#winning

Yes, that’s right! I just won an 8 Day / 7 Night all-expense paid trip to FIJI!!!!!!!!!!!!  The trip is courtesy of Waterways Travel, one of the most experienced and renowned surf-travel outfits in the world, based out of Santa Monica, CA; and The Inertia, one of the action-sports world’s highest-profile web-publishers, focusing on surfing and mountain sports, also based out of Santa Monica. It includes EVERYTHING. Airfare from LAX; round-trip transportation to and from the airports; first-class accommodations (oceanfront bure) at Waidroka Bay Resort; 3 meals per day; hotel taxes; and daily boat rides to the surf breaks! Needless to say, I am stoked out of my mind!

Fiji is a true “bucket-list” destination for me and any surfer (or anyone, really). We have decided to also take our girls, Kendall & Kaelyn, ages 15 and 12, with us. We were planning a family trip to Nicaragua for next summer and that trip for all of us would have cost almost as much as carrying two extra to Fiji! So, we are now looking forward to traveling halfway around the world with them, further broadening their minds and perspective, while introducing them to Fijian culture. I understand that the Fijans are some of the friendliest people on earth. I know that Fiji is one of Kelly Slater’s favorite places on the planet, and I am guessing that his world perspective is as broad and deep as anyone’s.

The contest was promoted through The Inertia, a website I have written for fairly extensively in the past. It was well-promoted both on their website and within various social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, ect.). I originally saw it on Instagram. On some channels, and on the Inertia Website, all you had to do to enter was provide your email address. On Instagram, the Inertia asked entrants to state why they felt they should win the trip and to tag their posts with the hashtag, #GoThere.

Here is my post. As you’ll see, I did a few key things. I came up with not one, but multiple reasons I should win. I also offered to WORK for the prize by promising to write 12 articles for the Inertia in 2015, including 4 for Waterways. I also promised to report back about my trip on The Inertia and in social media, and offered to dedicate a full day of our trip to the service of the local people, something I am passionate about. I also tossed in a little humor, which always helps, generally.

My post, while written to entertain, was also at its core, sincere. This is truly a dream come true for me. When I saw the opportunity, I simply used a little creativity to come up with a Win-Win-Win proposition for myself, the publisher and the advertiser. I love writing generally, and love writing for The Inertia in particular. And I am stoked to get to work more closely with Waterways Travel, because my surf-tripping won’t stop at Fiji. I consider traveling (and traveling for surf, specifically), core to my being, even if it had become more challenging financially for me, recently. Below is a copy of my post and a few pics from the Waidroka Bay Resort website showing some of the waves in the area. We are leaning towards traveling in late May or early June and hope to catch it good!

@theinertia @waterwaystravel :

Why I should win the Waidroka trip:

1. I’m a goofyfooter

2. FIJI’s on my bucket list and I’m not getting any younger

3. I haven’t been able to travel for surf outside the US for 5+ years due to tight budget

4. …I’m willing to work for it

If I win, I will commit to:

1. Drop in on ANYTHING FIJI throws at me, including purple-blob swells at Frigates

2. Post social media updates 2x per day during my trip on both The Inertia’s and Waterways Travel’s FB, Twitter and IG accounts

3. Provide a multi-media wrap article detailing my full experience (I’m handy with an iPhone and hoping Santa sponsors me with a Go-Pro for Christmas. If not, I’ll borrow a friend’s!)

4. Write (1) feature article per month for The Inertia in 2015. These will alternately be more compelling than Reid Levin’s, “40 Foot Jelly Fish Attacks Anastasia Ashley on a 100’ Wave” pieces; funnier than Alex Haro’s tall tales (but with improved syntax); or more insightful and culturally significant than Zach Weisberg’s meaningful social commentaries

5. Become Waterways Travels’ top advocate for hard-working, surf-addicted, middle-class families for whom surf-travel is economically challenging, but necessary

6. Dedicate a full day of my trip to the service of the locals

#sohelpmeJesus #GoThere #Fiji #giveaway #surftrip #surfsomething #everybodysripping

A Mutant Mini Teahupo’o

Power anyone? Frigates Passage in Fiji