Want to be a travel writer?

Want to be a travel writer? Well here's your chance. Enter our 2011 travel writing competition and you could win a fantastic holiday to Mexico, California, Italy, the UK, Zambia or even Antarctica ? and see your story in printYes, it's that time of year again ? as summer draws to a close, we are inviting you to enter our fourth annual readers' travel writing competition. Why not have a crack at travel writing, and tell us about your holidays?In reward, you can win one of six brilliant trips ? to be written up as a travel article commission for this section. There are six categories to choose from.The best entries, including the six winners and top runners up, will be selected by a panel of judges, made up of our own team plus an independent travel expert for each category. The best will be published in a special issue of Travel later this year.The piece must be no longer than 500 words (anything over that will be disqualified). The judges will look for an entertaining, informative and colourful account of a trip you've taken over the last year, a piece that evokes a sense of place, reveals something new and provides useful information about the destination.The feature must not have been published before. You can only enter your piece once under one category, though you may write different pieces about different trips for each category if you wish.Entries should be emailed to travelwritingcomp@guardian.co.uk, specifying the category you are entering and your name in the subject bar. Your email must include your address and phone number. The deadline for entries is 23.59pm on 23 October 2011.Scroll down the page for terms and conditions of the competition and prizes.Here are the categories:The big adventureHave you done something really different, exciting, active or adventurous? Tell us about it and you could win an amazing trip to Antarctica with Gap Adventures (gapadventures.com), worth a whopping �11,339pp!The 20-day Spirit of Shackleton Antarctica trip must be taken on specific dates, 11?30 January 2012, which coincides with the centenary of Captain Scott reaching the South Pole on 17 January. The trip is for one person and includes a return flight to Ushuaia via Buenos Aires, up to the value of �1,500.The UK tripTell us about your travels closer to home and you could win a stay in a contemporary, glass-fronted cabin (with an outdoor hot tub) in Sherwood Forest with Forest Holidays (0845 456 6858, forestholidays.co.uk). The winner of this category will stay in a luxury Golden Oak cabin for up to four people for three nights over a weekend, or four mid-week, and enjoy activities such as biking and forest ranger guided walks. The cabin also features DVD, a log-burning stove, Wii and a verandah, and usually costs from �208 for a weekend.The summer holidayIf you've been on a fantastic summer jaunt, tell us about it ? you could win a seven-night summer break in Canc�n in Mexico for two people with Funway Holidays (0844 557 3333, funwayholidays.co.uk). It includes all-inclusive accommodation at Moon Palace Golf Resort & Spa on the Riviera Maya, a 4.5-star family-friendly resort (palaceresorts.com), two return flights with Virgin Atlantic (virgin-atlantic.com) on its new route from Gatwick to Canc�n, an excursion to Chichen Itza, the amazing archaeological zone and ancient capital of the Mayan empire and airport transfers.The short breakThis category covers the shorter trips that you may have taken abroad this year, such as a city break. Ideally this would reveal something different or unknown about a destination, perhaps in regard to its culture or food. In return you can win a lovely two-night trip for two people to the beautiful city of Aosta in the Italian Alps (aosta-valley.co.uk). It includes return flights from the UK, two nights at the four-star Hotel Albergo Milleluci (hotelmilleluci.com), a guided tour of the Roman town, including a visit to the Sarre Castle, a full day's hiking in the Gran Paradiso national park, and a visit to Bard Fortress with lunch at Ad Gallias restaurant (hoteladgallias.it/ristorante), a favourite of the chef Valentine Warner.The family holidayFamily holidays are never dull, so tell us about yours and you could win a snowboarding trip to California for a family of four (two adults, two children aged 18 or under) with Virgin Holidays (virginholidays.co.uk).The prize includes four economy flights on Virgin Atlantic (Heathrow?San Francisco), seven days' 4WD car hire; five nights' B&B in a hotel (family room) at Heavenly ski resort (skiheavenly.com), five days' lift pass and snowboarding equipment hire, three half-day lessons for everyone; plus two nights' room-only hotel accommodation (family room) in San Francisco.AccommodationHave you stayed somewhere really fantastic or unusual? Write and tell us about it. You could win a trip for two to Zambia with Wildestate Africa (wildestate.com) to stay for seven nights all-inclusive at Kotakota Hills (kotakota.com), a luxury safari lodge on Lake Kariba. The prize includes safari drives, watersports on Lake Kariba, birdwatching, golf and spa treatments, as well as return flights from London to Livingstone or Lusaka with either South African Airlines (flysaa.com) or Kenya Airways (kenya-airways.com), all transfers (including transfer by plane from the airport) and accommodation in one of the 12 lodges.FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS1. The Readers' Summer Holiday Travel Writing competition (the "Competition") is open to UK residents aged 18 and over ("You") subject to paragraph 2, below.2. Employees or agencies of Guardian News & Media Limited ("GNM", "We") its group companies or their family members, freelance contributors to GNM, or anyone else connected with the Competition may not enter the Competition.3. By entering the Competition you are accepting these