U2, Jay-Z and the Queensland Premier

I've had some pretty awesome invites in my time but last week was definitely one of the best. As you can tell by the title, I got an invite from the Premier's Department to join Anna Bligh in a corporate suite for the U2 and Jay-Z concert. To say I was blown away when I got the call would be an understatement! Apparently the Premier's Department were wanting some fresh faces in the corporate suite and a list of generation X'ers from business, sport and the arts had been put together.

It was a fantastic night and I even had the honour to chat to Anna Bligh over dinner. It was the night after Oprah arrived in the country so we talked about Anna being there to greet her in Hamilton Island. We also discussed her "walk a day in my shoes" initiative and we were joined at the table by the orderly who worked with her at the P.A. Hospital.

The concert itself was great, even tho I'm more of a fan of Jay-Z than U2. The highlights of the night for me were "Big Pimpin" and "Encore" by Jay-Z and "Where the streets have no name" and "With or without you" by U2.

Below is a pic of myself and my friend Meagan who was my date for the evening and our view of the U2 360 stage.

British man Ben Southall wins Best Job in the World competition

Other than the swine flu which I mentioned earlier in the week, the other talk in the travel world (other than the economy) has been the "Best Job in the World" competition.

In conjunction with that, Hamilton Island has just released the "Best Holiday in the World" package. Details are below, and click on the second title to find out more about the competition and the winner of it.

Only 74 hours to buy the ‘Best Holiday in the World’ - etravelblackboard.com
Thursday, 7 May 2009

Hamilton Island released a ‘Best Holiday in the World’ package today which will be only be on sale for 74 hours from now until this Saturday, 9 May at 5pm.

The package costs $965 per person and includes 4 nights accommodation with full daily breakfast, Fantasea Cruise to Reefworld on the Great Barrier Reef, a scenic flight over Whitehaven Beach and a 3-course dinner.

Guests will also have access to catamarans, snorkel gear, paddleskis and windsurfers and receive a massage at the Relaxation Centre.

For flights, Jetstar is currently offering a ‘Take a Friend for Free’ sale which applies to all direct Jetstar destinations including Hamilton Island.

The package is in celebration of the winner of Tourism Queensland’s ‘Best Job in the World’ who is most likely smiling himself to sleep.

British man Ben Southall wins Best Job in the World competition | The Australian

BRITISH charity fundraiser Ben Southall has won the Best Job in the World competition.

Picked from a pool of 34,000 applicants from across the world, 34-year-old Southall was one of 16 finalists for the $150,000, six-month Great Barrier Reef island caretaker job starting on July 1.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh announced the winner's name at a ceremony on Hamilton Island today.

Southall told the audience at the announcement that the campaign, which has generated about $100 million in tourism publicity, had been an “enormous worldwide success”.

“I hope I can sell the reef as much as everybody is expecting,” he said.

He will start his new role as caretaker of Hamilton Island on July 1, being paid $150,000 to sail, snorkel and scuba dive while promoting the island and the Great Barrier Reef to tourists through an online blog.

Among his perks are a three-bedroom luxury villa and buggy to explore the island.

Ms Bligh said the competition had been the “most successful tourism marketing campaign in history”.

Ben Southall, no wonder he's smiling ...