My Award Booking Partner Steve
Many of you know that I offer an award booking service. It grew too big to handle on my own, and I was fortunate enough to be able to partner with one of the real veterans and gurus in the frequent flyer game, Steve Belkin (known in online forums as ‘beaubo’).
Steve is most famous for exploiting loopholes in frequent flyer programs like Aeroplan and United’s MileagePlus in a truly big way, scaling opportunities to earn millions instead of thousands of miles. And in that pursuit he has hired disable Thai rice farmers to fly in and out of the Golden Triangle area of Thailand, and New Zealand college students to fly to Europe for the summer.
His ‘Amazing Race for Regular People’
One of the really fun projects he’s had is called Competitours. Every summer, Steve disappears from work to run what the Chicago Tribune calls “The Amazing Race for Regular People.”
www.COMPETITOURS.com is a team travel competition, traversing a mystery itinerary of Western Europe and earning points by accomplishing a daily dose of surprise challenges in pursuit of a $6600 cash prize split between three teams.
Challenges are structured to test 7 – 10 pairs of teams’ creativity, resourcefulness and spontaneity (NOT speed or fitness – hah!). Each day’s destination and challenges are revealed just suspenseful 24 hrs. in advance each day. Unlike the ‘Amazing Race’ TV show, Competitours steers clear of weird food, exhausting tasks and manufactured conflict and drama.
It’s a great project, reports are that the trips are great fun. The Girl and Globe has a great review.
And here’s the to 10 reasons you should sign up
I Always Want to Go But Can’t Make it Work, So Here’s the Next Best Thing
The destinations and challenges change each year, so even my talks with Steve about what they’ve done wouldn’t help prepare me. I can’t participate this year though. I tried with my schedule last year and also with this year’s calendar. Just not going to happen.
Like last year I realize there are readers who would would get a kick out of this unique opportunity of competitive travel. So I’ve arranged for a terrific deal for a View From the Wing team to do my bidding! (You keep the prize money if you win.)
If you have a team partner and can DEFINITELY commit to the trip dates (we can arrange for you to arrive earlier and / or depart later if desired) then here is the offer:
- We’ll cover one teammate’s entry free (valued at about $5000)
- Second teammate covers their fee, and both players are responsible for costs that include international airfare (which we can help book with your airline miles or credit card points), meals, laundry, international data and voice, shopping, etc.
- Dates are June 25-July 5
How to Enter and Win
If you and a partner are an absolute lock to participate and can send a 30% deposit for the second teammate within 24 hours of being picked, then entering is easy.
E-mail me by April 11 at Noon Eastern with 150 words or less why you will be the best team to represent View from the Wing.
For avoidance of doubt I have no financial interest whatsoever in Competitours.
