A British accountant who won a mystery Instagram holiday was shocked when she ended up on a surprise trip 2,250 miles away in Armenia.
Ellie Cresswell had no clue what to expect when she boarded the plane from London Luton Airport.
All she knew was that the flight would leave at 8:15am and that she should pack a bag of clothes for temperatures around 20–25°C.
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The 29-year-old was told to expect a flight time of up to six hours and given a list of possible destinations including Armenia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and Lithuania.
But even that did little to narrow things down.
She has shared a video of the experience on Instagram, where it has been viewed over 1.6m times, with 34,500 likes, as reported by What’s The Jam.
“There was an incredible atmosphere onboard the flight, with everyone excitedly trying to guess where we were heading,” Ellie said.
“The cabin crew did an amazing job of keeping the secret, with all announcements referring only to our ‘unknown destination’ and they even avoided revealing the flight duration.
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“I was absolutely thrilled when we finally landed in Armenia, as it’s somewhere I had always wanted to visit.
“I love exploring destinations that feel less discovered and more authentic.”
Ellie had entered the Wizz Air ‘Let’s Get Lost London’ competition on social media and was stunned when she won the three-night holiday – travelling on the UK’s only direct flight to the country.
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On arrival at Zvartnots International Airport, passengers were greeted by the Armenian tourism board and even treated to a surprise traditional dance lesson as a welcome into the country.
Armenia is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited countries, with a history stretching back more than 3,000 years.
It is also home to the world’s first Christian state, having adopted Christianity as its official religion in AD 301.
The landlocked nation is known for its dramatic mountain landscapes, ancient monasteries and growing reputation for wine production, with some experts pointing to the region as one of the earliest places in the world where wine was made.
Ellie added: “The entire experience was unforgettable.
“We learned so much about Armenian history, culture, religion, food, and of course, wine.
“I would definitely recommend doing a mystery trip if the opportunity comes up, as the unknown element added so much excitement and spontaneity to the whole experience.”
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