You won! I what? I WON? Really? AAAHHHHH!!!!

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You won! Contiki competition at TNT travel show!

Okay, yes, I did enter a contest when I went to the travel show. But that was long enough ago that I barely remember entering. And I've never won ANYTHING that wasn't merit-based EVER. So clearly, this is some kind of consolation prize. A keychain or water bottle. Something I'm likely not even going to want, so why have they bothered to send me an email announcing it?

Oh well, I'll open it up and just have a look.

Angela Chorney, you have won your choice of any 10 day Contiki tour worldwide for 2 people!

Um, excuse me? I won WHAT? Anywhere in the WORLD?

Reaction: AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Okay, breathe. Breathe. Scream a little. Breathe!!

Call someone. Joe.

Me: "Omg, omg, omg! Remember the travel show we went to? (Of course you do). Remember the draw we entered for a free 10-day trip with Contiki? (Of course you do). Well... I WON!!!!"

Joe: "You won?"

Me: "YES!! I WON!!" (There was much screaming and shocking disbelief at this point)

Unbelievable. Un-freakin-believable!! I'm in so much shock at this point that I cannot carry on a conversation. I manage to throw out a few words to Joe to tell him that he is coming on this trip with me, but when he tries to ask me questions about where I want to go, I am so worked up I can barely think, let alone start planning. There is really only one thing I AM capable of right now:

Posting the news on Facebook.

A couple of days later, Joe and I have made our decision. The choice was determined by a few factors:


Contiki's conditions:
- any trip they offer, for up to 10 days
- we just have to pay for our flight to the starting destination, and the optional excursions we choose to add
- everything else (transfers, accommodations, about half of the meals) are covered


Our conditions:
- it MUST be somewhere we wouldn't normally go, somewhere kind of random and beyond the scope of reason
- it must depart during the one remaining half-term break that I have left

And so, after much discussion and research over the past few days, it is decided.

We are going to Vietnam!! (with a little side trip to Bangkok on the way)


To answer your questions:
1. Yes, really.
2. Because... Why NOT?
3. We leave May 27th.

If you're interested in seeing exactly where I'll be and what I'll be doing, you can check out the trip itinerary here: http://contiki.co.uk/tours/217-vietnam-highlights/itinerary