terms and conditions.4. To enter the Competition, you must write a feature of no more than 500 words about a holiday you took over the last year in one of the following six categories: A big adventure; UK trip; short-break; family; summer holiday; accommodation.5. Your feature must not have been published before in any other publication (or on any website).6. You should email your entry to us at: travelwritingcomp@guardian.co.uk. You must state which of the categories you are entering, and include your name, address and daytime contact telephone number.7. If You have any questions about how to enter or in connection with the Competition, please email us at travelwritingcomp@guardian.co.uk with "Readers' Holiday Travel Writing competition" in the subject line.8. You are responsible for the cost (if any) of sending your Competition entry to us.9. Only one entry is permitted per person, in each category. You can only enter each story under one category, though you could write stories about different trips for each category.10. The closing date and time of the Competition is 23.59pm on Sunday 23 October 2011. Entries received after that date and time will not be considered.11. You own the copyright to your Competition entry as its author.12. By submitting an entry to the Competition, You give GNM:a. Permission for your entry to be published in any GNM publication and on guardian.co.uk and grant GNM a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to republish your Competition entry in electronic format and hard copy for purposes connected with the Competition (including, but not limited to, for the purposes and in the manner set out in paragraph 19 below); andb. The right to use your name and town or city of residence for the sole purpose of identifying You as the author of your entry and/or as a winner or runner-up of the Competition.13. Your entry must be your own work, must not be copied, must not contain any third-party materials and/or content that You do not have permission to use and must not otherwise be obscene, defamatory or in breach of any applicable laws or regulations. If We have reason to believe your entry is not your own work or otherwise breaches this paragraph 13, then We may not consider it.Picking the winners14. The Competition will be judged by GNM's expert in-house team of travel writers (Andy Pietrasik, head of travel; Gemma Bowes, travel editor, Guardian Travel; Richard Eilers, chief sub-editor, Guardian Travel; Liz Boulter, sub-editor, Guardian Travel; Catherine Nelson, sub-editor, Guardian Travel; Isabel Choat, editor, Guardian travel website; Gavin McOwan, sub-editor, Guardian travel website), together with an independent judge in each category. The judges will choose six winning entries for the Competition, and a number of runners up. There will be one winner in each category of the Competition, but the judges may select as many runners up in each category as they choose. Details of the independent judge are available on request to travelwritingcomp@guardian.co.uk.15. When choosing the winners, the judges will be looking for the most well written, lively and entertaining stories that evoke the best sense of place, and have an angle or say something new.16. The judges' decision of who the winners are will be made on or before 20 November 2011. The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.The Prizes17. The winning prize for each category of the Competition is:a. The big adventure category:Prize includes one place on the January 11 2012 departure of XVSHSX Spirit of Shackleton cruise to Antarctica with Gap Adventures (0844 272 0000, gapadventures.com), worth �11,339pp.It includes a berth in a Category 3 cabin ? this is a twin cabin (two lower berths) with private en-suite facilities, larger window and located on deck 3.A flight budget for the prize winner is included for a UK outbound return flight to Ushuaia via Buenos Aires up to the value of �1,500, which includes all taxes, charges and APD. The flight must be booked by 1 December 2011 and is arranged by calling 0844 272 0000.This prize does not cover any additional extras or optionals such as kayaking or camping, an extra charge to ensure you have your own room (you may have to share with another guest depending on how busy the boat is), on-board expenses, bar expenses and flights unless where indicated as an integral part of the tour.The prize is completely non-transferable, non-refundable, cannot be taken on an alternative date or sailing.b. The UK trip category: Prize includes a stay in a luxury Golden Oak cabin for up to four people for three nights over a weekend, or four mid-week, in Sherwood Forest with Forest Holidays (0845 456 6858, forestholidays.co.uk).The holiday must be taken between 15 /4/12 and 15/09/12, excluding the month of August.Subject to availability. Additional meals and drink are not included.c. Summer holiday category: Prize is a seven day trip to Mexico for two people with Funway Holidays (0844 557 3333, funwayholidays.co.uk). It includes all-inclusive accommodation at Moon Palace Golf Resort & Spa, Riviera Maya, a 4.5* family friendly resort (palaceresorts.com); two return flights (economy) with Virgin Atlantic (on its new route); an excursion for two to Chichen Itza; return airport transfers and all airport taxes and charges.Tour must be taken between 12 June 2012 (when the flight route launches) and September 2012.Subject to availability.d. A short-break category: A two-night trip for two people to the beautiful city of Aosta in Italy, provided by the Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta.Prize includes two return flights from UK, departure airport at the tourist board's discretion.Two nights at the four star Hotel Albergo Milleluci (hotelmilleluci.com), a guided tour of the Roman town including a visit to the Sarre Castle, a full day hiking in