Jaunted

Contest entry - kayaking!

Competitors could be required to get from one point to another by kayak or only through water routes. This could work in several cities, such as Amsterdam, Stockholm or Venice.

Competitiours Contest - Firenze, Italy

Be an artist, a bad one. Climb to the top of Florence's Piazzale Michelangelo and find the bronze "David" standing in the center of the square. Draw a silly version of the famous statue, taping the reactions of the passersby.

Contest entry - help stimulate the local economy

This could be anywhere in the world, but for this example, let's use Costa Rica. Competitours could have teams work for local sustainable farms such as coffee or yucca fields, pick a certain amount while documenting the actual work that goes into it, interview a local worker about how it benefits them, and then at the end, drink/eat/see the fruits of their labor, and create a commercial on why this type of industry is so important for our future. This would be educational, we could help stimulate the local economy through volunteering, and we could use this for environmental commercials for the future!!

Competitours Contest Entry

Loving these comments so far. I think the kayak one could really be used, and it would be fun. The sustainable farm thing is a great idea, but I'm afraid it'd be something more of a travel idea/vacation idea than something for competitours that is a shorter travel competition. A bunch of the most recent competitours competitions were based on items. IE: Finding names of things. As opposed to visual items. I would like to see competitours have maybe a little more interaction with the local people. I'd love to see two American travelers trying to talk and communicate ideas with people from other cultures. A challenge that could go along with that might be along the lines of say, interview a local boxing champion while in the French city of Paris. Ok, it might be a bit daunting for a lot of people, but I, and I don't speak a word of French, would love a challenge like that. Another idea I had, for a nice amount of points, persuade a local band from whichever city you're in to let you play with them. Even if you don't play an instrument (you can always sing) it would be great to watch that video! I've been trying to get funding for Competitours, you can follow me on my site: http://2Guys2Backpacks.com *me crosses fingers for contest*

Roam around Rome

The heart of Rome lies east of the Tiber River in the famous Seven Hills of Rome: Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and Viminal.

Packed with history, art, religion, and politics these seven hills are a taste of Roman culture.

Contestants will be given the following:
A blank map of the seven hills, without the names of the hills labeled. (Though some of the hills are not quite as intact as they used to be, a native Roman will be able to help the contestant fill in the blanks)
7 Envelopes of "picture clues"
A Polaroid camera
A day-pass metro ticket
Pen and Paper
Museum Passes (if needed)
Compass

Contestants will be instructed to open a certain "hill" envelope (our example will be the Capitoline Hill Packet).

Inside, there will be a number of photographs of famous monuments, art works, etc that can be found on that certain hill. A small fact or question about the landmark will be given below the picture as a hint.

Contestants will use whatever means they can (including help from native Romans), to identify each landmark correctly.
(Example: A picture of the famous "Colossus of Constantine" sculptures in the Capitoline Museum).

Contestants must also take a picture in front of that landmark, and all contestants must be present in the picture (this means, they will have to ask somebody to take the picture for them).

Once they have identified and labeled all of the pictures from the hill's enevelope, and taken pictures of themselves in front of the same landmarks, they will need to take the first letter from each of the labeled landmarks (Ex: For "Colossus of Constantine" it would be C), and unscramble these letters to learn the name of the next hill they will need to visit.

Using the filled-out map and metro tickets, they will journey to all seven hills. The camera given to them will have a "time" function that will display the time on the picture. This will insure that contestants went in the correct order, as per the clues. It is important that the correct order is followed to get to the finish line!

The last hill they will visit will be the Aventine hill, home of the "Secret Keyhole". The Aventine envelope will not have picture clues in it. Instead, it will have a list of the six other hills, and a "direction" next to it. (Example: Capitoline Hill-- Walk for about 5 minutes Northwest on X Lane until you reach Y Lane, or Quirinal Hill--Take a left on this street and walk 20 km until you reach an old oak tree, etc). There will be a starting point given as well.

The contestant should number each hill's name on the list, according to the order in which they went to the hills that day (Ex: #1=Capitoline, if Capitoline was the first hill you went to, OR #2= Esquiline, if Esquiline was the second hill you went to). If the contestant puts the hills in order on the list, 1 to 6, the directions in that order should lead to the Secret Keyhole from the starting point on Aventine Hill.

