Walk from Moscow to Istanbul?

July 29, 2009 12:52 PM

I am trying to remember the name of a board game I played as a child. I got it free in the mail, and it was a travel/geography game.

It was a game I got for free, probably from a government agency of some kind. I got the address from a book in the library, where you could write to different agencies and get things for free/very cheap.
It was a travel game that taught geography. The board was foam backed puzzle pieces, that you put together to form a map of the world. You then went from city to city, placing your pins as you went, and linking it with string (like embroidery floss). You travelled by walking, by car, a plane, or a train, depending on a dice roll or some similar randomization. There was also a little plastic ruler, for measuring out distances. There were cards that depicted different roles, and the cities you travelled to in the game were dependant on the role you picked (like international jewel theif, or diplomat, or archaeologist). You had to get to all your cities in the shortest distance possible. It came in a rather plain white box, and it took up a bit of room on the bookshelf at the foam puzzle map stacked up quite thick.
It was well made, at least for a free game, with a fun premise, decent rules, and pieces that stood up to some use. I can't for the life of me remember what it was called though. Does anyone else remember this game? Are there similar games out now?

posted by sandraregina to sports, hobbies, & recreation (3 comments total)

I have half an answer.

I really, really, really think the publication you ordered your game from was from the FCIC (Federal Citizen Information Center) in Pueblo, Colorado. I remember vividly as a child writing away to an address given on TV and getting a catalog you could order publications and neat-o things for free or a dollar or postage costs. I searched their site, but no luck, but perhaps if you wrote to them they'd have a record of past items?
posted by goml at 2:51 PM on July 29

Its possible. I did forget to mention that I'm in Canada (Ontario), but I'm not 100% sure the book was Canadian only. There was something in it about how to do international postage coupons. Its funny the details I can remember, and the ones I can't!
posted by sandraregina at 3:57 PM on July 29

I have a confirmation that it existed but I can't help you with the name. I'm Canadian and got the same book out of the library when I was around 7. I think it was put out by the Canadian government. I spent the summer writing away for all the free things I could get. I distinctly remember this game and how fun it was. My mom still remarks how well built it was for something free and that out of all the things I got it was the best one.
posted by beautifulcheese at 9:08 AM on July 30