Travel Contests Galore! Who wants a free trip?

Lately it seems everywhere I look I see a new travel (or travel inspired) contest out there.  I'm sure a lot of this is to do with the proliferation of the internet and social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and others.  And another thing I'm sure of is that every company that sponsors one of these contests is getting an awful lot of bang for their marketing buck by running them.  For the travel obsessed like myself, these contests represent an opportunity to potentially see a little more of the world on someone else's dime!  Sure they may be a longshot but they sure are fun--and some of the prizes to be had are pretty fabulous.

Best Travel Job Ever - Earlier this year my friend Alesha and I participated in the Best Travel Job Ever which was a contest sponsored by Flight Centre, Air Canada, Intrepid Travel, Roots and Henry's.  The entry required contestants to enter a video that was posted on Youtube and the entries that received the most votes were put before a panel of judges to choose finalists and eventually a winner.  This one was a lot of fun and I can only hope they might do it again.  The site is still up and if you are looking for some inspiration you should check it out.

Paradise Hunter  - 52 Weeks of Paid Vacation - This job offer is open until November 5, 2010 but I think it qualifies for this post.  In a one minute video you need to show why you should be the next host for Paradise Hunter.  There are some great videos and host job winner will also get a $60 000 salary and their very own piece of paradise at the end of the year.  Open to applicants around the world over 18.

Transat Holidays - This one is positioned more as a job offer than as a contest but I still think it also fits this post.  The successful applicant will have the opportunity to travel on Transat Holiday trips throughout the next year and then write and video their experiences.  In addition to the travel there's a $40 000 salary too.  You need to be over 21, have a valid Canadian passport and submit a maximum 2 minute video and your resume.  I couldn't help myself so I've applied for this one--I love my job and don't want to leave it but the opportunity is so good I had to give it a shot!

GAP Adventures - Earlier this year GAP had the Create Your Adventure Contest. This one was kind of cool and the grande prize winning entry by a young man named Ryan will be on offer in the 2011 GAP Adventures brochure.

Intrepid Travel - This one is current.  Real Life Experiences or Win 30 Trips in 30 Days.  Choose one of the trips from the map and explain in 25 words or less why you want the trip and you might be selected to win that trip.  If you are planning on booking with Intrepid soon enter!  Just for entering you will be emailed a voucher that is good for 20% off an Intrepid trip.

Facebook Contests: Facebook also has tons of contests (travel and otherwise) if you know where to look.  Find the pages of your favorite products and services and they may just have something for you!
Here's a few current ones to check out:


Travelocity and the Mexico Tourism Board - Like these two on Facebook and figure out where  the Travelcity Gnome is in Mexico.  Winners get a Mexican vacation and contest is open to US and Canadian residents 21 or older.

Cathay Pacific - Want a pair of business class tickets to Hong Kong?  Like Cathay Pacific on Facebook and enter your Asian inspired dessert to win.  It could even be served on their flights.  Open until January 2011.

Baileys Brings You Home - Who doesn't love this Irish tipple?  Baileys wants to reunite you with your family and friends for the holidays and is giving away round trip tickets to anywhere in the US.  Entrants submit a video or essay--and like Baileys and Facebook too.  To enter you have to be a US resident and over 21.  Enter before December 10th.

So take a chance and enter one or all  of  these (of the ones still open anyways).  It might just be your lucky day.  And if you hear of any cool travel contests drop me a line!  In the meantime get your cameras rolling, your keyboard tapping and your creative juices flowing.

Until next time happy travelling!

I've been remiss...readjusting to life at home after a year abroad

Apologies for taking so long to post this. It seems as if the rest of my life has gotten in the way lately of sharing my travel stories. I am hoping this will soon improve. I've now been back for nearly seven months and I am slowly going about reclaiming the accouterments of the average person's life. The new job was found sooner than anticipated and while it started out as temporary and uncertain it has since become more permanent. For this I am grateful. I got my phone number back too--I've only had it for 10 years now and I don't know if I could ever give it up. I've been saving as much as I can to pay off the bills from the last trip too. This still hasn't stopped me from dreaming about the next one though. I am slowly trying to tie up all the loose ends, bank accounts, taxes, you name it. I made mistakes in not considering a lot of things before I went away. Lessons learned I guess. For right now I am looking forward to reclaiming my own space. The last few years have been characterized by short stays in shared accommodation. While this way of life has many merits and I have had wonderful experiences the time has come to start over. I am however very grateful for all those who have put me up over the last couple of years. So needless to say I am looking forward to my new digs.

So for now my travel plans aren't big ones but that doesn't mean they still can't be fun ones. A long weekend road trip is first up and then I am hoping for at least a couple of short camping trips over the summer. Who knows what the summer will bring?

