A British man beat 34,000 other applicants Wednesday to win, what has been dubbed, "the best job in the world" — to stroll the white sands of a tropical island in Queensland, Australia, file weekly reports online to a global audience and earn a cool $100,000.
For the winner, Ben Southall, the six-month assignment is a far cry from his old job as a fundraiser. “I love discovering new places,” Southall said in his hyperkinetic minute-long application video for the position. “Last year, I drove all around Africa, I crossed deserts, climbed mountains, run marathons, bungee jump, mountain-bike, scuba-dive and snorkel everywhere because I’m practically a fish myself.” Oh, and he rode an ostrich. He will move into a three-bedroom beach home overlooking the tropical island’s Great Barrier Reef. For six months, he will feed the fish, clean the pool and send weekly blog and video reports on what is happening on the island. Other benefits include free return airfares from their nearest capital city, transport on the island, computer and camera gear and travel to other islands. The applicants used various attempts to woo their prospective employer, from wandering round a chilly city center in a bikini, to making their application in the form of a street musical, complete with chorus singers.
Sixteen finalists were flown in to Hamilton Island on Monday for interviews with a four-person panel. The job starts July 1.
