When it comes to Travel, we, at The Bucket List Project, tend to be more active travelers than passive. That doesn’t mean we don’t love to relax on a beautiful beach somewhere. But overall, most of the Bucket List Project’s Travel and Adventure Activities are focused around unique adventures around the world. Perhaps, that is why we love ideas like the Amazing Race on television. Shows that are based around Travel Competitions allow us to see people in exotic locations doing exciting things. But is it possible for ordinary people like us to participate in amazing travel competitions like the people on tv? The answer is yes, with Competitours!
Are you wondering what makes Competitours one of the best travel competitions ever? Well, we have come up with 10 reasons why you need to add a Competitours trip to your The Adventure Activities & Experiences Bucket List now!
Did you know it's possible for ordinary people to participate in travel competitions like the people on tv? See 10 reasons why you need to add a #Competitours travel competition to your Bucket List now! @competitours #travelcompetitions
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1) You will discover amazing “mystery” locations
The idea “To boldly go where no man has gone before” given to us by Star Trek is perhaps one of the biggest reasons people travel. Of course, with modern technology, GPS, the ease of modern travel & the countless of travel blogs online, it seems virtually impossible to find a location not already explored by others. However, Competitours offers the unique opportunity to go on an adventure without knowing anything, until you need to know.
No matter which of their travel competitions you choose, Competitours will send you zigzagging through 2-3 unique and unexpected regions across Europe. You may start by flying to Brussels, but later you will be trying to catch a train from Dusseldorf to Vaals, and then find yourself riding the bus to Andorra. You just never know and it changes every year!
“…for us it was Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, and Switzerland. I think the biggest thing you have to understand about Competitours is that it’s an amazing way to see Europe in a way you never would’ve imagined and certainly not one that you’d ever be able to plan yourself.” ~Will Tang, competitor in the 2015 season of Competitours
2) You will participate in thrilling activities that won’t kill you
If you are like us, then there are plenty of thrilling activities on your bucket list. But there are also plenty of wild and dangerous activities that may be on your Anti-Bucket List, things you wouldn’t do for a million dollars! For example, we always cringe when we see bungee jumping or sky diving activities on shows like the Amazing Race.
With Competitours, you will get a chance to attempt interesting and adrenaline pumping activities that you may have never tried before or even considered trying. For example, in one of the travel competitions you might participate in a scavenger hunt in Copenhagen while in another you may be screaming, “En Guard” as you learn how to fence.
3) You will get outdoors
Another great feature of the Competitours’ Challenges is that they will get you outdoors! There is nothing worse than the feeling of being Museum-weary in yet another European city. But there is a good chance that in the mystery itinerary you will find yourself climbing a Via Ferrata in the Italian Alps like Jerry Mizer and his wife. Or perhaps you may end up in Samsø, Denmark looking at a six-acre labyrinth full of twisty multi-path trails through 40-foot tall trees, scrub brush, while trying to capture proof that you found seven stated objects like Joy Richardson experienced.
4) You will get involved in unique cultural activities
Of course one of the biggest reasons to travel is to experience new cultures. Unfortunately, sometimes travelers just observe the different nuances or experiences. But with the travel competitions put on by Competitours, you will find yourself diving feet first into an amazing and unique experience. Plus it will offer a more enriching experience by allowing you to meet locals and try things that you may have never tried if you had planned the trip on your own.
For example, John Moss of team We3Travels, shared how in Barcelona, Spain, he and his teammates had just 30 minutes to learn how to Flamenco and then showcase their “skills” in front of some tough judges! Afterward, the instructors treated them to a show of traditional flamenco dances along with a serenade from a flamenco guitarist.
5) You won’t have to gag down a disgusting food challenge
One of our biggest pet peeves about the Amazing Race is that they often create some challenge that involves eating gross food, often just for shock value. Don’t get us wrong, we would eat a 1,000 Year old egg or live squid to potentially win a million dollars in any of the travel competitions out there. But when it comes to food challenges, Competitours either takes a culturally relevant approach or an experience that is unique and fun for all.
