Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
03 February 2012 11:27
My World First travel writing competition logo
Travel insurance specialist, World First Travel Insurance, has launched a new monthly writing competition for budding travel writers named My World First. The theme for the competition is first-time travel experiences – personal world firsts.
The competition is designed to give people the chance to flaunt their flair for the written word and entrance the panel of judges with travel tales. Each month all of the entries will be reviewed and a short list will be deliberated by the judges before a winning entry is selected.
The competition launched at the end of 2011 and more than 30 people entered in the first month, sharing a range of world first experiences. Entries included stories of celebrating a wedding anniversary under the northern lights, getting kissed by a camel in Egypt and how a lack of a packed lunch on a sweaty train in India sparked a continent-spanning friendship.
The panel of judges comprises of Martin Rothwell, Managing Partner of World First, Jane Labous, a travel writer and journalist who's journalism and broadcast career has seen her work for The Independent, The Times and BBC Radio 4, Martin Dorey, a professional writer and author of The Camper Van Cookbook and Jamie Harper, an English Language graduate, travel blogger and freelance journalist.
Commenting on the idea behind the competition Martin Rothwell said, "As travel insurance specialists we regularly insure people who are planning amazing holidays and experiences. Over the years we have insured thousands of people who are all experiencing their own personal world firsts and we thought it would be great to find out more about these people and their stories, whilst also inspiring people to have a go at travel writing.
"In terms of the personal world firsts we really are looking for any stories, so it can be anything you like. It might be the first time you went on holiday. Or the first time you swam with dolphins. It could be the first time you travelled after a life changing event. Perhaps the first time you went on holiday with your partner dished up a memorable experience. Or the first time you spoke a foreign language on holiday. Entries can be as mundane or as off-the-wall as you like."
Anyone can enter the competition by submitting a written article of 400 words describing their experience. The person who submits the best entry will win either a Kindle or the equivalent value in Waterstone's vouchers.
Winners have included Liz Cleere who wrote about her 'first time at the wrong end of the barrel' whilst sailing from Turkey to India, and Helen Moat who shared her terrifying experience of a drive in Switzerland 'On the Road to Samnaun'.
The competition rolls from month to month. Entries for each month close on the final day of the month at 11.59pm. All winners will be announced at the start of each month and the winning entry published on the World First Blog.
Find out more and enter the world first competition here.
12 December 2018
If you're worried about piling on the pounds this Christmas, regular home weighing could prevent you from excessive festive eating and drinking.
[more...]
11 December 2018
Airlines that automatically cancel return flights when passengers fail to show for their outbound journeys are being warned they risk breaking consumer law.
08 December 2018
Providing better conditions for disabled passengers is one of the main aims of a proposed new charter for airlines and airports.
07 December 2018
Women who don't attend cervical screenings should be offered testing kits they can use at home, new research suggests.
06 December 2018
Ryanair could be slapped with enforcement action from the airline regulator after it refused compensation for passengers hit by flight disruption caused by staff taking strike action.
05 December 2018
Protein supplements and muscle training could be the most effective ways to delay or reverse the effects of frailty, a new study suggests.
04 December 2018
Mumford and Sons bassist Ted Dwane has helped create a new exhibition to raise awareness of the loneliness felt by people living with multiple sclerosis (MS).
01 December 2018
A leading charity has praised the actions of Lloyd Russell-Moyle, saying the Labour MP had "done everybody a service" by disclosing his HIV status.
30 November 2018
Sweating out the daily stresses in a sauna could be linked to a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in people aged 50 and over, according to a new study.
29 November 2018
Hitting the Copacabana could soon become a more realistic aim for holidaymakers, with Norwegian set to become the first budget airline to operate UK-Brazil flights.
28 November 2018
Holidaymakers on the UK's proposed new high-speed trainline could have their Amazon packages delivered directly to their seat, according to a train manufacturer.
27 November 2018
Over half of UK frontline medical staff worry their hospitals won't be able to keep patients safe this winter, according to an "alarming" new survey.