THIS CONTEST IS NOW OVER! THANK YOU FOR ENTERING! PUBLIC VOTING WILL BEGIN SHORTLY!

My solo first trip was to Costa Rica in 2003. I had never been out of the country before, and I went with a company called Gap Adventures. I don’t even remember how I found them, but I liked what they stood for. They are an eco-friendly, sustainable tourism company. (Check out my recent interview with their founder Bruce Poon Tip). That trip put me on the path that brought me here. I left Costa Rica with an insatiable appetite for travel. This year, I want to start someone else on the path towards becoming a travel junkie. With that said, I’m happy to announce that, in conjunction with Gap Adventures, I am giving away a FREE TWO WEEK TRIP TO COSTA RICA (WITH AIRFARE)! Pretty amazing, huh? Here are the details on how to enter and win:

What do you win? Gap Adventures Costa Rica Explorer plus airfare. Yes, that’s right, not only do you get a two week vacation, but you also get the plane ticket there too. This trip is only for one person.

How do you win? To win this great prize, you need to write a 550 word blog post (to put on your blog) or create a 1 ½ minute video (to put on a video hosting site like YouTube or Vimeo) answering the following question: “Why do you want this trip, and what do you hope to get out of it?” Pretty easy! Just tell us why deserve this lovely prize.

Your blog entry must include a link back to this announcement page as well as mention that Nomadic Matt and Gap Adventures are giving this trip away and that it is our contest you are entering.

Then submit your entry by doing the following:

• Become a fan of Gap Adventures and Nomadic Matt on Facebook.
• Submit the url of your blog post or video to this email address: thenomadicmatt @ gmail dot com with the title “Costa Rica Giveaway”
• Optional tweet if you are on Twitter: “I just entered to win a free trip to Costa Rica from @nomadicmatt and @gapadventures (insert the shortened url of your entry so people can read it)
• Tell all your friends to vote in the public voting.  The public will help select the best entries so tell the world and get them involved.

Winner Responsibilities: The winner will be required to blog about their trip and what they learned. You will have to blog for the two weeks you are on the trip as well as when you return home, discussing what you learned, how the trip made a difference to you, and about environmental and sustainable tourism. A blog url, site, and quick tutorial on websites will be provided for you. You’ll need a camera or video camera of your own and will have to post two blogs per week.

Important dates: The contest begins today (January 4th) and goes until February 14th. Finalists will be voted on and selected through March 1st. The final winner will be revealed on March 7th. The winner will be required to go on the March 28th, 2010 departure. anytime before June 30th, 2010. We’ve decided to add more options so you can get to Costa Rica when it’s convenient for you!

How winners are selected: The best entries will be compiled into a list of 50 to be voted on by the public. The top 10 entries will then be voted on by myself, Bruce Poon Tip (Gap’s CEO), and 3 other travel bloggers.

What are we looking for? Something creative and unique. Entries that are original, creative, funny, thoughtful, and with a compelling story are the ones that will make it to the finals. Be daring, be different.

Other Important Disclosures:

1. All food, drink, extra activities, shopping, and anything not included in the flight or tour will not be paid for by Nomadic Matt or Gap Adventures.
2. You must have a valid passport.
3. You must be 18 years or older.
4. Applicants can be from any country in the world.
5. Any visa fees or processes required by Costa Rica must be taken care of by the winner.
6. You must have your own computer. We won’t be providing one for you.
7. Travel insurance is required and is the responsibility of the winner.

Good Luck!