Description Week-long tour o Britain from grocery store coupon

Article from the Evening News (September 18, 1986) about Don MacIsaac's trip to the U.K. 

"Week-long tour of Britain from grocery store coupon

PICTOU - Don MacIsaac of Pictou is now a firm believer in entering contests.

MacIsaac said he mailed out an entry form he found on a grocery store shelf, and after I mailed it forgot all about it.'

'The telephone woke me at 8:15 on a Monday morning and the unknown voice of a lady from Saint John, N.B. was asking me a skill testing question.' said MacIsaac. 'Still half asleep and without my false teeth I could not speak or think coherently. She was helpful after my brain wakened a bit I got the correct answer.' 

MacIsaac's prize was a trip for two to England. The trip was six days - one day in London, and a five day tour of Scotland: the Lake District, Edinburgh, and Yorkshire. This was all arranged for and paid by General Foods plus $1500 Canadian spending money.

MacIsaac said he has always lived in Pictou and never travelled more than 900 miles from home, or flown beyond Montreal.

'It was a pleasant but very emotional feeling after I hung up that telephone.'

He said the first decision he had to make was who was going to accompany him on his trip.

MANY OFFERS

'As word of my win spread around I had offers from many ladies, married, widows and otherwise, all of whom I had to reluctantly disappoint.' 

MacIsaac said he tehn had to get a passport, passport picture, and locate bits of travel information romr ecent overseas travellers.

Pictou Fire Chief George Bedford, who is MacIsaac's neighbor was the lucky person to receive the invitation as MacIsaac's travelling companion. This was Bedford's first air flight.

The trip lasted from Sept. 7 to 14. It included a quick London tour (half a day) included the City of London, Crown Jewels and Tower, St. Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, and Hyde Park.

"Our five day tour to the Lakes and Scotland was scenic and beautiful,' recalls MacIsaac. 'It included Lake Windermere and then up to Edinburgh where we had a full free day.'

MacIsaac said the Edinburgh castle proudly displayed, among other insignia, a shoulder patch with the name 'Pictou Highlanders.'

The two men had taken Pictou lapel pins, and those of the Municipality of Pictou as well as small Canadian flag pins, Canadian flags, and leaflets on Historic Pictou and on of each was given to all of the people on thier bus tour.

The people from the bus tour were from many parts of the world including Canada, United States, Australia, South Africa and Israel.

'All were very interested in receiving a bit of Pictou and Canada to take home with them.' said MacIsaac.

MacIsaac said he and his travelling companion had an event filled week and every minute of the trip was enjoyed.

He said he is on the watch now for more contests.

'It sure was nice to travel overseas in elegance and have General Foods pay all the expenses."

Caption:

"While many look at contests with a skeptic eye, Don MacIsaac (right) is now a firm believer in them. As winner of a trip for two, he took his neighbor George Bedford (left) with him on his free trip to Britain. The Pictou men have recently returned with lots of memories and souvenirs. (News photo by Warren Magill)."