the Gran Paradiso national park, and a visit to Bard Fortress with lunch at Ad Gallias restaurant. Additional meals and drink are not included.Trip can be taken anytime before September 2012, subject to availability.No alternative prize is offered.e. Family holiday category: Prize is a seven-night trip for a family of four (two adults, two children aged 18 or under) to California with Virgin Holidays (virginholidays.com). It includes four economy flights on Virgin Atlantic (Heathrow to San Francisco), seven days' 4WD car hire; five nights' hotel accommodation in a family room (including breakfast) at Heavenly ski resort including five day's lift-pass and snowboarding equipment hire; plus two nights hotel accommodation, in a family room (room only) in San Francisco.The prizewinner will need to travel in the snow season, between December 2011 and April 2012, excluding the period between 12 December 2011 and 10 January. Virgin Holidays will strive to book people in their first date preference but it will depend on availability.Winners will have to obtain their own travel insurance, as well as other extras including meals, petrol, hotel laundry, mini bar, room service, telephone calls etc.All travellers must travel at the same time on the same itinerary. Winners must arrange their own ESTA documentation.f. Accommodation category: The prize is a trip to Zambia for two people with Wildestate Africa (wildestate.com). The prize includes seven nights all-inclusive at Kotakota Hills (kotakota.com), a luxury safari lodge on Lake Kariba in Zambia. You'll be transferred by plane from Lusaka or Livingstone airport. The prize includes safari drives, water sports on Lake Kariba, birdwatching, golf and spa treatments, as well as return flights from London to Livingstone or Lusaka with either South African Airlines (flysaa.com) or Kenya Airways (kenya-airways.com), all transfers and accommodation in one of the 12 lodges.18. The winners will be notified by GNM by telephone or by email on or before 20 November 2011 and will be given details of how to claim their prize. If a winner does not respond to GNM within 7 days of being notified by GNM, then the winner's prize will be forfeited and GNM shall be entitled to select another winner (and that winner will have to respond to the phone call or email from GNM within 7 days or else they will also forfeit their prize). If a winner rejects their prize, then the winner's prize will be forfeited and GNM shall be entitled to select another winner from the runners up.19. The winners and selected runners-up will have their entries printed in the Travel section of the Guardian and on guardian.co.uk/travel on a Saturday on or after Saturday 20 November 2011 (at GNM's sole discretion). The runner-up entries that are selected for print and online use will be edited. Some or all of the submitted entries may also be added, in edited form, to the Been there readers' tips site on guardian.co.uk.20. The prizes cannot be exchanged or transferred by You and cannot be redeemed by You for cash or any other prize. You must pay all other costs associated with the prize and not specifically included in the prize including, without limitation, meals (other than those specified), personal expenses, insurance, visas and transfers.21. We retain the right to substitute the prizes with other prizes of similar value in the event that the original prizes offered are not available.Some other rules22. Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed.23. We take no responsibility for entries that are lost, delayed, misdirected or incomplete or cannot be delivered or entered for any technical or other reason. Proof of delivery of the entry is not proof of receipt.24. Details of the winners can be obtained by sending a stamped addressed envelope to the following address: Readers' Summer Holiday Travel Writing competition, Guardian Travel desk, Guardian News & Media Limited, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU.25. No purchase is necessary.26. The winners may be required for promotional activity.27. The Promoter of the Competition is Guardian News & Media Limited whose address is Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Any complaints regarding the Competition should be sent to this address.28. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall exclude the liability of GNM for death, personal injury, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation as a result of its negligence.29. GNM accepts no responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities, injury or disappointment incurred or suffered by You as a result of entering the Competition or accepting any prize.GNM further disclaims liability for any injury or damage to You or any other person's computer relating to or resulting from participation in or downloading any materials in connection with the Competition.30. GNM reserves the right at any time and from time to time to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, this Competition with or without prior notice due to reasons outside its control (including, without limitation, in the case of anticipated, suspected or actual fraud). The decision of GNM in all matters under its control is final and binding.31. GNM shall not be liable for any failure to comply with its obligations where the failure is caused by something outside its reasonable control. Such circumstances shall include, but not be limited to, weather conditions, fire, flood, hurricane, strike, industrial dispute, war, hostilities, political unrest, riots, civil commotion, inevitable accidents, supervening legislation or any other circumstances amounting to force majeure.32. The Competition will be governed by English law.Travel writing competitionguardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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