Turtle Soup, Stir-fry Mouse or Barbequed Rattlesnake?

We are less than two weeks out from the Global Scavenger Hunt.  When we initially spoke with the organizers we had been told that we get to pick which challenges we want to do out of a list of challenges.  We are very excited and look forward to doing the charity challenges and anything else that sounds interesting.  I am very competitive.  I like the idea of coming in first and winning.  The prize for first place is a free trip the following year.  But this trip is going to be different and I am willing to put my competitiveness on hold.  Maria and I have decided the most important thing is to have this trip bring us a lifetime of memories versus blisters, sore muscles and lack of sleep.  We are willing to do challenges that may not have the highest point values but sound interesting to us.

While Maria felt the Scavenger Hunt would be fun she was really hoping there would be no food challenges. We read a blog of last year's trip and found that some challenges are mandatory while others are optional.  There are even some mandatory food challenges.  Last year in Taiwan one of the food challenges was turtle soup, stir fry mouse or BBQ rattlesnake.  I think I would have chosen the rattle snake. What would you chose?

We still need help with charity donations to the Great Escape Foundation. Below is an excerpt of   my February 18th blog.  Your donation also helps me to reaffirm that you benefit from this blog, as I am asking for a $4 donation if you read this blog and have ever benefited.

February 18, 2013 blog: The Global Scavenger Hunt™is going to be leaving from Los Angeles. This is the exciting travel adventure competition that is going to take us around-the-world in April 2013.  Well, in addition to all the fun we are going to have competing for The World’s Greatest Travelers™ crown, we have joined forces with the events organizers to help focus on issues that affect our Global Village with the GreatEscape Foundation.

The GreatEscape Foundation -- a 501(c)(3) California tax-exempt non-profit corporation -- is a global charitable organization designed to have a lasting impact on thousands of lives over the coming years. In conjunction with the GreatEscape2013 travel adventure competition, it is the goal of all competitors to raise $1 million through the GreatEscape Foundation for great noble causes such as: Doctors without Borders, KIVA, Partners in Health, Free the Children, the Nomad Foundation, and the World Monuments Fund, among others. Each one a great cause that achieves wonderful things in the world.

We appreciate the fact that you are personally inundated with requests from many worthwhile organizations, and that you must decide where you feel your contributions will have the greatest impact. By supporting us and the GreatEscape Foundation, you would be sharing in our deep personal commitment and philosophy of life, that giving back to our community is a critically important aspect of being both decent citizens and in sharing with those less fortunate our own personal successes. 

I know in these difficult financial times it is hard for some of you to give to others when you are struggling yourself.  So here is what I suggest.  If you have benefited from this blog, even if it was only once, how about sponsoring us for a $.0001 a kilometer ($.0001 = $4) based on our team completing the estimated 40,000 kilometer around-the-world competition.  Of course if you could spare a donation of .001 a kilometer for a $40 donation it would be greatly appreciated.  For my friends who want a really large tax write-off a donation of $.01 a kilometer = $400 will earn you one free United Airline lounge pass.   The GreatEscape Foundation has grand and noble aspirations, but it can’t achieve its goals without the help of people like you and me helping it grow and expand. 

You might not think $4 would help but if every reader donated we could do great things. Any amount will be greatly appreciated.  For my readers from countries outside the United States, who knows, we might be visiting you in April. Please click on the donate button on the right side of the blogstarttravelingforless.blogspot.com or click here.

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