She then started to walk, she stopped to use the bathroom, get a drink of water, and eat protein bars. Alicia started to realize that she has to set up camp before dark, so she looked at her map to see where she is allowed to camp at.

She continued to walk, until she finally arrived at the campsite, she set up her tent. After she was finished, she started a fire for dinner and after dinner, she went to bed.

Alicia woke up and got ready to start walking the rest of the way to London. She continued to walk, when she reached Lampton, she flagged down a ride that was going to London.

The driver of the car stopped at Big Ben and dropped Alicia off. She grabbed her backpacking gear and walked into the entrance. When she was inside, she was told that her backpacking gear would have to be taken to the nearby luggage facilities.

Alicia came back with a smaller bag that contains the little black notebook. She went over to one of the seats and sat down, she took out the notebook to see if her grandfather left another clue to the riddle.

Alicia,

Be sure to read my riddle again.

John P. Davies

Alicia then rereads the riddle and she knew that the riddle was in the tower, she waited for the coast to be clear to sneak up the belfry stairs. When it was clear she took her chance and dashed for the stairs.

Alicia finally reached the top where the clock faces were. She walked to the clock face that was facing the London Eye and took a picture of the view. She wondered if she would see the city in the other direction from the London Eye. Alicia looked everywhere for the envelope and found it where the fire extinguisher was. She opened the envelope and placed the envelope with the others in her bag.

Alicia,

The number 2 is significant to find the riddle, as you know, you and I never did get to catch up with each other in life.

I’m also known as the Millennium Wheel; I’m the wheel of observation. I observe all that goes on in London. What am I?

John P. Davies

Alicia wrote the date on the paper and recalled the other dates for the past riddles. She put the riddles in the notebook and took more pictures. She gathered everything, left the tower, walking fast down the stairs, she stopped to look if the coast was clear and snuck back out. She picked up her backpacking gear from where she stored it and walked to her destination.

Alicia took pictures and ended up at the London Eye. She looked up at the massive wheel and waited for the number 2 capsule to be at ground level. The capsule was just about ground level, so she hurried up and stood there until it finally got there. She walked on and quickly knew the clue would be hidden near the seating area. She quickly opened the envelope and did the same thing with it as the others.

Alicia,

Congratulations, so far you have visited the United Kingdom. Your destination is France, fly there and follow my riddle.

I can see the whole city from the table at my favorite Paris restaurant, Le Jules Verne in France. Where am I?

John P. Davies

Alicia left the London Eye and walked to the hotel to get some rest.

Alicia got a taxi to the London City Airport. She got on the plane to Paris, when the plane landed, Alicia got a taxi and went North to the city. Alicia took pictures and arrived at the Eiffel Tower.

Alicia got out of the taxi and took one of the lifts to the restaurant. She wondered where the clue was, maybe there is another clue from her grandfather in the notebook. She opened the book and turned the page.

Alicia,

If you haven’t figured where the riddle is, wait until dinner time, sit at one of the tables and order the chef’s special. If you find it excellent, when a server asks you how it was, just say “My compliments to the chef”. The server should get the chef, he should ask you who you are and he should give you the riddle.

John P. Davies

Alicia looked at the time and noticed that she would have to go to her next place either in the dark or the next day. She left the restaurant and decided to go to the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, when she got there, she took pictures of the city.

Alicia reentered the restaurant and took a seat next to the window. Alicia’s Grandfather had a seating diagram drawn in the notebook and he marked where he sat down. The server came over to her table with a menu and gave her time to look it over.

"Have you thought about what you want to order?” the server asked, after Alicia looked over the menu.

“Yes, I would like the chef’s special and water, thank you.” She said and gave the server the menu.

After Alicia ate dinner, her server came back to ask how her food was, when he did all Alicia had to say was “My compliments to the chef”. The server went back into the kitchen to get the chef and the chef came out with an envelope.

“Are you Alicia Williams?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said.

“Then this belongs to you,” he said, as he handed her the envelope. Alicia opened the envelope and read it.

Alicia,

I triumph the world of arcs and I’m very monumental for the city of Paris. Where am I?

John P. Davies

She left the restaurant to go to her next place. She took a taxi, she took pictures, the driver dropped her off at the Arc De Triomphe. Alicia walked through the arc, then wondered where the riddle is, so she looked in the book again, and turned the page.

Alicia,

I have a clue for you, look on top and look for the virtual reality terminals. Although there are two, only one of them has your riddle.

John P. Davies

Alicia raced up the stairs to the roof and looked at the first virtual reality terminal, closest to the Eiffel Tower. She found it stuck to the bottom of the piece that you look through and opened the envelope.

Alicia,

I’m a church, some people believe what they see in the movies, my childhood movie had a Hunchback by the name of Quasimodo. What am I?

John P. Davies

Alicia decided to get some well-deserved sleep before her next destination. She first takes pictures of the city in lights, before she heads to the hotel.

Alicia got a taxi and the driver took her to her destination. Alicia took pictures and the driver got to her destination. She looked up at the huge cathedral, she went inside and looked around to see if maybe the riddle was in plain sight. She bought a ticket to the bell tower thinking maybe her grandfather hid the riddle there.

She headed up the stairs of the North bell tower and waited for the tour guide to say the names of the eight bells held there. She had the notebook in her hand, reading the entry that was written.

Alicia,

If you haven’t found the riddle, then just listen to the guide, name the bells and listen for when he introduces one of the bells as Jean-Marie. Jean-Marie was your late long-lost Grandmother, may she rest in peace. There is never a day that goes by that I don’t think about her, I miss her so much.

