8 Steps To Becoming A Treasure Hunter

Do you seek the thrill of an adventure? How about the glory of finding a lost chest once plundered by famous pirates? Or maybe it's an old religious portrait panel that was stolen during a war and never recovered. Don't forget that there are still cities out there that have been said to exist but have never yet been found. Hey, look at the guy who discovered Machu Picchu, thinking it was an entirely different set of ruins. If he can make one of the greatest discoveries by accident, you can find something small on purpose, right?

1. Find a treasure to hunt

First thing's first when it comes to treasure hunting: you do actually need to do a little research and find out the general location (or at least some records as to the whereabouts of your treasure) at some point in time. Whatever treasure you choose, make sure it's accessible. A lot of areas are privately owned by countries, cities or individuals. No trespassing! Don't know where to begin? Don't worry my young Indiana, take a look at this list to find your calling.

2. Grab your gear

Now that you have maps and a compass telling you which direction to go, it's important to pack properly for the adventure. Make sure you actually think about the weather, wildlife or critters and overall experience of an extended-stay in this area. Is there anything poisonous? Will it be raining every single day? These are the types of things you need to include while you pack up that satchel.

3. Pick a partner

If you are going to hunt a long-lost treasure, chances are you will run into some areas of your journey where you will need an extra set of hands. The best way to avoid these bumps is by bringing a trusty sidekick to aid you. It's best to pick someone who has a different skill set than you; that way, if you come across something you can't do, they may be able to help out. A partner isn't only good for company and a little bit of help along the way, though. Treasure hunters can run into a multitude of different scenarios. One of the situations you need to remember is the likelihood of traps and puzzles. We are all familiar with the big hole in the wall that you need to stick you hand in to a pull a lever, that ends up releasing a door or something similar. Those are usually a 50/50 gamble when it comes to keeping that hand. Well, in cases like those, simply say, "Hey, partner, I need your help with something!"

4. Meet the locals

Once you have arrived at your destination, make sure you know the exact areas you can roam freely, as well as the areas you should avoid. The best way to get to know the area is to find the nearest town and ask locals. Make sure you do your research beforehand and find out what language is spoken, to at least learn it a little bit. You don't want a very important fact they tell you to be completely indecipherable. It's also a possibility that one of these people will want to aid you on your journey, and, if so, bring them along! It's best to have someone with you who can consistently keep you out of treacherous waters.

5. Find that treasure!

The best part of the adventure is, undoubtedly, glimpsing the treasure for the first time. You will probably have a puzzle or two to solve, maybe there will be a couple traps and riddles guarding it, but, remember, that's why you have a partner! When you grab the treasure, it's best to get out of the area immediately; you don't know what kind of repercussions there are going to be, and you probably don't want to stick around to find out. Preserve the artifact as best you can. It's probably best that you learn a little bit about archeology so you can properly care for the centuries-old relic before you take it to a museum (assuming that you are the "good guy" treasure hunter who cares about the world seeing the beauty of lost artifacts and not just about greedily keeping it for yourself.)

6. Realize your mistakes

Treasures that are lost are usually lost for a reason. Someone hid it away because they didn't think anyone was worthy of it, or maybe it's an old relic that will destroy the world when it is removed from its resting place. Well, congratulations, it was the latter. Now the entire city is shaking, on the brink of literal collapse because of your treasure hunting ego. The only thing left to do? Save the world.

7. Save the world, get the girl

It's not going to be easy, but you are going to have to do a little more research about the artifact you just stole. Find out more about its history. Go back to the locals and talk to them, learn what they know about their city and history of the treasure. You are going to need to find a way to put a stop to the events you set in motion. The best part? It's probably going to involve destroying the treasure you just spent all of your time and effort locating.

8. Go home, with nothing

You get to walk away with absolutely nothing! No treasure for you, my friend--that's the real fun of treasure hunting. You get to find all of these amazing things and you have nothing to show for it. You know what you are walking away with though? New friends, a lover, and maybe even a couple cool trinkets that you found along the way. Not the large sum of treasure and fame you were hoping for, but at least you have a great story.

Congratulations! You are now officially a treasure hunter. I know the journey was hard, but guess what? Now it's time to sit back, relax and browse the internet.

You've got to find another treasure to look for, because a treasure hunter's work is never done. Especially because your last trip made you no money, and now you are running out of funds.

One day you will get old, and you may not be able to go on adventures anymore. Those days are when you get to think back on everything you did, all the of beautiful places you saw and the great friends you made along the way. This is also the time to write a book about your travels. Remember how you walked away with nothing? You need retirement money now. Many people will love reading the story of your life, though, even though they will scarcely believe it.