Around-the-World Travel Adventure Competition Looking For 50 Globetrotters

Santa Monica, CA> – 20 November 2007) Ever sit on the couch watching The Amazing Race, and say: "I could do that!"…Well, now you can!

GreatEscape2008, the around-the-world travel competition is looking for fifty globetrotting adventurers to take A Blind Date With The World™ and compete for the annual title of The World’s Greatest Travelers™.         

The Global Scavenger Hunt™, scheduled for next spring can be your ticket to fulfilling a dream adventure by offering the most intrepid of global travelers a three-week around-the-world travel adventure. Travelers will race from Los Angeles to New York—the long way!

Outside magazine calls The Global Scavenger Hunt, “…one of the most amazing trips in the world.” A former participant said, “It is like Survivor, The Amazing Race and the Eco-Challenge all rolled into one except with MUCH more cultural interaction!"

A recent travel poll conducted by National Geographic Traveler/Yahoo!, found that for 2 of 3 travelers, the circumnavigation of the globe is the greatest journey left and called it the “ultimate travel experience.” GreatEscape2008 offers real travelers that chance…A real adventure for real people…but only 50 savvy travelers will be allowed to compete in this annual travel adventure competition and international charity event that takes place between April 11 and May 4, 2008. The winning Team will be crowned The World’s Greatest Travelers in this remarkable one-of-a-kind travel event.

“GreatEscape is all about allowing real travelers to compete in a real travel adventure competition, for all the right reasons—the love of travel, trusting strangers in strange lands and giving something back to the planet,” says Event Director William Chalmers, “Some have called our annual event the ‘Olympics of Travel’, some refer to it as A Blind Date with the World because our travelers won’t have any foreknowledge as to what countries they’re going to until they’re onboard a 747 bound for parts unknown, and some have even called it a ‘Magical Mystery Tour’. I like that one!”

For three magical weeks, 25 Teams of two will travel the globe visiting at least 10 countries scattered across 4 continents like Indiana Jones’ (and Jane’s) hot on the path of the Holy Grail. Teams earn points by completing a series of cultural-oriented scavenges (finding Buddha’s tooth in Sri Lanka; explaining Thai cooking flavors; visiting King Tut) and challenges (take a photo of a wild orangutan in Indonesia; enter a camel race in India; learn to belly dance in Turkey) in exotic destinations. A cultural immersion at its best, the event is designed to be a rally rather than a flat out race. The object is to test each Team’s ability to combat not only the inevitable jetlag, but language difficulties, cultural differences, their appetite for strange foods, logistical snafus and Team dynamics in the milieu of a well organized competition.



Truly the ‘Olympics of Travel,’ couch potatoes and armchair travelers need not apply. This real world travel adventure competition is only for the hardiest and most curious travel savvy Type-A globetrotters. GreatEscape2008 is for those who crave authentic adventure, genuine exotic travel, real competition and world-class fun. Here’s what a few former participants had to say about the annual event:

“This event is geared toward people who are really interested in the culture, the people and the places…They attract the traveler, not the tourist." - Jason, Toronto, CANADA

“…one of those seminal moments in my life. After completing the event I gained a stronger desire to make a difference in the world.” - Trevor, Seattle, USA

“I’m amazed and happy, but thoroughly exhausted…and need a relaxing vacation from my vacation."  - Helen, Brussels, BELGIUM

"A cross between Abercrombie & Kent and Lonely Planet…and I am richer for the experiences we shared. Thanks." - Randy, Newport Beach, USA

"I found the concept of not knowing my destinations a wonderful experience…some of the most interesting scavenges were finding random items in markets all over the world...my charade skills have been fine-tuned …" - Victoria, Vancouver, CANADA

"The trip of a lifetime. exciting...I was fortunate to meet wonderful people along the way! A terrific organizational job in making this event challenging, fun and rewarding." - Carole, Detroit, USA

Teams and single travelers alike, looking to participate are asked to visit The Global Scavenger Hunt’s official website GlobalScavengerHunt.com and enter online or call 310.281.7809. Travelers will be interviewed for suitability and asked to help in the events fundraising goal of raising a million dollars for charities like: KIVA, CARE, Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF and Partners in Health, among others. The US$9,900 entry fee includes all international airfare and hotels over the 23-day event. Winners of the event will defend their The World’s Greatest Travelers™ title in the next event for free.
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