When they look through the keyhole, it will reveal a secret location that they will need to travel to (it's pretty obvious). This will be the finish line, where they will be given a photo album to store their photos from their adventure!

Eastern Europe

Visit the village town of Viscri, Romania. Herd the horses and cows out to their pastures and learn to drive a mule cart.

Sofia, Bulgaria: Navigate the streets of Sofia with a Bulgarian map and Cyrillic alphabet to find the six famous churches of Sofia:
Church of St George
Church of St Sophia
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
St Nedelya Church
Church of St Petka
Russian Church

National Anthem

The objectives of the challenge would be for the team to find a local who was willing to teach them that particular countries national anthem in that countries language. Once they've got a grasp on it, along with their local, they must find a flag from that country and perform underneath it for the people passing by. This could be done in any country and would be hilarious. Thanks.

Venice at work:

Convince a Gondolier to switch clothes with you. Give the gondolier a tour of Venice after getting him a date for the ride and romantically serenade the couple.

Mudlarking in London

Here's a challenge for visitors to London:

At one time mudlarking was considered one of the worst "jobs you could do in London.

Part A: Describe the difference between toshing, grubbing and mudlarking.

Part B: Go mudlarking on the banks of the Thame until you have acquired three things, and describe on video what they are, or what you think they are.

Part C: Sell or Appraise. Once you have three things, find a stranger who will buy the items OR find a shopkeeper to appraise the items and give you the approximate value. In either case, note the amount on video.

adaptive reuse

Ever imagined what it would be like to wake up in prison, walk on the wing of a 747 or live in a bomb shelter? You can do all of these things in Stockholm. Your challenge would be to, first, find and visit each of the places mentioned above, providing a brief video tour and description of what guests might experience. Then, locate some kind of structure in the city and invent a new purpose for it. Provide a 30-second commercial about it, how it would be used and why people would like it.

Competitours Contest Entry

1. Create a music video in Paris featuring a chipmunk, pig and a spoon. 2. Film, documentary-style, the process of your team creating a miniature replica of (a monument of the location) with toothpicks 3. Visit several cafes/restaurants/places of business and film customers or passersby. Dub the film with 'soap opera-type' subtitles or voiceover 4. In front of (a castle or forest),recreate the Knights Who Say "Ni" seen from Monty Python's Holy Grail - include requesting unsuspecting bystanders to "bring you a shrubbery". Extra points for receiving (on film) actual shrubbery. 5. Set up a 'donation hat' in front of (a monument) and choose one team member to dance, another to sing one of the following: The Macarena The Hustle The Hokey Pokey Extra points if you can get bystanders to dance/sing with you 6. Persuade bystanders to join your group tour of (landmark) and proceed to make up a complete 5 - 10 tour HOPE WE WIN - HAVE BEEN DYING TO GOT SINCE THIS SPRING!! M. and R. Kepler

Competitours contest entry - Aeolian Adventure

The challenge begins in the town of Lipari in the Aeolian Islands or Lipari Islands. Contestants must find a way to get to Stromboli, one of the other islands in this volcanic archipelago that is part of Italy. Competitors must find two cultural or literary works that feature Stromboli. This could include (but not be listed in the task) any of the following: A copy of Jules Verne's novel Journey to the Center of the Earth; A copy of the film and Disney classic Pinocchio (1940); A copy of the 1950 film Stromboli directed by Roberto Rossellini and starring Ingrid Bergman; A copy of Tolkein's Lord of the Rings showing where Stromboli is mentioned; A copy of the film Caro Diario (Dear Diary) (1993); A copy of the Book of the Dead by authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, that ends with a chase up the active volcano; Competitors must also bring back at least one photograph of the volcano on Stromboli erupting at night that they have photographed themselves.

Surf & Turf Competitours Challenge Idea

Munich's Englischer Garten is larger than NY's Central Park and the perfect place for conducting a scavenger hunt. In this challenge, find the following people, places or things:

1. A surfer in action (explain where in the park you are).

3. A Japanese tea ceremony in progress (full points for teams that participate).

3. A non-team member chugging a beer in front of a Chinese tower.

4. "FKK" -- first describe what it is, and where it is done. Full points are awarded to a team that interviews--on camera--someone doing the activity (G-rated video only, please). If that is not possible, one of the team members must perform the activity.

