The ladies wore colourful traditional costumes

View other Velvet Moments from around the world.

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Velvet moments: travel photo – ladies of Valencia is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

An eye-opening incident

I was out on a snorkelling trip when a strong current swept me away. Two things saved me: a lesson I learned many years ago that if I were to be in this situation, I had to swim parallel to the shore before heading for the boat or the shoreline; and sheer willpower. I began to tire before I reached the boat. My body felt like a slab of lead and my mind was racing. I struggled to stay afloat as I felt waves of panic washing over me. As I sank for the third time, it suddenly occurred to me that I should start yelling for help. I fought my way back to the surface and shouted, “Help me please!”. Many thoughts flitted through my mind and it occurred to me that even in my dire state, I still remained polite – a bizarre thing to think of at that moment!

Fortunately, I was close enough to the boat for the crew to hear my cries and throw out a life buoy. I used my last reserves to reach out and grab the buoy. The waves played with me like a little doll, smashing me against the boat as the crew struggled to get me to the ladder. I somehow managed to catch the ladder and I knew I was safe.

I kicked myself for not listening to my instincts.

Before I went into the sea, I noticed the wind picking up and the swells growing. My instincts told me not to go in but I figured: I’m an experienced snorkeller, I’m a decent swimmer, I initiated this trip, I was there, I wanted to see the reefs and if I felt unsafe, I could always make my way back to the boat. I was swept away within minutes. The crew tried to haul me back into the boat but I couldn’t move. I hung onto the ladder in a state of shock. My throat choked on the salty water and my mind was reeling. I tried desperately to relax my breathing and calm my nerves. After what seemed like ages, I allowed the crew to pull me up. My first real thoughts were of my utter stupidity – I kicked myself for not listening to my instincts. I then started to think of my loved ones at home and how I wished they were there.

I was elated to return home to big hugs, kisses and smiling faces – it was all I needed to know that I was back with the people I love and I thanked them for simply being in my life.

There’s a lesson in every experience

I strongly believe that there’s a lesson in every experience, whilst the more dramatic ones have the power to truly open our eyes. My Dad’s passing several years ago taught me a great lesson about setting aside our differences to allow love to fluorish.

This near-drowning incident reminded me of how fragile life is and taught me to appreciate my loved ones and tell them as often as I can why they mean so much to me. It also taught me to listen carefully to my instincts. My mind may have a will of its own but when it comes to personal safety, it’s my instincts that I should trust.

Travel safe – a lesson learned is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Image courtesy of El Tito

Málaga is in Andalusia, on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain, a ferry’s journey north of Morocco. Owing to its location, it has a warm climate and some of the warmest winters in Europe. For those intending to find cheap holidays in Málaga, consider booking between April and November when the average daily temperature is above 20 °C, and the waters of the Mediterranean Sea are particularly inviting. The most obvious attraction of Málaga are its sun-kissed beaches but remember to explore the numerous palaces, churches, gardens, museums and art that are also in abundance in the city.

A long and colourful history

In addition to its climate, Málaga has a long and colourful history. Founded under the name “Malaka” by the Phoenicians as far back as 770 BC, and later ruled by the Romans and Arabs before becoming a requisition of the Spaniards, the city hosts remains from eras spanning 3,000 years. Attracting history enthusiasts interested in Ancient Carthage, Roman, Arab and the Spanish of the Middle Ages, Málaga is something of a sweeping museum across time. Evidence  of Málaga’s rich history can be viewed at the Museo de Málaga.

Malaga Cathedral (image courtesy of alvarogd)

History buffs will also love the various monuments such as the 11th century Alcazaba Citadel (with its towers and gardens – there’s also a stunning view across the bay from here), the 14th century Gibralfaro Castle and the Roman Theatre in the old inner city. The Málaga Cathedral, with its Gothic, Renaissance and baroque influences, is also an impressive attraction whilst at the Palace of the Marqués de Valdeflores, visitors have the opportunity to explore the exquisite interior of the home of an 18th century aristocrat.

