Submit an Essay, Win Eight Ultimate Adventure Travel Vacations with the World’s Best Travel Companies
San Francisco, California — May 18, 2010 — Seven members of the Adventure Collection, a partnership the premier adventure travel companies in the world, announced today their participation in a groundbreaking new online travel contest that leverages the growing influence of social media. To enter, adventure travelers must submit an essay of 400 words or less to Blog Your Way Around the World, http://www.blogyourwayaroundtheworld.com , then invite their friends to vote for them for a chance to win eight world-class expeditions in Africa, Canada, Central America, Europe, South America, Indonesia and the United States—provided by some of the most respected adventure travel companies on the planet.

Contest prizes include whitewater rafting http://www.oars.com , bicycle touring http://backroads.com , heli-hiking http://www.canadianmountainholidays.com/heli-hiking , polar bear viewing http://www.nathab.com/polar-bear-tours , bird watching, zip-lining, snorkeling, sea kayaking, as well as two five-star expedition cruises http://www.expeditions.com and an African safari http://www.micato.com . In addition to winning eight of the world's greatest adventures, the winner and one guest will also receive a total airfare credit of $8000 and a gear package provided by top suppliers. Gear sponsors for the contest include: Ex Officio, Teva, Smith Optics, Eagle Creek Travel Gear, Outdoor Photographer, AFAR Magazine and Gaiam. The total prize package, with gear, has a value of nearly $80,000.

Natural Habitat Adventures founder and contest visionary, Ben Bressler, stated from his office in Boulder, Colorado: “Travel, at its best, serves to inspire individuals, unite cultures and protect our planet. Essay submissions should express why you think you deserve to win and include the details of how you will inspire others through your writing should you be selected as the winner.”

Contest entries must be submitted by December 31, 2010, and the essay entry with the most votes wins. Contestants are encouraged to solicit votes via email and social media, including Facebook and Twitter. The winner and their guest will have until December 31st, 2014, to complete their travel, and s/he must agree to post blog entries prior to travel, throughout their travels and upon his or her return home from each adventure.

Each award-winning adventure travel company is offering a trip for two on one of their flagship experiences, including:

• Whitewater rafting on Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River with O.A.R.S. http://www.oars.com , National Geographic Adventure’s “Best River & Sea Outfitter on Earth” and one of Travel & Leisure’s “Top 33” Adventure Outfitters.

• Polar bear...