5. A flamingo (live or otherwise).

Competitours Contest Entry

Travel to Athens and climb up to the Pnyx (the ancient meeting grounds of the world's first democracy where the famous orators spoke) in the shadow of the Parthenon atop the Acropolis. Shoot a 30-60 second debate on why the Elgin Marbles (marble sculptures from the Parthenon taken by Lord Elgin in the 19th century) should be brought back to Athens from the British Museum in London.

Cockney Challenge

This challenge takes place in London.

Teams will start off somewhere in the East End, armed with 5 rhyming-slang cockney phrases and a digital camera.

They will have to make their way from the East End to Trafalgar Square by way of black cabs, getting the cabbies' help to translate the phrases as they go.  They will take a picture with each cabbie that helps out. (remember to leave a big tip!)

Teams may only get one phrase translated by each driver, but can take as many cabs as necessary to get all 5 phrases translated.

First ones ta Cockfosters wifout bein' Pete Tong will 'ave a bubble bath in the boat race of the other teams!

Competitours Contest by Tabitha Ansley

The Roquefort Files 1: Head to Aveyron region of France and look for the animal that is used to produce the the world-famous Roquefort cheese. Once found, sweet talk an area farmer to give you a "hands-on" demonstration of milking that animal. (one suggestion is The Bernat Farm (Tel: 0033 5 65 58 58 58). 2: Have a local describe the Roquefort legend. 3. Take a tour of the Roquefort caves and while there ask an expert to answer the following questions: What is the temperature of the caves? How long is the cheese aged? What causes the blue veins in the cheese. 4. Seek out a crepe made with the cheese at a Roquefort creperie.Eat it and enjoy!!

Scotland

This challenge takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland! The team will begin their journey at the top of the Sir Walter Scott Monument, where they receive their mission. Part of the mission is finding and climbing to the top of the monument! (It's kind of hard to miss!) The team will have to make their way, on foot, to the Dean Gallery. In the Dean Gallery, there is a giant, two-story, metal sculpture of a human-like figure. The team must find ten strangers to pose like this sculpture (they will have a digital camera to document the strangers) on their way to the gallery. When and if they reach the gallery with ten photos, they win the challenge!

Père Lachaise Cemetery

In the famous cemetery in Paris, go to the fenced-off grave of Jim Morrison, which receives an endless stream of visitors. Recruit a group of people who would describe themselves as music fans in Morrison's outlaw spirit. Take an hour to choreograph the legendary dance from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. Then, acting like zombies, limp up the pathway to Oscar Wilde's famous grave, which receives its own horde of guests. Lead the group's performance of the Thriller dance in the graveyard for all of Oscar Wilde's adoring fans.

Truffle Fever

In this culinary adventure you will hunt for truffles in Istria, Croatia (the best preserved truffle area in the world). After finding your truffles, go to a local restaurant and ask the chef to use your findings to make a specialty Croatian truffle dish. Enjoy your truffle dish with but watch out for their supposed aphrodisiac effect! *Truffle hunting is seasonal and can be done in many European countries.

Peat Bogs in the Scottish Highlands

Participants will visit a whiskey distillery in the Scottish Highlands (Aberdeenshire). After learning about the distillery and the distillation process of Scottish whiskey, participants must take part in retrieving peat, a traditional form of energy source which is created through the accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter which has been dried. The peat is required by the distillery to dry malted barley. Participants must use local knowledge by inquiring natives about the peat harvesting process in the Scottish Highlands. Participants will need to go find a field where they can slice out of the earth 20 pieces of wet peat, bring it back to the distillery with a wheelbarrow or cart and lay it out to dry before it can be used as an energy source. After this task, participants will be rewarded with a taste of Scottish whiskey that has a strong and distinctive flavor from the smoke given off by peat fires when drying the malted barley. Participants will be required to document their experience by taking a video in front of their 'drying' peat with a bottle of local Scottish whiskey while explaining and describing the flavor that is added to the whiskey when using a traditional energy source (peat) in the whiskey distillation process.

Convincing Chocolatiers

While in Belgium, interview a Belgian chocolatier about their work. Learn about the process of making gourmet chocolate from bean to bar; where their beans are primarily supplied from, differences in beans from different parts of the world, history of chocolate and its role in modern society, and what kinds of secret ingredients or techniques make the best chocolate.

