Terms & Conditions

We really hate all this legal stuff as much as you do--no, maybe more!--but it protects you from us and us from you! Please read it carefully because the Terms & Conditions for participating in The Global Scavenger Hunt's next event are that:

The Global Scavenger Hunt™ is scheduled to take place between April 17th and May 9th, 2009.

All rulings and judgments made by GreatEscape2009 (GE2009) Road Officials and Judges in the course of the 2009 travel adventure competition will be final. There will be no right of legal appeal. Teams will be required to abide by the official Rules & Regulations of the event.

GreatEscape2009: The Global Scavenger Hunt™ will be photographed for commercial and promotional use with portions of the competition being filmed, videotaped and photographed for commercial, Internet and broadcast purposes. All participants will be required to sign a basic appearance release/waiver form as a Term & Condition of participating in GE2009. Winning Teams and participant videos and photographs may also be used for promotional purposes in future GreatEscape Adventures, Inc., (GEA Inc) events.

The Global Scavenger Hunt is limited to just 25-two person Teams plus the previous event's winning Teams that have already secured positions. There will be no exceptions to this exclusive limited participation.

Your Team as constituted when filing your Application & Registration Form may be changed at anytime with one Team member being substituted for someone else up to 45-days prior to departure--March 3rd, 2009. No changes to Teams may be allowed after March 3rd, 2009-or, there may be a significant rebooking fee charged upon your approval. You may not save, pass on, sell, or assign your accepted GE2009 Team spot to any other group or individuals for any reason(s). Successful single applicants will be paired up prior to that date.

Some participants may be required to provide a medical certificate from their physician(s), and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the entire journey.

The GE2009 entry fee is $9,900. (US Dollars) per person with two persons per Team is based on double occupancy and will include: all your international airfare between our official USA/Canadian departure and arrival cities, a hotel room or cabin (based on double occupancy) in each GE2009 scavenge destination, some meals (over 40% in past events), some special events and hospitality parties, some ground transportation and airport transfers, as well as a travel goody bag, event-related materials (hats and T-shirts, etc) and all pre-departure information. The entry fees are based on current tariffs and are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. While we will do everything possible to maintain the listed prices (We have never changed them so far knock on wood!), if it is necessary to levy a surcharge, we reserve the right to do so, and notification will be given at the time of final invoicing, which if necessary, will be at least 30-days prior to our departure date.

The GE2009 entry fees DO NOT include: most meals, personal excursions/side-trips, medical services, passports renewals, visas, travel insurance, telephone calls, Internet usage, laundry charges, alcoholic beverages, gratuities, inoculations and/or medication costs of any kind, transport to and from your home port to official GE2009 departure and return cities, excess baggage charges, airport departure fees & taxes, entrance fees to designated scavenges and your purchase of designated scavenger hunt items (which will be minimal), most of your elective ground transportation and transfers, expenses resulting in delays due to bad weather, trail, river, and road conditions, sickness, accidents, government action, terrorist incidents, other acts of Mother Nature, airline and airport flight delays or evacuation expenses unless specifically indicated. (We highly recommend travel insurance.)

Entry Fees: Prior to November 1, 2008: After either your individual, or Team's, application has been processed and formerly approved by GE2009 (Interviews will be conducted via the phone to insure every participant and Team's suitability for GE2009. GEA Inc, reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone.) each participant/Team will be asked to provide a 10% deposit (US$990.) via personal or corporate check, cashiers check, money order or electronic funds transfer within 10-days of the date of acceptance to secure your limited space. (GEA Inc., also accepts Visa and MasterCard payments for an additional fee of 3.0%--sorry, it's because of PayPal's charges to us for the convenience.) Your 10% deposit will secure your place in GE2009 as an Early Bird applicant and until other payments are due (see below).

After November 1, 2008: After either your individual, or Team's, application has been processed and formerly approved by GE2009 (Interviews will be conducted via the phone to insure every participant and Team's suitability for GE2009. And GEA Inc., reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone.) each participant/Team will be asked to provide a 33% deposit (US$3,300.) via personal or corporate check, cashier's check, money order or electronic funds transfer within 10-days of the time of acceptance. (GEA Inc., also accepts Visa and MasterCard payments for an additional fee of 3.0%--sorry, it's because of PayPal's charges to us for the convenience.) At that time your spot has been secured in GE2009.

Whether you are accepted prior to, or after, November 1st, 2008, complete and final payment will be due in full 90-days prior to our April, 17th 2009 departure date. That is, all remaining and outstanding entry fees due must be submitted on or by January 17, 2009; or you risk losing your secured position in GE2009. Failure to receive any Teams final payment by those dates will be interpreted as your Team abandoning your limited GE2009 spot. At that time, all previously paid funds will be returned based on the below Cancellation & Refund Policy.

If your application is accepted within the window of 90-days prior to our departure, full and complete payment will be required within five (5) working days of acceptance and notification by GE2009. Failure to receive any Teams final payment by those dates will be interpreted as your Team abandoning your GE2009 spot. At that time, all previously paid funds will be returned based on the below Cancellation & Refund Policy.

Documents, including the final vouchers, if any, and airline tickets (between our official US/Canadian Departure and Arrival destinations), will only be issued upon receipt of final payment. Because of the nature of The Global Scavenger Hunt being A Blind Date With The World™ travel adventure competition, and in an effort to decrease any potential competitive advantages any Teams could garner prior to the actual beginning of the competition on April 17, 2009, your Team's international airline tickets will be furnished following the Bon Voyage Party at our departing city all together as a group at least 4-hours prior to departure.