The birthplace of Pablo Picasso

Picasso in Malaga (image courtesy of Landahlauts)

Málaga is also the birthplace of world-famous artist, Pablo Picasso. Tourists can visit the Museo Picasso Málaga, which is located in the artist’s childhood home in Plaza de la Merced and displays nearly 300 works donated by members of Picasso’s family. This museum joins the ranks of a number of institutions dedicated to the city’s artistic pursuits, including (but not limited to) the Carmen Thyssen Museum, the fine arts and archaeology museum: Museo de Málaga, and CAC Málaga (museum of modern art).

After a day at the beach or exploring the city, sit down with a glass of sweet Málaga wine. Made from local Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel grape varieties, you’ll soon find yourself packing a bottle for your journey home.

Note: this post was brought to you in partnership with Thomson Holidays.

History and art on the Sunshine Coast is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Image courtesy of Adam Nelson

It’s a scene that always comes to my mind when I think of Valentine’s Day: the opening minutes of the movie ‘Love Actually‘ that were shot at the Arrivals Hall of Heathrow Airport. The scene of people, faces filled with joy, greeting each other with a warm embrace never fails to move me. It’s one of my favourite opening scenes because it always reminds me of my loved ones and the joy of being back in their company after a period of travel.

The scene also reminds me of the importance of showing our loved ones how much they mean to us and why. A hug, kiss, candy or flowers go some way in showing our appreciation but nothing means more than our own words.

Image courtesy of McD22

This Valentine’s Day, grab a pen and a piece of paper and jot down the reasons you love that special someone.

I love you because…

There are many cards you can buy at a store that can appropriately express your feelings but it will mean so much more if those words came from you, in your handwriting. Then share a glass of wine with your loved one, light a candle and read your note out loud. Here’s a toast to love!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

One thing to do on Valentine’s Day is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Me time at the Dead Sea

Spending time on me

Immerse yourself in the view!

I strongly believe that in order to be the best person we can possibly be for our families, friends and communities, we need to take care of ourselves first. This entails feeling good about ourselves both mentally and physically. Allotting time to the care of our personal well-being is the key to achieving a healthy balance in our often busy lives. We can use this time to do whatever we want or nothing at all. It sounds wonderful yet, funnily enough, I know many people who simply fret the idea of spending a day or more with nothing on the agenda and certainly without a mobile device. “Why throw yourself into a void when time is so precious?” is a remark I once heard.

So, if you feel you’ve been neglecting yourself lately, here’s the challenge for 2012: allocate sufficient me time, unplug and be creative in how you use that time to enjoy yourself. Indulge yourself in a spa or a day of nothingness on a beach, strike up a conversation with someone you see often but have never chatted with, have a meal at your favourite restaurant and savour each mouthful just a tad longer, meditate on a mountain peak or embark on a solo trip. Tickle your senses. Be adventurous. It’s up to you.

And when you return, I’d love to know what you did, what it felt like and if you learned something new about yourself during your me time – that goes for the professional ‘me-timers’ out there too – so I can learn from you. Feel free to leave a comment below or email me.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2012 … and remember

go explore. experience. and be inspired.

AJ8VM3CWJQ9S

Velvet Escape challenge 2012 is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

The white sands of Whitehaven Beach

This time three years ago, I was roaming around South America, having the time of my life on my first solo round-the-world trip. After ten years of focusing on my career, this trip certainly opened my eyes to the world outside my comfy ‘bubble’. I learned to value the relationships I have with my family and friends, be grateful for the small every day delights we often overlook and most importantly, I learned to connect with and appreciate the person that I am.

My Travel Journal

I was perusing my Travel Journal this morning and read several entries from my RTW trip. Looking back, there were a handful of defining moments during that trip. One moment which I will never forget is the epiphany I experienced on the sands of Whitehaven Beach in Australia. Another defining moment happened several weeks later while on a camping trip to the McLeod River. I briefly described this moment in my Travel Journal entry (below). What strikes me when I read that account is the frame of mind I was in: open, eager, positive and excited about the new insights I was picking up along the way. There’s a childish glee in my ‘voice’, like there was a candy store at every bend of the road. Since that trip, I’ve made it my objective to maintain that same frame of mind. With the challenges that life constantly throws at us, it’s sometimes difficult to do so. At times like these, I look to the people or things that inspire me… and I pick up my Travel Journal. Reading through the stories and having a chuckle or two, I realise that my Travel Journal isn’t only a collection of my travel experiences, it’s my personal source of inspiration.

