People are always asking, what’s your next trip Mike? Well, I do have a few International trips lined up but I am taking them one by one.

Next week I am off on my most interesting travel adventure.

In January, a travel website that I frequent, FlyerTalk, made an announcement that they would sponsor a number of teams in an Amazing Race-like travel experience. After reading the details and saying “Yeah, I can do this shit,” I was on the phone with my friend George who I actually met through the site back in 2000 when I was traveling mucho. We decided to apply, as a pair. After sifting through the applications, the owner of the site and frequent flyer guru, Randy Petersen selected George & me as one of the teams that he would sponsor. A free trip to Europe (with spending stipend) to have fun was in store…

So what exactly is this??? The company and travel experience goes by the name Competitours. Basically, starting in the late spring people will start paying to have this Amazing Race-type experience. BUT, we get to be the guinea pigs who are the trial runners of this little venture with a dozen other teams.

Competitours is a bit different from the Amazing Race in that it isn’t really a race per se. Each team will be required to perform tasks in an effort to earn points which have varying value based on difficulty.

Instead of speed or strength, teams will need a VERSATILE mix of special abilities to master the challenges:

• creativity
• teamwork
• daring
• resourcefulness
• inventiveness
• a bit of zaniness

Sounds like George and I will be pretty good at this. One of the exciting parts is that we don’t know where we’re going. We depart on Sunday (the 15th) and know that we are flying into Frankfurt, but from there, anywhere in Western Europe is a distinct possibility.

Keep checking MIKETOWN for updates!