I Won Qantas Flights to Sydney!!
From the briefest of chance encounters and split second decisions, can come the most important, life changing events. This is my story of how I Won Qantas flights to Sydney, Australia!
Very often in life, the most wonderful things that happen to us come from the unexpected and unplanned. It’s those completely out of the blue moments that can forever change the paths that we take. Which can, in turn bring a whole new direction to our lives.
It was the end of a normal working day in 2016. I was sat at my office desk catching up on an Instagram feed, being all part and parcel of my previous life back then. Heavily involved in the running of our busy Motorhome hire business, not wanting to miss our updates, out in the the world of social media.
Finishing Work For The Day
My husband was sat beside me, in preparation to close up for the night before heading home after an exceptionally long afternoon.
Just as I was about to move the mouse and ‘shut down’ my computer screen, I noticed a few words from Heathrow Airports’ Instagram page which resonated a chord in me. Compelling me to put my fingers to the keyboard.
It was, unbeknown to me at the time, to become one of the most incredible, life changing decisions for both of us.
Competition time
The Heathrow Airport feed that I’d cast my eyes upon was a competition to mark their 70th Birthday. To be in with a chance of winning one of a selection of prizes, they were asking for people to simply write their own story. A memory from a time that they’d passed through this iconic airport terminal.
For me, my first real encounter into the world of air travel, as a shy 9 year old girl, happened to be on my maiden voyage overseas. This took me through this fascinating, exciting and most bustling of environments, Heathrow Airport.
To me back then in 1980, having never having flown before and barely having stepped out of Wales. The excitement of those first steps through to the romantic world of one of the world’s busiest airports, was intensely captivating.
Those memories of my 9 year old self stepping through those famous doors into the glamorous and glorious Heathrow terminal, propelled me to put fingers to keypad. For a moment my recollection of fondest memories of that day over 36 years ago came flooding back.
Clicking Send
Before I knew it my story was complete. My excitement of the childhood Heathrow experience still was as clear in my mind, as it had been so long ago. There I was re-living the whole moment, crystal clear memories as if it was yesterday.
I’d now submitted them into the world of cyber space. Crossing the line from my own personnel recollections on my computer screen, disappearing across the web. All whilst my husband enquired as to what on earth was I doing and could we possibly go home yet?
The weeks passed by and my hurried little writing competition escapade was long since forgotten. When suddenly, out of the blue an e-mail appeared into my inbox that was to change our future.
Receiving the Ultimate e-mail
I could barely contain myself, when I read the the words in front of me from the team at the Heathrow 70 competition.
It read, Congratulations, you have won “The Ultimate Trip” flights for two with Qantas and 5 nights in Sydney!!
I was so overwhelmed and found it so unreal. For a long while, I actually thought it may be a scam!
Can you imagine, little old me actually winning the most amazing prize. Flying off to the most far away of iconic destinations. Wow was all I could say! I actually won Qantas flights to Sydney, Australia!
Planning the trip
From this day forth, our life took a different angle. Already having decided to finish our Motorhome hire business at the end of the 2016 season.
Choosing to just close our doors one last time. We no longer wanted or needed the pressures of working for ourselves and felt that our 30 years+ of full-time work was taking its toll.
We were ready for change. This prize winning competition, that we suddenly found ourselves beneficiary of, was our ticket to a very different opportunity.
The chance to embark on our big hobby of campervan travel on a continent that we’d yet to explore. All for a length of time that we’d never been previously able to take.
On realising that this could be a unique experience for us. We were overjoyed to be able to alter our return flight dates through Austravel. As long as we travelled out on the 31st May 2017, we were thankfully able to amend the return flight with them, to suit our requirements.
A 6 Month Trip Across Australia
So, we took the plunge. Extending the trip to no less than 6 months. Then we started planning what turned out to be the most incredible, life changing trip for us.
Travelling overland across the vast expanse of Australia, in the smallest of campervans. Our journey covered an inspirational 23,208km.
Through outback desserts to the golden glows of the East coast. Passing immense Tropical rainforests through iconic city landscapes. Alongside Crocodile infested rivers and the dust of the red centre. This was our journey and it was both breathtaking and unforgettable.
It actually instilled in us the extra sense of adventure, which has lead us to a new level of campervan travel and a change of direction from the life we once had.
A Really Lucky Prize
From a chance moment of madness, in writing my story came a moral for me. A reminder, that not only do we have to take each opportunity presented to us, but we must also believe that we can do these things. Even when the odds are stacked against us.
After all, my story was one of over 8000 stories that Heathrow Airport had received for their #Heathow70 competition. Yet against the odds of winning, I was one of the lucky few.
Although I have thanked them before. I do thank the team again, from the bottom of my heart for the prize of a lifetime.
It certainly lived up to it’s promotional name of “The Ultimate Trip”! I certainly couldn’t believe that I’d won Qantas flights to Sydney!
The Biggest of Thank You goes to all of you: QANTAS Heathrow Airport PARKROYAL Hotel Darling Harbour, Sydney and Austravel
From one of those lucky 1st prize winners,
G’day mate!
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