More firsts in “No Network Coverage” country

A page from my Travel Journal

The grass trees

On Monday morning, me and Bas, another guest at the B&B I was staying at, hopped into a giant 4-wheel-drive with Bob, our guide/driver/chef, for a camping adventure in the mountains northwest of Cairns – I previously thought that we would head west over the Great Dividing Range to the Outback but instead we headed first north along the coast past Port Douglas then westwards and up into the mountains. About 120 kilometers from Cairns, I had a quick glance at my mobile phone and it read “No Network Coverage”. Wow! I can’t remember the last time I was ever in a place with absolutely no mobile network coverage! Six months ago, I might have panicked a bit being disconnected from the ‘civilised’ world like this but I’m a changed person now (well, kind of) and I didn’t even blink an eye.

The McLeod River headlands

The scenery along the way was beautiful: first past the stunning coast, then along huge sugar cane plantations and hilly cattle country with the occasional farmhouse. As we cleared the mountains, the vegetation changed from tropical rainforest to a drier, shrubby forest type with many gum trees. After about two hours of driving, we turned off the main road and headed along a dirt road into real bush country. I was glad we were in a sturdy 4WD – it handled the steep road into the mountains and through various streams and dry, rocky riverbeds effortlessly. I loved the vegetation, mostly gum and grass trees and bottlebrush.

We camped on the banks of the McLeod River

After about 45 minutes, we arrived at our camping site, a serene spot at the banks of the McLeod River – I was told that this is actually the McLeod River headlands and that the river is several hundred kilometers long and winds its way to the Gulf of Carpentaria. That spot was just magical: towering gum trees provided a cool shade while the river, with its pebble-strewn bed, was crystal clear. We took several gulps of water from the river and it tasted very sweet and fresh. I can’t remember the last time I was able to just cup my hands and take a mouthful of water straight from the river without being terribly ill later. Glorious stuff!

Easy-peasy!

I set up my tent in a jiffy (my first try – it’s a lot easier than I thought it would be: knock the pins into the ground, connect some poles, roll out the canvas and clip it onto the frame – easy peasy!), then helped Bob and Bas collect some firewood. That was easy too. A few months before, the park caretaker orchestrated a controlled bush fire in this area so there was a lot of ready-made firewood just lying around! After lunch, Bob took us out for a bushwalk along the river. Just one kilometer further was an absolutely magnificent spot: at this point, massive boulders that continue as far as the eye can see force the river to branch out into countless streams, creating hundreds of gushing rock pools, cascades and waterfalls. We went boulder-hopping and I found many crystal-clear pools: one I called the jacuzzi, another the bath-tub, and yet another the shoulder-massage spa.

The McLeod River

Bottlebrush

Reflections in the McLeod River

We returned to the camp just before sunset and I helped light the campfire (my first time) – Bob and Bas laughed at me initially as I had some ‘ignition’ problems (the leaves just refused to burn) but as soon as I’d gotten over that hurdle (ok, I used up half a matchbox), we soon had a roaring fire going; more than sufficient to prepare that leg of lamb we brought with us! Bob cooked us a marvelous dinner; the lamb was exquisite and the Merlot that went with it was pretty stunning too! We had a long and lazy dinner, with some very interesting conversation topics, and looked up occasionally to admire the starry sky. I just loved it.

I soon had the fire roaring!

The camp fire looked beautiful at night

What a kookaburra sounds like

A fish-eye view of the camp site

The next morning, we woke up to the sounds of singing birds – did you know that a kookaburra (yes, the one that sits in the old gum tree) makes a sound similar to an excited chimpanzee (I don’t know how many of you have seen an excited chimp but I hope you get the picture! When I was in Airlie Beach, I heard them and I commented to the owner of that backpacker place that there must be a lot of monkeys living in the trees behind the hostel. He first looked at me quizzically, then started laughing and said that those were in fact kookaburras, i.e. birds, not monkeys!…. Like I’m supposed to know that?!). Anyway, back to when I woke up. I had another ‘first’ and this one wasn’t that much fun. I must say, I loved everything about this camping trip except for the ‘nature’s call’ aspect of it; you know, that call you have to heed, preferably behind some bush. Not a very pleasant thing, especially if you’re wary of snakes or spiders who usually hang out around bushes and dead leaves. Anyway, I got that safely out of the way and trudged back to the camp and there was breakfast: bacon, eggs and sausages. Delish! We wolfed it down in no time.

