One of the most fulfilling parts of travel is sharing your stories with people when you get back home. And that's what we'd like you to do. Our True Stories section is for your strange encounters, heartwarming tales, and funny anecdotes—the likes of which only seem to happen when you travel. So do you have a good story? Submit yours today!

First, here's what you can win:

Azores Express
The best response we receive between Nov. 29 and Dec. 31, 2008, wins a six-night trip for two to the Azores. Prize includes round-trip airfare from Boston to Terceira on Azores Express, lodging at the Terra do Mar, a whale-watching trip, and breakfasts. Prize has an estimated retail value of $4,000, and trip must be taken before December 2009. For more info on Azores Express: 800/762-9995, sata.pt.

Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa
The best response we receive between Jan. 1 and Jan. 30, 2009, wins two nights at the Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, A Wyndham Grand Resort in Río Grande, Puerto Rico. Prize includes round-trip airfare for two, a coffee-scrub treatment for two, and dinner for two at Palio restaurant. Prize has an estimated retail value of $1,500, and trip must be taken within one year. For more info on Rio Mar: 800/474-6627, wyndhamriomar.com.

How to enter: E-mail us at TrueStories@BudgetTravel.com or mail us at True Stories, Budget Travel, 530 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10018. For a complete rundown of the contest guidelines, please see BudgetTravel.com/truestories.

For South American Cruise: The prize has an estimated retail value of $5,598, and the trip must be taken in the 2009-2010 season. The prize is subject to availability, nontransferable, and nonnegotiable. Airfare is not included. Taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. The contest is open to residents of the 50 United States and its territories, except Arizona.

For both Azores Express and Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa: Both prizes: Blackout dates apply, and taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Prizes are subject to availability, nontransferable, and nonnegotiable. Contests are open to residents of the 50 United States and its territories, except Arizona.

And a few things to remember before you submit:

• Write it like you were telling it at a party. That is, keep it brief and lively (250 words max). We regret that we won't be able to include everything we receive, and we reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. And once you send it in to us, it becomes our property—intellectual and otherwise. (And that includes the photo.)
• Try to include a phone number for any establishment you mention. If we can't verify the place exists, we won't be able to print your story.
• The majority of submissions we print have photos, so send us the best pictures you've got—but try not to go crazy. Edit them down so we only get the good ones. If you're sending digital pictures, shoot them at 300 dpi at 3" by 5", and send them as a JPEG, TIFF, or EPS file. If you're sending prints or slides, please note that we will not be returning them (so you might consider reproducing your originals).
• We don't mind if you or your companions are in the shots, as long as you tell us who (and what) is in the photo.
• And we need to be able to get in touch with you, if need be, so include your daytime phone number and home address.
• If you or a relative of yours works at Budget Travel, you're ineligible. And speaking of Budget Travel, if you win, you and your travel companion are going to have to sign an affidavit of eligibility and release—sorry, but Budget Travel is the sponsor of this contest and we say that you have to do it if you want the prize.
• Unfortunately, we won't be able to pay you, but the reader who sends in the best submission, as determined by us, will win the trip as described above.

WHERE TO SEND IT:

• Email: TrueStories@BudgetTravel.com
• Mail: True Stories, Budget Travel, 530 Seventh Ave., 2nd floor, New York, NY 10018.