My friend Jenn found this travel writing contest we’re both going to enter (because hey, why not?) in her latest National Geographic Traveler magazine. 99% of the advertisement looks totally normal. They’re looking for “the next great storyteller” and allowing entries in four different categories: blogs, magazine articles, videos, or photo essays.
However, the fine print is intriguing.
There’s some typical stuff – entry fee, contest dates and deadlines, a website to visit for all the official rules, yada yada yada – and then it states that residents of certain areas are prohibited from entering. Those areas are, in a slightly rearranged order for dramatic effect:
Arizona
Cuba
New Jersey
Iran
North Korea
Quebec
Sudan
Syria
Vermont
I always knew Jersey was a hotbed of travel essay cheaters, but I never suspected Vermont.
I look at all of this as increasing our chances to win. Clearly.