Contest Winner, Bloggie Love, Guest Blogs and More
02. Oct, 2008 
26 Comments
If you ever run a contest on your blog, take a lesson from me. Don’t ask why people want to travel. It will break your heart. I thought it would make it easier, but instead I found myself torn– everyone had very good reasons for wanting to travel– much better than mine.
In the end there can only be one winner, so I am pleased to announce that Hannah R. won the AA ticket and hostel stay which she will be using to visit her family in Mexico. She’s promised a full report after her trip this April.
If you didn’t win, don’t despair, Julie from Collazo projects has just announced a Free Rent in Mexico City contest. She’s raising money to support her project in Mompox, which is much more noble than just being peeved with AA. So go, check it out, and enter! I know I will!
What’s New in the Travelverse
Long time reader, Gillian FINALLY launched her own blog about her upcoming RTW trip (Yay!)
Bootsnall boards wonder How Far 20K can go
Manzanillo Blog talks about the impact the US financial crisis has had on Mexico
Nomadic Matt wants us to have sex, but please don’t do it on the top bunk (or the kitchen, gross).
FoxNomad lists the places to not go on a weak dollar
GoGreenTravel hates AA too
Also, don’t forget to read: Lives of Wander, Travellious, Itinerant Londoner, Asian Ramblings, Women on the Road, Lola Akinmade, Parisian Spring, Uncornered Market, Keeping Pace in Japan, The Soul Archive, Aconguazutiba, The In Between Jobs Blog, Escape from NY, Wanderlust and Lipstick, and Travel Savvy Mom.
Did you get all of those? There will be a pop quiz.
Guest Blogs
I’ve decided to open up guest blogging again, so if you have an idea, leave a comment or email me. I am also looking to write some guest blogs myself,so if you want we can do a post exchange.
Vendors
I know you’re reading this, because you email me all the time. But, if you have some stuff to give away, let me know– I’m putting together something, and it would be cool if you were part of it.
And yeah…
Today’s post was a bit of housecleaning, but damn it feels good. Got to the bottom of my inbox, which can only mean one thing: time to start those projects I’ve put to the way side. What are you guys up to?
Thanks for the link Christine, I enjoyed the roundup, ‘clean up’ posts are starting to grow on me. Matt’s post is great.
Right now I’m in between travels, hanging out around home base in the Washington DC area. I’m moving so I won’t be traveling in the next month or so, but Christmas season it’s looking like I’ll be hopping around the US.
Still can’t get over the picture of the baby! classic! thanks for the shout-out
That kid looks like he really hates AA, too cute
Anils last blog post..Inspire Me Africa Photo Contest To Be Announced November 3, 2008: First Prize Awarded This Week
Great roundup Christine. After a hectic week of moving stuff to store at the ‘rents, we’re now scrambling to get all the last minute preparations together for the trip. Still haven’t even started to dig through the inbox. Maybe by tomorrow…
Elizabeths last blog post..10 Things I’ll Miss about Washington, D.C.
It feels good to be a gansta! Remember, there is no sex in the hostel kitchen! PERIOD!
Nomadic Matts last blog post..How to Have Sex in Hostels
Can I join the anti-AA party? Coz after I returned safely home (via Delta) from my AA incident, I learned they’d been find 7.1 million for FLYING UNSAFE PLANES.
Yes, I’m shouting. A-hem.
Thanks for the link Christine, and the pointers to a few blogs I haven’t checked out yet, will be having a look now.
Are AA really that bad? I have to fly with them next year, not something I’m looking forward to!
Thanks for the mention! I hear your on starting projects, I’ve been trying to get all my web-sitey projects going. Travellious will be getting some cool features in the future, I’ve just got to have enough time to finish the things on my plate now (who knew maps would be so hard to perfect? )
Oh, and thanks for new blogs to read!
Austins last blog post..Inspiration: Red River Gorge, Kentucky
Thanks for the blog round up, I see some that I still have to visit!
Thanks a million for the link Christine–I haven’t seen the bottom of my email inbox in years, but I bet it feels great.
Matt: not sure hostel sex is gangsta so much as ghetto. Loved that post even as I was Totally. Grossing. Out.
jamies last blog post..San Francisco in Sixty Seconds
Great roundup Christine. Some new links to read. I am off to them.
Congratulations to Hannah.
Love the baby pic!! AWESOME!! lol… Thanks for the new links! And dying to now go check out Nomadic Matt’s post… I guess s*x does sell LOL….
Congrats to Hannah – will you be posting her entry? Sounds like it was a heart tugger.
Thanks for the shout out – and for the new blogs to check out…I love finding new ones to follow.
Thanks for the shout out, Christine.
And I hope everyone else will consider entering the We Pay Your Rent Contest! on CollazoProjects!
Peace,
Julie
Julies last blog post..The We Pay Your Rent Contest!
I would love to read her entry too – and thanks for those great links!
Susan F.s last blog post..britain for pizza
Thanks for the shout out. I’d love to have you guest blog if we can think of a way to link Europe and China.
Stevos last blog post..happy guoqingjie
A great bunch of blogs, I just woke up from a clicking craze and found your site. Just wanted to say it’s really good, I’ll be catching up over the next couple of weeks… but by then, I guess I’ll be behind again!
Yay! You mentioned me! Word of advice… do not spend a night in Puerto Montt…this place sucks. Out!
Anthonys last blog post..Livid at the Chilean Border
Oh, congrats to Hannah! That is amazing…I’d love to hear some of the entries too, especially hers, if the contestants don’t mind. I’d love to do a post exchange with you, as well. It’s exam time, and I am going crazy. Email me if you get a chance. Your style of writing always catches my eye.
That picture of the kid never gets old
Jennys last blog post..Towered
Also – you can use the random picker to choose your winner, so you don’t have to pick whose story is the best! Love your blog…great look.
Hey! Don’t forget http://www.TravelingMamas.com for more travel-blog goodies.
Your feeling “torn” is why we’d never run a “judging” contest — too hard, too subjective. All our contests are totally random – as determined by an Excel random-number generator (corresponding to comment #). And we’re running two good ones, now!
Congrats to Hannah R! Do you only need 25,000 miles to fly from U.S. to Mexico? I doubt it. Bet she’s adding onto her stash…
@Kara/Julie
That’s a great idea!! I had no idea those existed. I will definitely use them next time.
Thanks!
Christine
Thanks for the link and sharing other great blogs! More ways to be inspired…and distracted.
And yes, sex does sell…throw sex, brothel or prostitute into a post or title and you’ll get a good laugh by the google searches you attract. We didn’t do this intentionally, btw. I can imagine the disappointment when these peole find an article on Central Asian visas or a skanky hostel in Kazakhstan instead of a listing of the hottest sex clubs in Almaty. Poor them : )
How you think when the economic crisis will end? I wish to make statistics of independent opinions!
Nice template. Where can i download it?