New Zealand ISP Sending Lucky Customer in Trip To Edge Of Space

New Zealands incumbent ISP Xtra (owned by Telecom New Zealand Ltd) has offered to send customer Sharyl Innes to the edge of space, at 82,000 feet, in a Russian MIG 25. This is the result of a promotion that required users to sign up to Xtra's broadband ADSL service during a February/March 2006 promotion.

The community mental health nurse from Warkworth, is the winner of Xtra's recent Explore New Worlds promotion, which includes a trip to the edge of space as one of the grand prizes. Aside from the space option she can also choose between a hot air ballooning adventure around the North Pole or a private island escape in the Maldives.

Sharyl says when Xtra called to say she'd won a prize she had no idea what it was.

"They wanted to explain it to me in person. I didn't really believe it until they turned up in the Xtra van with a guy in a space suit."

Sharyl's sons Sam (15) and Dylan (18) both live at home.

"Dylan will want to go to space but we need to have a family discussion and put it to the vote," says Sharyl.

The trip to the edge of space includes business class flights for three to Moscow, five-star accommodation, sightseeing and a breathtaking view of the curvature of the earth from on board a MIG 25 at 82,000 feet.

The hot air ballooning adventure includes business class flights for two to Norway, five-star accommodation, a night on a drifting ice base and a helicopter flight to the exact North Pole where the ballooning commences.

The island escape is for five people. It includes business class flights to the Maldives and transfers to a private island, use of a private sail boat, a personal chef, a butler and lots of relaxation.