velvet | October, 2011
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Winter adventures in Lapland

For many of us who live in temperate climes, the dreary, rainy weather that winter brings is sufficient reason to want to pack up for an all-inclusive holiday on the beaches of a sunny, warm land. For those of us who enjoy the perks of a refreshing chill in a snowbound land, there are plenty [...]

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What’s a coolpacker?

I was having a round of drinks with some friends when one of them mentioned reading a recent post of mine on “glamping“. He thought it was a pretty cool term and before long, we found ourselves trying to name the many terms that have been fabricated over the years to describe different travel types: [...]

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The drive to Maligne Lake in the Canadian Rockies

Maligne Lake is a spectacular lake in the Canadian Rockies not far from the town of Jasper. Set in a broad valley and surrounded by the glistening, snow-capped peaks of the Rockies, the lake is 22km long and is a haven for hikers and fishing enthusiasts. One of the most photographed spots in Canada, Spirit [...]

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Enchantment and romance in Petra

The moon shone brightly, illuminating the façade of the Treasury – the most famous of the monuments in Petra, an ancient city in southern Jordan. In the square directly in front of the Treasury, hundreds of candles cast a warm glow on the faces of the people who had come to experience Petra by night [...]

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Ten scenic golf courses around the world

I don’t play golf but the exuberance with which the rest of my family pursues the sport ensured that I was dragged from one golf course to another during my adolescent years… as an ‘assistant’ (or rather a nuisance) to the caddy. As my brother and brother-in-law showed off their golfing prowess on the course, [...]

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A relaxing holiday at Hotel Aigua Blava

The road from the town of Begur to Llafranc winds past some of the most beautiful villas on the Costa Brava. After several miles, a left turn in the direction of Fornells leads visitors to arguably one of the most charming hotels along the coast: Hotel Aigua Blava. Situated on a promontory, this family-run hotel [...]

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Experiencing the magic of Wadi Rum from above

Wadi Rum is a famous desert region in southern Jordan. Predominantly inhabited by Bedouins, some of whom still lead a nomadic lifestyle, Wadi Rum is a wondrous land of awe-inspiring sandstone and granite mountains which rise dramatically from the pink-ochre sands. T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, set up his base here in [...]

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Culinary Journey: sushi and sashimi in Vancouver

What: sushi and sashimi Where: Miko Sushi. 1335, Robson St., Vancouver Notes: If you love sushi and especially sashimi (raw slices of tuna or salmon), you have to check out Miko Sushi in downtown Vancouver. I’ve been to many sushi bars in Vancouver (in my book, one of the best places for Japanese food outside [...]

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My Velvet Escape travel tip: North Downs Way, England

“My velvet escape travel tip” is a guest series about what the name ‘Velvet Escape’ evokes and what that would be in the hometown or favourite place of the guest writer. With this series, I hope to uncover travel tips from places around the world to help visitors have a truly local experience. Today’s guest [...]

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The Jasper Tramway

There’s always something wondrous about cable-cars. Maybe it’s the way they silently whisk you up to a mountain top, or the panoramic views that gradually unfold as the car glides up to higher elevations, or the excited look on people’s faces when the journey begins… and the petrified look on those same faces when the [...]

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