Swiss and Belgian chocolates are considered among the best in the world, and their respective fans often argue about which is better. Get your Belgian chocolatier to explain why Belgian chocolate is better than Swiss!

Man Vs Machine Copenhagen

Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is known as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world. More than a third of all its residents commute by bicycle, whether they rent, own, or borrow a city bike. Copenhagen is a model city for both bicycle and automobile infrastructure. In this challenge teammates will split up to discover which is more efficient- man or machine. With one person traveling by taxi and the other by bicycle, both teammates will race from Copenhagen's central square, Kongens Nytorv, cross the Inderhaven canal, and finish at the Copenhagen Opera House. The mode of transportation used by the member to first arrive at the opera house will determine the winner of the dispute: Man Vs Machine.

Auctioning Flowers in Holland

For this challenge the teams must make their way to the Aalsmeer Flower Auction (10 miles outside of Amsterdam). Known for being the world's largest flower auction, more than 20 million flowers are auctioned off in Aalsmeer each day.

Head to the catwalk, high above the auctions main floor to view and learn the Dutch auction process. Which unlike a traditional auction, the bidding is done on decreasing amounts.

Then, use your newly acquired skills by auctioning off a dozen flowers to the passerbys in Amsterdam's lively Leidseplein.

Which Way?

Ask a local for directions to a US location. Continue asking questions as if you don't understand WHY you can't get there from here... The longer you can keep the local engaged in the conversation and helping - the better!

Breaking News!! contest entry

As a Competitour's News Reporter, videotape a live `Breaking News' story that involves a cow, clear adhesive tape (such as Scotch)and a sandwich. Gain special consideration by including the cow, tape and sandwich in your footage. Double bonus points for getting a real cow on camera!

Fairy Tale

Use an existing or create your own fairy tale that takes place at the visiting location. Do your best to include props from your given location, which can include bystanders as actors. The more elaborate you get with costume, makeup, etc. the better. Don't forget the moral of the story!

Taste of the Town! Contest Entry

You will become a Competitours Food TV Host while on location filming in "XYZ". This challenge could work in just about any town that has multiple food and drink establishments.  Find a restaurant/pub that will allow you to videotape footage in their eatery.    Your goal is to convince an employee to create a "locally inspired" menu item in your/Competitours' honor.  Be sure to describe how the dish/drink is inspired by the region (embellishing wildly on camera, of course!).  You can receive bonus points if you're able to do the following on camera:
A.    Get the menu item added to the "Daily Specials" board
B.    Convince a patron to order and critique your dish/drink
C.    Get an employee to convince one or more patrons to order your new menu item

you want to do what?

Most of these challenges take no skill. Though knowing how to read a map helps. I did seven cites, seriously I could think of things all day. I actually thought about a company like this a few years back, great idea. I love to travel, I'd love to try this, for the experience, though the prize would be great too! I haven't even read anyone elses comments, sorry if my ideas sound like yours... its a travelers mind...

London - The kiwis staying in London have an event that they celebrate every year. Its the circle line pub crawl, held on Waitangi Day. It starts early in the day and goes for twelve hours, 29 stops, ending in Leicester Sq. There would be two ways to complete this challenge.  First would be to hop on the Circle line and stop at every station, finding out which pub is on the list at the next station, making a complete round mandatory, no drinking. Second would include getting pints at any pub along the way, depending on the pub, and completely at random, pubs would have a shortcut to a pub along the way. The station would not be given, only the pub, which may end up taking you back a few stations as well... All teams will meet at the final pub. First team to complete the challenge wins.

Paris - The most dog friendly city in Europe. Dogs are allowed in hundreds of hotels, taxis and even restaurants. This challenge would include meeting up at a starting point where each group of contestants is given a set number of dogs to walk, big and small. The goal is to deliver each dog back to its owner at various points in Paris. Only the first dog's drop off location is given.  Once successfully dropped off, your next drop off location is given. Before and after each stop will be a wash challenge. Mandatory, this challenge becomes more difficult as the day progresses, getting further and further off course, on the other hand you will have less and less dogs to wash. Successfully completing the dog wash will give you the last dog drop off location. At the final drop off location you will be given a photo of your final checkpoint. First team wins.  Be prepared to pick up plenty of dog poop.