With Regards to a culturally relevant approach, for example, Becky Pokora shared that one of her most favorite challenges of the entire time was making lemon gelato in Sorrento, Italy. Becky shared:
“We didn’t have a recipe!! At the end, we were judged by a master for the closest to a traditional gelato but points were also half-based on your fellow competitors in a blind test. So you end up getting creative and thinking strategically…if you can’t please the judge, can you make something that will be popular with a crowd? The good news is that it’s hard to mess up gelato.“
When it comes to a unique and fun experience, Jo Piz shared how one night she and her mom had a “dinner in the dark” where they ate an entire four course meal in total blackout. For them, it had to be one of the most strange experiences ever. Jo said:
“I can’t really explain it. It was just so weird. I literally used my fingers to eat the majority of the meal because I kept misplacing my fork. I always knew where my wine glass was though :-)”
6) You can’t get disqualified and sent home
For those who watch travel competitions on tv, one of the most disappointing parts is when your favorite team either gets disqualified, voted out by the other members, or is the last to arrive at the pit stop and gets sent home. Who wants to start a race only to not be able to finish it? I would rather race the entire race and finish last, than not finish at all! With Competitours, whether you are ahead on points or at the bottom of the totem pole, you will spend the entire time participating in their mystery events and seeing amazing new places!
7) You might win some amazing prize money
One of the coolest features about the different travel competitions put on by Competitours is that you will get the opportunity to not only accomplish fun, hands-on challenges, but you will do it all in pursuit of several cash grand prizes. Currently they are offering a $3000 grand prize that is be split between the top 3 placing teams. (50% 1st place, 30% 2nd place and 20% 3rd place)
Of course, winning cash prizes and bragging rights is awesome, but one of the coolest things we found was that most past competitors agreed that it wasn’t all that important to them. For example, Bob Maggio who competed with his wife shared:
“We honestly did not care about the prize. I stopped looking at the leader board after day 3; my wife stopped looking after day 5. We both realized we were not in this for the prize or to win. Instead we simply wanted to enjoy each experience and location to the greatest extent possible as this was our vacation.”
8) You don’t have to create some stupid application video
Even if you have an amazing on camera presence, there is no guarantee that you will accepted to those tv travel competitions based on your application video. Therefore, most people don’t even try. With Competitours, you never have to create video to see if they will take you. If you want to compete, all you have to do is register your team for any of the travel competitions they have available. Simple as that.
Plus, you never have to worry about some camera man filming you as you scream like a little girl while you whip down the world’s longest alpine coaster enjoying stunning views of the Swiss Alps. That is of course, unless your teammates want to have something to blackmail you with later!
9) You will meet amazing new friends for life
Famous Irish Poet, William Yeats once said, “There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven’t yet met.” This is definitely a truism you discover when travelling anywhere in the world and can definitely be seen in travel competitions like Competitours. If you have ever participated in any sort of competition, then you know there is always a bit of rivalry. But with these adventures and challenges, you actually find yourself coming together in shared experiences that can create lifelong bonds.
Bob Maggio said, “It was amazing to see such a diverse set of strangers come together and be so comfortable with each other so quickly.” While another competitor, Jerry Mizer similarly said, “we now have friends – good friends – in several States and Canada that we’ve met with since Competitours and regularly keep in touch with several more…their weddings, births of their children, etc.”
10) You won’t get to meet Phil Keoghan but Steve Belkin is a close 2nd…okay maybe 3rd!
In 2009, after participating in a global scavenger hunt a few years before, Steve Belkin started Competitours. According to an interview with Cleveland.com, Steve shared that he wanted to create less intense travel competitions with challenges and adventures that would provide unique twists on familiar destinations.
On top of Competitours, Belkin, also operates a website called bookyouraward.com, which helps frequent flyers book complicated international travel using reward miles. So if you have airline miles and/or credit card points, his team can help you redeem them. Or if you don’t have any, they can help you jumpstart accumulating them so that you can redeem them in lieu of purchasing airfare outright.
On Your Marks…Get Set….GO!!
So you have found an unsuspecting teammate and you are both ready to take on one of the best travel competitions ever. Now What? Well it’s quite simple and easy! Decide on whether you want to tour Europe in the Winter or Summer and register online! Competitours has two upcoming travel competitions available:
Winter 2018: December 16 – 23 (Starting Salzburg, Austria)
Summer 2019: July 14 – 21 (Starting in Geneva, Switzerland)
As you can see, participating in one of Competitours travel competitions might be the craziest and most unique bucket list experience a person can have in Europe! Have you ever wanted to be on the Amazing Race? Is entering travel competitions like a Competitours event on your Bucket List? Let us know in the comments below!
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Disclaimer: The Bucket List Project partnered with the travel competitions company Competitours. With that said, all opinions in “Competitours – One of the best Travel Competions Ever” are our own. Also, “Competitours – One of the best Travel Competions Ever” may contain affiliate links. Using the links doesn’t cost you any extra, and it helps keep The Bucket List Project Blog free, fun, and community supported! We will never recommend a product we don’t genuinely believe in and trust.
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