I felt so connected with the place and with myself

The cascades in the McLeod River

After breakfast, I made my way down to the waterfalls for another long and lazy dip in the pools. I looked around and took in the majesty of this place: the slender gum trees all around; the colours of the trees, the leaves and flowers, the water and the sky; the sounds of the birds and gurgling water; and the beautiful shapes of the boulders.

Lying there in one of the rock pools with absolutely no one around, I felt so connected with the place and with myself, and so free. An awesome, very spiritual experience I will not easily forget. I’m only into the second month of this trip and I already feel like I’ve come a long way, like I’m a changed person. It isn’t a new me, I don’t think, but perhaps a more enlightened version of the ‘old’ Keith. Whatever it is, I’m loving this new feeling!

A personal source of inspiration is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

“A coolpacker is someone who uses his/her [online social networks] to get the low-down from locals on what’s hot and happening in any place he/she is visiting”.

Coolpackers?

“Wow, that’s cool!… Did you just make that up?”. He simply grinned.

A new form of travel?

I thought about what he said and wondered if this is a new term for a new form of travel. With the spectacular growth of social media, it’s a natural progression that people would consult their networks for tips on where to go, what to see, where to eat and where to hang out. It got me thinking about the growing importance of gaining authentic experiences during our travels. We do not want to be seen as tourists. Sure, we want to visit the major sights (there’s always a checklist, right?) but we also want the true ‘local’ experience. In this sense, social media is the perfect medium from which we can obtain up-to-date information and unique insights to facilitate that ‘local’ experience. So, does this make travellers who are social media savvy ‘coolpackers’? Or is there another distinguishing factor, aside from the social media element? Are ‘coolpackers’ only focused on gaining information on specific themes like art and design, gastronomy or nightlife?

I was still pondering on these questions a few days later when I received an email from iwannagothere. The subject line read “Join the Coolpacker Contest”. You can imagine my amazement! A brief “A-HA!” moment ensued as I figured out where my friend (most probably) discovered the term. I clicked on the video and it contained a slightly different variation of what defines a ‘coolpacker’:

iwannagothere.com from IWGT on Vimeo.

So, the term isn’t a figment of my friend’s imagination! I chuckled at the thought.

Am I a ‘coolpacker’? Well, I enjoy using social media to share and obtain travel tips, and I’m a big fan of art & design, gastronomy and architecture…. amongst others. If that’s the definition of a coolpacker, then yes.

Would you consider yourself a coolpacker?

I replied to iwannagothere’s email and we had a good laugh about this ‘coincidence’. The Coolpackers Contest runs till 15th November 2011 and there are some cool prizes to be won. I’m sure the Coolpackers out there will find that fab camera set very appealing!

Note: this post was brought to you in partnership with iwannagothere.

What’s a coolpacker? is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

What is luxury travel?

To celebrate the launch of the new Velvet Escape blog design, I asked some of my friends the following:

What defines a luxurious travel experience?

Here are their answers:

I know I am experiencing luxury when I shake my head in disbelief at where I am and I marvel at how happy I am. This certainly happens in luxurious locations, hotels and restaurants but it also happens in simple settings like sitting in a cafeteria on a ferry (not luxurious at all) in Patagonia. Like the name of your blog suggests, luxury can be plush, it can be a true escape and it can be both. Janice from Solo Traveler ->

-> A luxury experience for me is to have time to travel! To have the freedom to travel! To do things which you wouldn’t do every day! To travel is luxury! Melvin from Traveldudes.

A luxurious travel experience is one that is just for me and it’s all ‘about me.’ It’s not work related – no travel reporting at all – and it allows me to pamper ‘my’ personal needs. Evelyn from Journeywoman ->

-> A luxury travel experience to me is a unique experience that has got even the tiniest details covered. Something exclusive & where I feel spoiled and upon return refreshed & inspired. Isabelle from Isabelle’s Travel.

