It was an ordinary day, just like any other. In fact so indistinguishable from any other day that I cannot tell you the date or even the day now. I was home alone, the children were at school, husband at work, a normal afternoon. The telephone rang and I answered it. I had won a holiday!
Off course I had won holidays before, I was familiar with the cold call announcing an amazing win. The caller always explained the fabulous prize, then explained the catch! Sometimes a compulsory attendance for 2 people at a London based seminar (read sales event) and/ or all flights and taxes had to be paid by me ......... so not really a free holiday at all!!
This caller claimed to be from a travel agent (one I had never heard off),she said I had won a holiday for 2 people to New Zealand (not very believable) and that it was the prize in a competition I had entered (which I didn't even recall!) I listened intently for the catch to come but it didn't. I gave a few of my details said I would discuss it with my husband and the 'travel agent' would call me again.
I immediately looked up the travel agency online and it seemed to be real. I looked up the competition I had entered and it clearly existed, the prize from an online lingerie company no less... a holiday of a lifetime and rather expensive swimwear. I spoke to my husband and we decided to watch and wait.
I was still in denial when we arrived at the airport, I expected to be told there were no flights, no holiday and no win. But it was all real! I had indeed won an all expenses trip for a week to New
Zealand.
We didn't take many photos, we missed the children dreadfully, we wished we had extended our stay (we did manage 10 days in the end) and we really loved the small part of New Zealand we saw.
Hundreds of dolphins (with a few whales) on a boat trip from Auckland
A vineyard tour on the Island of Waiheke
A rainbow over the Coromandel
This is my second story about winning, last month was all about my mum winning a car, this time it was all about me! I think our winning streak has now run out! Also just in case you are interested I never did get any of the expensive swimwear I was meant to win but it didn't really matter!
Please visit Sian's blog from High in the sky for more story telling Sunday tales from around the globe xxx
I would have expected it to be a trick/cold call as well - how amazing that it was really a free vacation in New Zealang. That is one of the places I would love to go - it looks so amazing.
ReplyDeletelucky you!!!!!!!! fabulous photos! love the story!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, great prize! NZ is beautiful, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteWow! I read your fab introduction, then as I started to read more I began to wonder if this was an April Fools Story - then I saw the photos! Amazing! Of course, there is that tale which says good luck comes in threes - so maybe there inother big win somewhere in your future?
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for joining us with you amazing good luck story today
Who wants expensive swimwear when you can win a holiday like that????? Glad you had a good time even if you missed the kids.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful is that?! Delighted it was for real, and it looks as if you had an amazing time ...
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful Ruth - nice to know it IS possible to win something so splendid!
ReplyDeleteI had to endure a sales pitch for a holiday once - awful long drawn out affair and we never did avail ourselves of the free holiday - it was just too inconvenient! My brother did ... he then had to endure a sales pitch on the holiday as well!
How fab that it wasn't all a con after all! It looks like you had a lovely time :)
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