27th February 2014
After nearly two months of waiting, officially left the outcome of the 25 participants selected for the #KeralaBlogExpress. And Guess only, I will be one of the members of this that has everything to be an unforgettable journey through the beautiful state of Kerala in southwest India .
Despite starting the year filling the patience of God and the world asking for votes on Facebook and social media blog, and finish in the top 25 placed in the vote by the public general with 577 votes. My participation in this trip still was not 100% guaranteed until the official announcement yesterday. It still depended on a number of logistical steps, which started with the decision of a panel of judges appointed by the Kerala Tourism with the mission to select from over 600 registered participants from over 80 countries, the finalists of the competition.
Things began to take shape from January 24 when I the other finalists received an email warning that had been “selected”. From there he began the paperwork and more chatinha the trip, getting the Indian visa. Finally after almost three weeks of waiting, my passport with the visa for India returned to Wellington home here, and from then I started to search for tickets.
As the Kerala Tourism was still negotiating with some discount airline partners Cias more waited a few days until they announce that they will be subsidized up to 50% of the passage to a ceiling 700USD. As will be coming out of New Zealand, the most viable option (no need to apply for another visa) was issued my ticket via Singapore with Singapore Airlines + Silk Air.
Anyway, I’m still waiting for more information and details about the itinerary of the trip , but what I know so far is that I arrive in Trivandrum 09 March and return to Auckland from Kochi on 26 March. I’m super encouraging for these 17 days on the road and I can not wait for the day of travel. In addition to some posts here for the blog, I hope to bring a lot of pictures of this country that is photogenic by nature.
In the KeralaBlog Express group four winners US and India, three from Brazil and the Philippines, two from Germany, Spain and Indonesia and one each from Denmark, Mexico, Poland, Italy and Portugal. A diverse group with different backgrounds, but they have a common passion: Traveling !!
The participants are #KeralaBlogExpress ….
ShaveTheWhales, Germany
SameSame, Brazil
https://www.facebook.com/samesamenews
MauOscar, Brazil
Gaia Passarelli, Brazil
https://twitter.com/gaiapassarelli
Shinimichi, Denmark
https://twitter.com/shinimichi
http://shinimichi.blogspot.com.br/
The World Travel to Spain
https://twitter.com/aworldtotravel1
UnaIdeaUnViaje, Spain
https://twitter.com/UnaIdeaUnViaje
EdinChavez.com, USA
https://twitter.com/edinchavez
AwaySheGoes, USA
JustinWasHere, USA
https://twitter.com/JustinJones
MilesToMemories, USA
https://twitter.com/milestomemories
EazyTraveler, Philippines
https://twitter.com/eazytraveler
ThePinaySoloBackPacker, Philippines
https://twitter.com/pinaybackpacker
http://www.thepinaysolobackpacker.com/
IvanHenares, Philippines
https://twitter.com/ivanhenares
Stephania Van Lieshout, Netherlands
https://twitter.com/SvanLieshout
http://stefaniavanlieshout.com/
The Tiny Taster, India
https://twitter.com/roxannebamboat
DesiTraveler.com, India
https://twitter.com/desiTraveler
FeelFreeorFlyIndia.com, India
https://twitter.com/FeelFreeorFly
http://feelfreeorflyindia.wordpress.com
MyGreedyBackPack, India
https://twitter.com/greedybackpack
http://www.mygreedybackpack.com/
DuaRansel.com, Indonesia
Disgiovery, Indonesia
TheSyracusas, Italy
https://twitter.com/Thesiracusas
LosSaboresDeMexico, Mexico
https://twitter.com/sabormexico
http://lossaboresdemexico.com/
Osiemstop, Poland
Nelson Carvalheiro, Portugal
https://twitter.com/NCarvalheiro
