Latest news with #travelchallenge
The Independent
11 hours ago
- The Independent
I traveled to all 50 US state capitals in 30 days — these were the two worst cities
"There were people screaming by the capitol building. Everywhere." YouTuber Joey Kinsley, who goes by the name "Sir Yacht" online, is telling The Independent about an odyssey he undertook in which he visited all 50 US state capitals in just 30 days, driving around 500 miles a day (though he had to fly to Hawaii and Alaska, of course). The travel and food influencer, who describes himself as a "professional dumb**s", has previously "eaten only potato chips for 48 hours", run a marathon "without training" and swum in all five Great Lakes in one day. But the state capital adventure was his "toughest ever challenge", one that physically and mentally "cooked" him. The month-long "speed run" gave Joey, from Cleveland, Ohio, a fascinating snapshot of America, with eye-opening experiences coming thick and fast. But not all of them were ones he'd care to repeat. In that category were visits to state capitals he suggests visitors should avoid. One is Olympia, Washington state, where he encountered the screaming. Joey continues: "The screaming was very weird. The locals weren't mean, necessarily. But they were scary. "Unfortunately, Olympia was kind of sketchy." Albany, the state capital of New York, also underwhelmed. Joey explains: "With Albany, New York, I found very little to say positively about that place. Now, I'm sure the suburbs are great. I'm sure the people are great. But I couldn't leave faster." He adds: "A lot of the capitals are just a little rundown." Luckily for Joey, there were plenty of places that he enjoyed. He reveals: "I went through Montana, Oregon, Washington and other parts of California I hadn't been to. And it's just so beautiful out there. "The air is so fresh. I went through the plains of America, like North Dakota, and other places, and it's a little terrifying, but worth it when you get to go to these really beautiful, lush areas. "And it was the first time I'd ever been to Hawaii. And it was awesome. Really cool." Joey also picks out some places as having particularly friendly locals. He reveals: "Madison, Wisconsin — super, super friendly. Little Rock, Arkansas — really friendly. Helena, Montana — very, very friendly." Joey discovered that locals in places that don't get much limelight loved the attention. He explains: "What I discovered is that people love representation. If you're in a place that's underrepresented or not talked about, the locals will ask, 'Why are you here?' When I told them I'm visiting all 50 of the US state capitals they wanted to hear more about the journey and they got really excited. They want to show you the cool spots and the cool history." If Joey repeated the trip, would he do it differently? He replies: "If I were to do it again, it would probably be broken up, so that I could enjoy the areas more, learn more about it. I essentially did a speed run of the United States. "I thought I would hit a wall about halfway through the tip. But I hit a wall on the second day. "It was just the amount of driving. After the second day I was like, 'Holy cow, I'm staring down the barrel of a gun. I have 28 more days after this and I'm already exhausted.'" However, despite the fatigue, Joey says it was a "really cool thing to do". He says: "Talking to people from every walk of life, meeting people on the open road… it was a really cool thing to do. And I'm eager to do something like that again."
Arabian Business
27-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Etihad to gift one globetrotting passenger 5m air miles in biggest ever giveaway
Etihad has launched a first of its kind competition inviting new and existing Etihad Guest members to win up to five million miles by flying to each of the airline's 15 new year-round destinations launching in 2025. Mark Potter, Managing Director Etihad Guest, said: 'This challenge embodies Etihad's purpose to give flight to ambition. We're inviting our adventurous members and travellers to explore 15 incredible destinations while competing for our largest-ever miles prize.' First, Second and Third place will be determined by the first three Etihad Guest members to complete The Extraordinary Challenge. Etihad Guest frequent flyer miles competition The first winner will receive five million Etihad Guest miles, three million miles will go to second place, and one million miles for third place. Etihad Guest miles can be redeemed on flights, holidays and a huge range of items from the Etihad Guest Reward Shop, turning miles into unforgettable rewards and experiences. Five million Etihad Guest miles can equate to more than 500 Economy flights, or more than 70 trips in Business, or more than 40 unforgettable journeys in First. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Etihad Airways (@etihad) Etihad Guest members embarking on the challenge will be able to see where they are on a dedicated race dashboard, featuring a digital passport that gets stamped with each destination visited, encouraging participants to keep travelling and be rewarded for each remarkable step. The live leaderboard will also illustrate to members their position in the race against other members, creating friendly competition among a community of like-minded, passionate travellers in a race to win the prize of a lifetime. The challenge is open to both new and existing Etihad Guest members, offering anyone the chance to participate and win. Members of the airline's loyalty programme must register via the link to enter the competition, track their progress and be eligible to win. Terms & Conditions apply. To win, guests are challenged to fly on an Etihad-operated flight to or from each of the new destinations: Addis Ababa Algiers Atlanta Chiang Mai Hanoi Hong Kong Krabi Medan Peshawar Phnom Penh Prague Sochi Taipei Tunis Warsaw Trips must be made by May 25, 2026.
Zawya
27-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Etihad Guest offers 5mln miles in a race to discover Etihad's newest destinations
First to complete the 15 destinations will win 5,000,000 Etihad Guest miles, the largest prize in the programme 's history Abu Dhabi, UAE – Etihad has launched a first of its kind competition inviting new and existing Etihad Guest members to win up to five million miles by flying to each of the airline's 15 new year-round destinations launching in 2025. Mark Potter, Managing Director Etihad Guest, said, 'This challenge embodies Etihad's purpose to give flight to ambition. We're inviting our adventurous members and travellers to explore 15 incredible destinations while competing for our largest-ever miles prize.' First, Second and Third place will be determined by the first three Etihad Guest members to complete The Extraordinary Challenge. The First winner will receive five million Etihad Guest miles, three million miles will go to Second place, and one million miles for Third place. Etihad Guest miles can be redeemed on flights, holidays and a huge range of items from the Etihad Guest Reward Shop, turning miles into unforgettable rewards and experiences. Five million Etihad Guest miles can equate to over 500 Economy flights, or more than 70 trips in Business, or more than 40 unforgettable journeys in First. Etihad Guest members embarking on the challenge will be able to see where they are on a dedicated race dashboard, featuring a digital passport that gets stamped with each destination visited, encouraging participants to keep travelling and be rewarded for each remarkable step. The live leaderboard will also illustrate to members their position in the race against other members, creating friendly competition among a community of likeminded, passionate travellers in a race to win the prize of a lifetime. The challenge is open to both new and existing Etihad Guest members, offering anyone the chance to participate and win. Members of the airline's loyalty programme must register via the link to enter the competition, track their progress and be eligible to win. Terms & Conditions apply. To win, guests are challenged to fly on an Etihad operated flight to or from each of the new destinations Addis Ababa, Algiers, Atlanta, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Krabi, Medan, Peshawar, Phnom Penh, Prague, Sochi, Taipei, Tunis and Warsaw by 25 May 2026. Register for the competition at for the chance to achieve the extraordinary. Members are encouraged to use the hashtag #EYextraordinarymiles when sharing their journey to the finish line on social media channels. About Etihad Airways Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, was formed in 2003 and quickly went on to become one of the world's leading airlines. From its home in Abu Dhabi, Etihad flies to passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. Together with Etihad's codeshare partners, Etihad's network offers access to hundreds of international destinations. In recent years, Etihad has received numerous awards for its superior service and products, cargo offering, loyalty programme and more. To learn more, visit For further details: Duty Media Officer Etihad Airways Tel: +97150 818 9596 Email: dutymediaofficer@
