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The competition’s hotting up for what’s been dubbed ‘the best job in the world.’

As widely predicted, the prospect of becoming the laid-back caretaker of a desert island in the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland for a handsome salary proved highly attractive. There were 34,800 applicants.

Each had to provide a 60-second video, from which Tourism Queensland selected 50 from 22 different countries. A short-list of eleven will eventually be invited to an interview process on the islands; ten will be chosen by the organisers and the other will be the ‘wild card’ whose video gained the most internet votes (www.islandreefjob.com).

There were some highly enterprising efforts – my favourite was the Canadian guy who made his pitch through a one-minute musical production number in the street with full supporting cast.

It’s unlikely that the short-listed interviewees will need to pack formal attire. The process will be on the lines of team challenges and a series of physical, skill-based and aptitude tests.

The winner will be announced (with some fanfare, I suspect) on May 6th.

by Andy Moreton

Don’t forget that even if you’re not in the running, you can still enjoy the magic of the Whitsunday islands at the Hayman Island Resort, bookable through Luxique.

Earlier this year, I wrote about a dream job in Australia – to be caretaker on a desert island with a handsome salary and a three-bedroom house thrown in. So many applied, apparently, the website went into meltdown.

Now I hear of another attractive offer, although somewhat less lucrative. The idyllic Indian Ocean islands of The Maldives want to improve educational standards, so they’ve put out a call for British head teachers to consider taking up posts there.

The teachers would leave behind snow, rain and the crowded train for long sunny days and a leisurely commute across a crystal clear bay.

Last October, the Maldives had its first democratic presidential election and a former political prisoner, Mohamed Nasheed, defeated Asia’s longest-serving ruler, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Mr Nasheed studied in Britain and has said improving education for the country’s poor is among his top priorities.

The country, which has 370,000 people and 1,000 islands, plans to assign British headteachers to oversee seven newly decentralised regions. In addition to heading their own schools, they would be expected to help develop education in their zone.

By Western standards, the likely monthly salary of about 10,000 Rufiyaa (£523 / $745) is not vast. But in The Maldives, this is considerably more than the average.

Having won its independence from Britain in 1965, The Maldives has progressed from an economy that was almost entirely dependent on fishing to one where tourism accounts for 28 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product.

For holidaymakers who want to taste a little bit of paradise, Luxique offers ten luxury hotels in The Maldives.

by Andy Moreton