John P. Davies

Alicia stood there waiting for the guide to introduce the bells and when he finally did, she waited for the group to leave the area. When she was alone, she went underneath the bell and found her riddle attached to the clapper.

Alicia opened it and did the same with it as the others, she then read the riddle.

Alicia,

Congratulations, you’re almost there. You have now visited Paris, now it’s time to visit the wine country of Italy. Take time to plan the trip, you can fly, walk, drive, or take a train there, it is up to you, remember to keep your backpacking gear with you.

I’m very colossal in the center of Rome, Italy. What am I?

John P. Davies

Alicia went to the hotel and rested before her trip. After Alicia rested, she added the riddles and the pictures she developed to the notebook. She then planned her trip and decided she was going to take a train to Italy, so she could see the countryside of Switzerland.

Alicia left her hotel and walked to the train station. She had to take a metro and take buses that headed to her destination. Alicia took pictures as she passed Milan and Florence.

When she finally arrived in Rome, she went to the hotel and went to sleep, her destination will have to wait in the morning.

Alicia called an Uber, the driver drove to Alicia’s destination and dropped her off as close to where she needed. Alicia walked the rest of the way and then bought a ticket.

Alicia took a chance and asked the person there if there was anything for her. The person at the ticket booth did have something, she was given an envelope and then Alicia went to a quiet place of the Colosseum to open it. When she was alone, she opened the envelope and did the same thing with it as the others.

Alicia,

I’m a fountain in the Trevi district of Rome, Italy, hence my name.

John P. Davies

It was night time so she then went to the hotel for the night. Alicia was going to go to her destination in the morning.

Alicia took a taxi to her destination, the driver headed North West and she took pictures. The driver arrived at Alicia’s stop and dropped her off, she walks to look around. She opened the notebook and turned the page.

Alicia,

I don’t know if your riddle is still there, but if it is, I wouldn’t recommend doing what I did, I had to pay a fine for it. But desperate times call for desperate measures, do what you need to do.

John P. Davies

As soon as Alicia jumped into the fountain the Italian police were swarming to get her out of the fountain. They took her to find out why she did what she did. Alicia told them the whole story behind her journey. Then one of the officers came forward with an envelope in a zipped bag and gave it to Alicia. She proceeded to open it and did the same with it as the others. She read her riddle out loud with the police listening.

Alicia,

Congratulations, you’re on your last leg of your journey. If you got in trouble at the Trevi Fountain proceed to pay the fine and fly to your destination, which is somewhere in India. Before flying I would first relax and plan the trip out.

My favorite song is Shambala by Three Dog Night watch the music video it will show you the place where the riddle is hidden.

John P. Davies

P.S. 48 seconds is key to find where you are going.

Alicia went to the hotel and planned the trip ahead of her. She then waited for a new week, to finish her journey.

Alicia took a taxi that took her out of the city, to the Rome Ciampino International Airport, taking pictures. She got on the plane to Agra, India, when her plane landed, she went to the hotel for the night.

Alicia took a rental car and drove to her destination. She parked her rental and left her backpacking gear. She took a picture of where she was and walked through the security check. She put on the shoe coverings, walked around taking pictures of the Taj Mahal and wondered where the riddle is. She wasn’t allowed to bring her notebook so she took a picture of the entry.

Alicia,

If you haven’t found what you needed to find, go to the Mughal Garden which is the raised marble water tank in the center of the Garden. It should be underneath the marble seat on the Northside.

John P. Davies

Alicia walked to it and took the envelope off from underneath the seat. She took pictures of the area for the next 3 hours, and went back to the car. She opened the envelope and did the same with it as the others.

Alicia,

Brrrr, I’m very cold in this place. Although many people sought and died to get to this 29,032 feet Summit, on a clear day the vistas are very beautiful and breathtaking, literally. Where am I?

John P Davies

Alicia had to take a cab, a train, she even had to drive, and take buses to her destination. She took out her backpacking gear and started to hike to the mountain.

Alicia’s guide had the seven bottles of oxygen that she would need to venture up to the summit, she hiked up the Southeast ridge to Base Camp.

From Base Camp, Alicia hiked to Camp I. Alicia rested and hiked to Camp II. From there she climbed on fixed lines to Camp III, and then another 500 meters to Camp IV. She was now entering the Death Zone; she took a rest and slept a little.

At midnight, Alicia begins to climb to the summit, but first reaches “The Balcony", she rested, then gazed and took pictures of the peaks to the South, then the East. It was the early light, she took pictures and continued up the ridge.

Alicia finally reaches the summit on a clear sunny day. She took pictures and started to wonder where the money could be hidden. She took out her long-lost Grandfather’s little black notebook for the last time, she turned the page to the next entry.

Alicia,

Congratulations, you made it to the summit. You may be wondering where the money is. Well, my attorney, Oliver Jenkins, has had it with him this entire time, I knew your life was technically boring. So, I wanted you to get out of your comfort zone and enjoy life. Enjoy the wonders of the world that I got to enjoy when I was still walking among the living.

Love Your Long-Lost Grandfather,

John P. Davies

P.S. Pay it forward, make someone else’s life wondrous.

Alicia couldn’t help but feel sad and happy at the same time for fulfilling her long-lost Grandfather’s dying wish. She descended the mountain and went straight home.

Alicia finished adding what she collected from her trip to the notebook. She kept it as a keepsake that would be cherished for the rest of her life. She and Oliver celebrated a journey completed and a new one begins.

TO BE CONTINUED….