Travel: Have camera, will travel, and win pounds 2,000

If you're a roaming gap-year student with even the smallest flair for photography, there's a chance you could win pounds 2,000 courtesy of Boots and have a lot of fun in the process. Two runners-up will be given pounds 500 for their photographic efforts and many entrants will see their pictures in print on these pages.

Here's the plan. On a postcard you write your name, home address and telephone number, together with your gap year destination and travelling dates, and send it to Boots Gap Year Cover Competition, FREEPOST, PO Box 193, Nottingham NG3 1BR. Applicants will then receive a small gnome to accompany them on their travels. Demand for these creatures has been heavy, and appearances have already been made at places as far apart as Halkidiki and Havana (pictured).

Then all we ask is that during your travels you photograph your gnome in the most unusual and imaginative locations. When you have your films developed - either during your travels or when you return home - send your pictures back to the UK. Details of how and where will be included with the information you will be sent in reply to your postcard, which must be received by 31 July 1999.

Every two months selected pictures will be published in the travel pages of The Independent (in December 1998 and then in February, April, June and August 1999). The final closing date for pictures will be 17 September 1999. The winning pictures will be published on 2 October 1999, just before the start of the academic year, and all of the winners will be invited to attend a party which will be held before 18 December 1999.

BOOTS IS committed to safe travel, and its Gap Year Travel Cover, for extended trips of up to 365 days, can be bought either in store or by phone. You'll be given a Helpline card with an emergency telephone line that will put you in direct contact with multilingual doctors, co-ordinators and legal advisers should the need arise. The policy also covers you for lost or stolen possessions.

If you would like more information on Boots Gap Year Travel Cover or to arrange instant cover, call 0845 840 2020, 24 hours a day.

Terms and conditions

By entering the competition, all entrants will be deemed to have accepted and agreed to be bound by the competition rules. The competition is open to all UK gap-year travellers - those who are either A-level students, university students or taking a career break.

Photographs must be taken while travelling outside the UK, during trips greater than three months. Only photographs taken by people in their gap year but otherwise studying for A-levels, at university or taking a career break, are eligible for the competition.

All photographic entries become the property of Boots. Photographs submitted cannot be returned. Boots reserves the right to use the photographs submitted for any purpose.

Information concerning your application may be shared among Boots and Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance and their respective subsidiaries, agents, and sub-contractors. Members of Boots and other organisations may occasionally advise you of other products and services which may be of interest. If you would prefer not to receive such information, please say so on your postcard.

This competition is open to all qualifying residents of the UK, excluding employees and families of Boots and its subsidiaries, and The Independent and its associated companies. The judges' decision is final and no correspondence can be entered into. Prizes are as stated. The overall winners will be notified by post or telephone, as appropriate.