The Velvet Parade – celebrating 150 velvet escapes
It all started with a simple “Hello world“.
I was just back from an exhilarating and in certain ways life-changing five month round-the-world trip. I had experienced so much, seen so many places and met so many fascinating people that when I returned home, I felt I had to share it all. The creative and positive vibes were flooding my being and I had to find an outlet! It didn’t take long to come up with an idea to start a blog. Within weeks, the Velvet Escape blog was born.
Today, I celebrate my 150th post and I thought I would do something special to commemorate this milestone (you’re probably wondering why 150, not 100 perhaps? There’s a simple reason to that. I didn’t notice when I passed the 100 mark! 
). Anyway, what better way to celebrate this milestone than to throw a parade! I’ve included in this parade some of my favourite posts, some of the most memorable ones and those by my most esteemed guest bloggers. Enjoy! And don’t forget to wave as they pass by! 
I love everything about flying
- The Best Seat on the Plane One of my earliest posts; a timeless issue.
- Inflight food The good and the bad. My take on celebrity chefs.
- Keep your Seat-belts Fastened Listen to velvet!
- What’s the safest spot on a plane? My first top-3 spot on Google. Personally, I don’t think there is a ‘safest’ spot!
- Nail-biting landings We all love smooth landings. These are some hair-raising ones!
- Vancouver to Portland One of the most stunning flights I’ve been on.
- Sydney Harbour from the air My absolute favourite harbour in the world.
- Bora Bora from the air Neverland!
- Santiago to Punta Arenas The views from this flight beats everything!
Some of my favourite places & events
- Mardi Gras on Steroids Two events visitors to Amsterdam shouldn’t miss.
- A Dutch Floral Extravaganza Gorgeous gardens south of Amsterdam.
- Amsterdam Sharing my personal favourite spot.
- Whitehaven beach Who wouldn’t love this beach?
- The Great Ocean Road I wouldn’t have missed this drive for the world!
- Zanzibar This post brought back the memories of the spice-scented air..
- Sundays in San Telmo Ahhh, that tango evening is embedded in my memory forever!
Travel tips based on my experience
- Lend-a-Hand holidays A great way to spend a holiday.
- The Murals of Valparaiso The vivid colours are unforgettable.
- Ten Reasons to Travel Alone My first BIG post and my first #1 on Google!
- Ten Things to Do When You Travel Alone Another biggie & my second #1 on Google.
- Shop Till You Drop in Kuala Lumpur Don’t forget to pack easy walking shoes!
- Ten Tips for Planning a RTW Trip If you get the chance, grab it with both hands!
From my Travel Journal
- A desert full of wonders, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile Probably THE highlight of my RTW trip.
- The wonders of Angkor Wat, Cambodia Unforgettable Angkor.
- That rock star feeling in the Lost World (Iguazu Falls, Brazil/Argentina) Awe-inspiring falls.
- Getting over my Jaws complex (Lang Tengah, Malaysia) I still fear sharks but this was a step in the right direction!
My contribution to educating travellers
I often have an opinion
- [No] to mobile voice calls on planes
- Air Asia X’s new gamble
- One pound for a pee on Ryanair
- A380: a White Elephant?
- World Airport Survey
- Airline Ancillary Revenue: What’s Next?
Some of the fabulous hotels I’ve featured
- Sofitel Motu Bora Bora, French Polynesia
- Hotel Indigo, Puerto Natales, Chile
- Hotel Bopha Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Mine Boutique Hotel, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Robinson Crusoe Inn, Valparaiso, Chile
Ok, I’m a foodie!
- Punta Arenas, Chile
- Fremantle, Australia
- Valparaiso, Chile
- Five Splendid Wineries
- Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Palma de Mallorca, Spain
A World of Inspiration – travel stories by guest writers
- NYC By @jenlaceda Reads like a novella.
- Traveling the World Ten Days a Year By @Travelogged Can we get more days off please?
- An Inspiring Safari Field Guide By @AfricaFreak A wonderful story from the African bush.
- A Familiar Face in a Foreign Land By @WildJunket One of my personal favourites.
- The Cellist & the Historian By @solotraveler A poignant story beautifully told.
- His First Flight By @thesolowriter The best kindnesses…
- The Man Behind the Miracle By @pen4hire A lovely story about an inspiring man.