For those of you who followed the Flight Centre's Best Travel Job Ever and the entry made by Alesha and I--I wanted to thank you all for your support. However I just found out there is going to be a little bonus round! Vote for us one last time on May 20th, 2010 to get our names in to win a trip to video blog in sunny California! To go to the page to vote click this link!

And you won't have to wait too long for the next post--tomorrow brings a guest post from a fabulous new Canadian writing talent, Krista D. Ball. Her novelette Harvest Moon will be published in the fall. Her post will discuss how travel has influenced her writing. I hope that you will enjoy it. To learn more about Krista's work please visit her website www.kristadball.com.

My (travel) story...and why I want to keep traveling!

I have spent countless hours in my life examining maps, reading travel books (and phrase books) and daydreaming about the places I would one day go. Travel has changed me. I am not the same person I was before I embarked upon the trips of the last two and half years.

I was fortunate in my early years to have traveled throughout a lot of Canada and the United States but I had never gone overseas until I finally traveled to Europe in 2007. I had wanted to go sooner but put it off because I was paying off loans from school and had no one to go with. I had entertained planning trips with friends in the past but it never seemed to work out. So finally I decided to just do it--I went on my own and planned a trip lasting nearly a month. Needless to say I loved every second of it--I had certainly been bitten by the bug. And there was no turning back.

Not long after returning home I decided I wanted to find a way to keep "living the dream" if you will. So applied for a job with a European tour operator. I figured I had nothing to lose--the worst that would happen is nothing. To my great surprise only a couple of days later I received an email asking me to call to arrange an interview. So I thought about it again, other than the cost of the trip I really had nothing to lose. I made the most of it and had a little reunion with a couple of my university friends when I arrived in London--if this was the end of the road, the trip was not wasted as we had a great time! Two interviews in two days and I was back on a flight home. Exhausting but exhilarating at the same time. After being home for about about a week I got a letter--in a big envelope. Anyone who has ever applied to university learned this rule--a small envelope meant bad news and a big envelope means . . .you got in! This rule rang true in this case as well. I had been offered a coveted place on one of the tour companies training trips! I could hardly believe it! This was a chance to travel, meet new people and earn enough of a living to keep the bills paid--a true chance of a lifetime!

In the weeks that followed I quit my job, gave up the apartment I had lived in for nearly five years, said goodbye to my roommate and my friends and parked my car. At my going away party I sprained my ankle, or so I thought... I had my eyes on the prize and pushed through the pain to get my apartment cleaned and get on my way. Not much later I had arrived in London, late, sans luggage and with a very bruised ankle.

The training trip was strenuous, right from the get go. We were tested at every turn. In nine weeks we would hit the major European destinations the company traveled to and learn as much as we possibly could about each place--we had to be able to speak about each country's history, culture and other special topics about places, events and people of note. And that was only the beginning. This was work and I expected no less. People dropped like flies and I hung on like my life depended on it. It really felt like it did. But after nearly seven weeks on the road, a really nasty stomach bug I picked up somewhere in Eastern Europe, and a still sore ankle I couldn't keep up and was not allowed to continue. I was devastated when I was given the news. I cried all the way to to the airport the next morning as I made my way back to London. And in my fog I managed to drop my very heavy suitcase on my foot--the same foot that had the bad ankle! It was only two days later when the pain in my foot got so bad I went to A&E (that's Accident & Emergency for those who are not familiar). After looking at the X-ray the doctor looked at me quizzically as he pointed to my ankle and asked me if I was sure that it didn't hurt there--I told him "not anymore". I had broken my ankle all those weeks ago and my stubbornness had led me to not see a doctor lest my dream be shattered--my own stubbornness had very likely cost me my chance.

Despite everything, two years down the road I don't regret the experience. I saw places I never thought I would see in my life, met incredible people, and learned all about Europe--and I would never pass up the opportunity to go back. I've only been inspired to see more of the world. So until then, I will live vicariously through others, share my experiences through my blog and continue to daydream again about the places I'll go until the next trip! And of course enter a few travel contests as well. Like The Best Travel Job Ever! This could be my second chance to see more, do more and share it with anyone willing to listen! Namely YOU! So please give us your votes! And where will I go next? Only time will tell! How far will I go to live my dreams? As far as I have to!

Shameless Self Promotion . . .

So I have fallen off the blogging bandwagon this last month as I have been working on some other projects--an article and a video. The video has just been posted for your perusal!



WE NEED YOUR VOTE!

My friend Alesha and I have been friends since we were in junior high school and have always wanted to plan a trip together. It has yet to work out but we decided to take a crack at winning one! Check out our video here

http://besttraveljobever.com/Mitch_travelbug


Help send us on our way with your votes! And for voting you can win a $500 travel voucher from Air Canada! You can vote for up to 3 videos a day. Check it out and enjoy! Thanks to all of you who cast your vote! This contest is sponsored by several companies including Air Canada, Intrepid Travel and Flight Centre.