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Something happened to our family last week which, simply put, was – AWESOME. We won the Escape Travel Holiday Reviewer Competition. Can you believe it? I am still a little in shock.

Five fabulous finalists, all deserved of winning the prize, were flown to Sydney for the announcement.

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I didn”t think I had a chance of winning so I lapped up the overnight stay in my suite at the Pullman Quay Grand Hotel, situated at Sydney Harbour. I met one of my best mates for dinner at a gorgeous little French restaurant, drank too many wines while we chatted about all the things, before I went back to my hotel, stupidly had just one more drink and then collapsed into fresh, crisp, white hotel sheets. Nothing beats hotel sheets. The next morning I lazed around in bed. Fancy that, no child jumped on me shouting in a sing song voice: “IT”S MORNING TIME”. Followed by a leisurely breakfast of my favourite go-to – eggs benedict (with bacon, not ham), pineapple juice and fresh pastries. This is why I am not a size 12. Then, to trick myself into thinking I was working my breakfast off, I floated in the pool and watched people walking harbour side and ferries drifting in the water. To top off my hotel experience I had a bubble bath. Have I told you how much I love five star best online casino hotels? They are the best.

Seriously, by the time I found myself nervously sitting side-by-side the other finalists, while about forty strangers watched our expectant faces, I”d already felt I”d won the jackpot. Then when the crew at Escape Travel told us that all the finalists would get a free domestic holiday, I felt tears well up. How lucky were we? I was content and sat happily in anticipation of the final winner announcement. I was pretty convinced it wouldn”t be our family.

Then the words were spoken AND THE WINNER IS…Bianca Wordley.

I”d like to say I jumped up smiling, but I didn”t. Instead, I started to shake. I put my hands in my face and I sobbed. Right there in front of a room full of strangers.

I was so overwhelmed. So very grateful. I felt regret for the other contestants who would have felt the same excitement, yet I was also so friggin” happy.

When I finally looked up at the crowd, wiping the tears from my face, I could see others also crying. People I did not know who could see how much this prize means for us. Not only does it open up a new avenue for me professionally in a field I”d love to branch out into – travel writing, but it gives us so much to look forward to beyond the day-to-day. As I sat there weeping, I quickly texted Twiggy – WE WON. His response – HOLY SHIT!!!!

This photo was taken after I hugged him tightly and cried on his shoulder. Not awkward at all!

This photo was taken after I hugged him tightly and cried on his shoulder. Not awkward at all!

We”ve won $28,000 worth of prizes – luggage, two domestic holidays and one international trip. To think we might be able to take our girls to Disneyland is beyond exciting. In exchange, I”ll share our adventures here and also with my extended Escape Travel family. I”ll be writing blog posts, providing travel tips, making short videos, Twiggy will be taking beautiful photographs – what a fabulous way to document our experiences. I feel so lucky. There”s no way we could afford to take our family on so many fabulous holidays.

Thank you for your messages of congratulations. And thank you Escape Travel. You”ve given us the gift of time to explore the world. Time to spend together laughing, loving and living.

The gift of travel is the gift of love.

bigwords x