Amsterdam - One of the most bike friendly cities in Europe. All teams will hop on bikes and ride through this historical city. Stops at various landmarks throughout the city, through the red light district, art museums and city hangouts. Find Anne Franks house. Discover the hidden side of Amsterdam and find clues to your next stop.  Goto the Van Gogh museum and find a painting that marks your final checkpoint. Head to Central Station and throw your bike on the train, head to Harlem and find a windmill for the final checkpoint. First team wins.

Bruges - Kayak your way around Venice of the north. Hitting various checkpoint, each one containing none other than a box of chocolate. Hidden inside one of the chocolate will be a coded number, match the coded with your map and traverse the canals to your next destination.  Your map will only include the canals, no street markings, not landmarks. No cheating... Make your way through the city collecting each box of chocolate and the corresponding marker. Once you have collected each one make your way to Belfry Tower where you will collect a final map to the Grote Markt. Using your collected markers and your new map traverse the market using your markers as your guide to the final checkpoint. First team wins.

Barcelona - Start your day with a single photo, where is this? Ask local and tourist alike and make your way through the city by any way possible. At each stop your team will collect two photos, one direct and one shortcut, its up to your team to guess which one will help them along the way. Teams will find themselves going to Sagrada Familia, the Olympic Stadium, the Gothic quarters and the Picasso Museum. Choose your route wisely as some photos will bring you further away from your final destination, Parc Guell. Find your final checkpoint and your team wins.

Rome - With so many sites within walking distance Rome is one of the best cities in Europe to visit. Packed with tourists year round, many of the more popular sites are crowded with tourists and long lines. Starting at the Coliseum, traverse this city on foot though the various plazas and markets spread throughout this city. How will you know where to go next? Easy, find Waldo. Yep, Where's Waldo? Find him throughout the crowd to get your next clue for your team. Short, tall, big, small, young, old, Waldo takes on all sorts of sizes, but he always wears his signature red and white.  Don't mistake him for someone else. There's only one Waldo at each checkpoint. Find the last Waldo to win the challenge. Is Waldo shaking hands with the Pope at the Vatican?

Moscow - Traverse the city via one of the worlds most extravagant Subway systems. Up and down. Hitting historical landmarks throughout the city.  Clues would be hidden in Matryoshka dolls. Each with a clue to your next stop. At select stop, your Matryoshka will give you a shortcut option, though they may seem out of the way, these shortcuts will cut off significant time in your day. Shortcuts may include taking a river boat through the city and hopping off to your next checkpoint via only a russian riddle clue. Decode and your team can easily take the lead. Your tour through the underground will bring you back to the Kremlin. In and out of the various buildings collecting your next clue to your final destination, St. Basils Cathedral, First team wins.

Re-Enactors Entry

Find a famous movie location (or a location that looks like one). Re-enact a famous movie scene (I.e. Sound of Music with Julie Andrews singing on a hilltop). Extra points if you are able to get bystanders to join your scene. NOTE: Exact dialog / lyrics is not necessary, ad-libbing should get you more points!

Serving up local style

This challenge could be for any city. Team members are required to convince a local street vendor or food stand to allow them to come behind the street vendor and serve food to unsuspecting customers. Creativity points could be given for foods that require assembly or cooking.

Cook like a local

Where ever the competition is taking place, this could be done. Competitors can either ask a local chefs, mothers, grandmothers, or who ever to teach them how to cook a local dish. Then they have to go to the market on their own and find every ingredient and make the same dish. Another option would be to first try a specific local cuisine and have them make a duplicate with their wild guesses and well traveled taste buds. In this case maybe Competitours can arrange preselected ingredients to be chosen from to make it a little fair (maybe). Of course there will be ingredients way far from what the locals use. Gotta choose the right ones! After they complete the dish, they would have local pedestrians try their duplicate and see if they approve the dish being close enough to what they grew up eating. If 6/10 people gives the thumb up, you are qualified!

great stuff!

I like what I have been reading, any of them would be a fun trip. I like the unexpected while traveling. It would be interesting seeing this happen in Asia, so many cultures and customs, though you would have to be respectful of that. But in the end could make for an exciting challenge.

i wanna be so in that!

Going to a place you have never been to before, having unexpected events in there and knowing how to deal with the situation and meeting new people is just me!!! i'm really looking forward to partcicipating in this competition!