Last but not least: My most memorable posts
- Travelling is good for you…even if you’re unemployed Especially if you’re looking to beef-up your cv.
- Liquids Restrictions on Planes II Coincidence or foresight?
- Help Revive the Global Economy Recommendations from an economist!
- Air Asia X’s Inaugural Flight to London This one was special. Helped consumers get their free tickets.
- The Most Impressive Tourist Attractions A wonderful experiment with @travelrants
- Ten Places I Would Love to Visit Part of my list of places to visit.
- Twitter: A Traveller’s Treasure Trove My most popular post yet! My Twitter travel tweeps recommendations.
- Fabulous Sunsets Love sunsets! My favourite sunset shots.
- Interview with Splendia My very first interview. Conducted on Twitter – a novel idea.
- Video Interview with Solo Traveler My very first video interview and the response was incredible.
- My Great Laundry Adventure Don’t try this!
- Culinary Journey: Whitsunday islands A whacky story I had to tell!
- Matador Network’s ‘Travel Therapy’ Photo Essay My first prize!
Thank you!
The Velvet Escape blog has certainly come a long way since that simple “Hello world”! It would have been a lot less fun if not for my wonderful readers who come back frequently and actively participate by leaving comments and tips. I’m very proud of this 150-milestone but more importantly, I’m very happy with and appreciative of the new friendships that have been built via this blog and Twitter. In addition, I’m very grateful for the continuous support from my new-found friends.
This celebration is not so much about me or Velvet Escape. It’s about celebrating friendships, life and diversity!
Cheers mates!
Trackbacks and Pingbacks
- Bora-Bora » Top 10 Natural Wonders of the World – a photo essay
Hi Gaby,
Thanks for your comment. Well, there was a bit of Bali… the photo that won the Matador contest was the one I took in Jimbaran, Bali!
Cheers,
Keith
Dear Keith, not only you are my travel inspiration, but like I said on Twitter to you, you’re the only one I could think of as my RTW buddy when do this (hopefully soon), or at least, take me to just one of these beautiful places you went to, show me what you’ve seen, I’ll be very grateful.
Blessings,
BEE from Bali
P.S : hmm…none of these favorites blog posts of yours about Bali..:(
Thank you Erica! Enjoy!
Wow… What a great list of your favorite posts!!
Haha! Thanks Yoan for being so supportive of the velvet escape blog! You’ve been awesome!
Cheers,
Keith
oh my godd………wowww…….i could not believe it…….sir,until now, u have brought me to all……..beautiful spot in this world, introduce me to many unique culture, always make me starving and eat a lot with ur culinary journey story, ha..ha.ha.ha…-^_^-(i thought my weight increase bcoss of that), always bcome nice story tale for me b4 i sleep (always amazed me and made me said to my self, oh my goddd………some place like that exist in this world??) and all of that summarized in 150 posting…….wowww………thx for all ur sharing…wish some tourism place in where i am living now can be reviewed by velvet, wowww……that’s must be a great honor for all ur fans in here.
Ok….succes 2velvet, (gluk…gluk..drink some wine now,lol)
Goo……….exploreee…..experiencedd…….and beeee…..inspired….-^_^-
best regard
–Yoan the dreamer–
(hope can be yoan the traveler soon*sigh*)
Thank you Vera for your comment and your continued support.
Cheers,
Keith
Thanks for including me in your list of posts. I’m honored. Really love all of your posts, and it is fun having a bunch gathered together like this. Happy 150th post!
Vera
Thank you! I look forward to sharing more of my travel experiences with you on this incredible journey.
Best regards,
Keith
Congratulations, Keith. We enjoy your message of diversity and the strength of the human spirit. You are a true inspiration to everyone who travels or aspires to travel. We look forward to continuing with you on your journey. Best wishes for your future travels!
Thank you Amy & Jen for your comments! And for your support!
You’re the best.
Cheers,
Keith
Congratulation!!! What a great milestone!
Love the parade.
It’s a great way to look back at your journey. So many great posts.. I know what I will do this afternoon and late into the night. 
Oh, I agree, I agree about the celebrations! Congrats and happy 150th post!!! Keith, I always enjoy reading your blog. You and your travels are such an inspiration to me. I hope I can go around the world one day. I have a question, though. Do you have a post that teaches or helps us budget for a round-the-world trip? What is a reasonable budget for a trip just like yours?!
Thanks and much love,
Jen