Prizes: The First Place Team of GE2009 will each win The World's Greatest Travelers™ trophies and that Team will be automatically entered into the next around-the-world travel adventure competition event to defend their Team title--with all entry fees waived! (Although this is at least a $20,000. value, this prize has no cash value, it is not transferable, and both Teammates must participate for it to apply.) All other GE2009 Teams will receive certificates (2nd and 3rd place will receive medals) of participation. All participants of GE2009 will receive special honors and awards. The winning Teams of the regional rallies will win special prizes. (We expect three or four such prizes.) The first Team that fulfills other GE2009 "Special Scavenges" will also receive special prizes. (We expect at least three or four such special scavenges.)

All GE2009 participants will be asked to assist the GreatEscape Foundation in raising additional funds and support for our noble causes (participation is fully optional). Our GEA Inc., staff will assist you in every way possible in that regard. This, combined with our active press campaign, corporate sponsorships and travel partner programs, will assist in our collective fundraising efforts. We hope that all those who apply for entry into GE2009 share our vision of a better world through travel that promotes empathy, understanding and shared responsibility. We simply ask that you do the best you can in good faith to assist in our efforts. If your Team dose not wish to assist the GreatEscape Foundation's efforts, that is fine, but you will not be able to take advantage of either the potential tax-benefits associated with the Foundation's efforts or win the free around-the-world trip in GE2009. (Please read GreatEscape Foundation webpage for full details.)

GEA Inc., makes every attempt to keep this website GlobalScavengerHunt.com as up to date as possible to ensure online accuracy. If you have any questions, or want to double-check any changes, facts, costs, or our related Terms & Conditions, please contact us at 310.281.7809.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

If a Team or paid participant has paid in full and needs to cancel prior to GE2009's April 17th, 2009, departure date for whatever reason (All cancellation notices must be received in writing and will become effective as of the date of the postmark or confirmed by FAX date received. E-mails and phone messages are not an accepted cancellation notice.), the following cancellation charges may be applied at the full discretion of the GEA Inc.:

90 Days or more before departure date = a 10% cancellation charge of $9,900 per person entry fee applies.
89-75 Days = a 15% cancellation charge of $9,900 per person entry fee applies.
74-61 Days = a 33% cancellation charge of $9,900 per person entry fee applies.
60-46 Days = a 50% cancellation charge of $9,900 per person entry fee applies.
45-31 Days = a 60% cancellation charge of $9,900 per person entry fee applies.
30-14 Days = an 80% cancellation charge of $9,900 per person entry fee applies.
13 Days or less before departure date = a 100% cancellation charge of $9,900 per person entry fee applies.

Please Note Again: If any GE2009 Team or participant drops out for any reason after April 3rd, 2009, there will be no refund. Leaving the event in progress, for any reason whatsoever, will not result in any refund, and no refunds will be made for any unused portions of an event.

GEA Inc., reserves the right to cancel any trip because of inadequate enrollment that makes the trip economically unfeasible to conduct or because of good-faith concerns with respect to the safety, health, or welfare of the participants (war, acts of terrorism, extreme acts of Nature, global epidemics, etc.). If GEA Inc., cancels an event for whatever reason prior to departure, participants will receive a full refund of all monies paid to GEA Inc., within 5-working days. GEA Inc., accepts no other liability.

The State of California has also asked us nicely to inform you of the following: Upon cancellation of GE2009, where the traveler is not at fault and has not canceled in violation of any Terms & Conditions previously, clearly and conspicuously disclosed and agreed to by the traveler, all sums paid to the GEA Inc., for services not provided will be promptly refunded to the traveler, unless the traveler advises GEA Inc., in writing, after cancellation. This provision does not apply where GEA Inc., has remitted the payment to another registered wholesale seller of travel or a carrier, without obtaining a refund, and where the wholesaler or provider defaults in providing the agreed-upon transportation of service. In this situation, GEA Inc., must provide the traveler with a written statement accompanied by bank records establishing disbursement of the payment, and if disbursed to a wholesale seller of travel, proof of current registration of that wholesaler. (We don't know exactly what this actually means, but count on us to do it anyway!)

For North American residents only: GEA Inc., will offer a supplemental and comprehensive insurance package that covers you for trip cancellation/interruption and baggage theft/loss. You may of course purchase your own policy from your own agent. Unfortunately, we cannot cover non-North American residents, so please contact your own insurance provider. (FYI: We strongly recommend all Teams purchase trip and cancellation/interruption insurance to protect your travel investment at the time of sending us your deposit. This coverage will help offset any cancellation charges you may incur in the event of illness before or during the trip.) For a no-fee insurance quote, please contact our GE2009 Event Coordinator at 310.281.7809.

California law further requires certain sellers of travel to have a separate trust account or bond. Please be advised that all GE2009 participation fees will be held in a GEA Inc., travel-related separate trust account as mandated by California law. These funds will only be used for direct travel related expenses (air, hotels, ground-transportation, etc.) or for direct Team/applicant refunds (minus any applicable cancellation fees stated above) under California law. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California or Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

I the undersigned agree with all the stated Terms & Conditions above as part of my participation in GE2009 event between the dates of April 17, 2009 and May 9, 2009.

Signed: ___________________________ Date: _______________________


Signed: ___________________________ Date: _________________________

GreatEscape Adventures, Inc.
1112 Montana Ave., Ste 384
Santa Monica, CA - 90403 - USA
310.281.7809
(CST 2071053-40)