To me luxurious travel is seeing , experiencing and absorbing a new destination. Being able to capture the beauty and heart of the area and share it with others…oh yea and great FOOD! JD from EarthXplorer ->

-> A luxury travel experience is about having the time to let go of all work. While we’ve had the opportunity to stay at some of the most luxurious places on earth, we still had an element of work that needed to be done. It is when staying in a beach hut, disconnected from the world with all the time and freedom to relax that makes a moment luxurious for us. It doesn’t need to be five-star, just secluded, quiet and having the time to be completely together. That’s pure luxury. Dave and Deb from The Planet D.

To me it’s about leaving all everyday life, cares and work behind. Being pampered, feeling totally relaxed and having nowhere to go and nothing I have to do. Zöe from Quirky Traveller ->

-> A luxurious travel experience for me has very little to do with comfort and amenities. Luxurious is related to great emotions and special places: camping in the Algerian desert and watching the sunrise with only a handful of people, or being alone on the top of a mountain and looking at the wild beauty of the glaciers… Simon from Wild About Travel.

My idea of luxury is having my needs met before I even realize I’m wanting for anything. Additionally, a pace that is not stressful but instead relaxing and restorative is, for me, crucial if I am to bestow the label of luxury. Kirsten from Aviators and a Camera ->

-> Luxurious travel to me includes a visit to an enchanting village in Europe where my imagination can wander, my eyes can behold magnificent architecture, my mind can experience the art and culture, my comforts are met in quaint and authentic accommodations, and most of all, close encounters with the locals! Jeff from Euro Travelogue.

Luxurious travel is, flying business class, staying in five-star settings with fine dining every evening! Mei from Cumi & Ciki ->

-> Warmth, quiet, comfort and the chance to thrill at simply being alive. Abi from Inside The Travel Lab.

Having a place all to myself and my loved one (beach, desert, mountains – it doesn’t matter where) and soaking in the beauty of nature without any interference from the outside world – no internet, no tv. Nellie from Wild Junket ->

-> I think taking the time to appreciate the simple things in life when we travel is a luxury. The things that make me smile like watching children play, taking in a sunset, capturing the nature around me, seeing new things and every day things in a new way – the sights, the sounds, the scents. The things I don’t take time to do at home. For me it is appreciating life’s little moments that gives me the luxurious travel experience and make me happy. But don’t get the wrong idea, I still cherish those “5 star rated” experiences and get all giddy like it is the first time each and every time! Stephanie from Travel Designed.

And last but not least….

To me I define luxury as sitting in seat 1A with a glass of champagne before takeoff. Rich from Brilliant Tips and Brilliant Travel Media (the brilliant mind behind the new Velvet Escape design). ->

Luxury travel and Velvet Escape

As for me, well, more importantly than travelling like I’d just won the national lottery, luxury travel is all about the moments and being inspired by them. Enjoying the cool droplets of mist on my face in the cloud forests of Monteverde. Sitting on a beach and feeling the silky water of the sea lapping around my toes. Feasting my eyes on the colours of the lagoon in Bora Bora. Lying on the deck of a boat in the Whitsundays and staring at the Milky Way above. Curling up in a five-star hotel bed. Catching a whiff of the rich scent of a Pinotage as I swirl it in a glass. Savouring the wondrous texture and flavours of Italian ice-cream. Or discovering a little bit more about myself.

These are my moments of luxury. My Velvet Escapes.

A Velvet moment. Image courtesy of Diana Edelman @dtravelsround

 go explore. experience. and be inspired.

What defines luxury travel is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

The reason cider is poured this way is to create a foamy layer as well as to release the aromas in the cider. Once the cider is poured, the glass must be emptied in one go to fully appreciate the flavour and the aromas. Bottoms up!

Tierra Astur

The Asturians take this art form very seriously and are more than happy to teach visitors how it’s done. No worries if you spill the cider; the floors of sidrerias are littered with sawdust which help to mop up the spilled cider. At the famous Tierra Astur sidreria in Oviedo, cider is ‘shot’ into the glass straight from the barrel.

Sidreria Tierra Astur in Oviedo

Cider is 'shot' into the glasses straight from the barrel

And if you visit Tierra Astur, you have to try the favada (Asturian stew with white beans and a variety of sausages, chorizo and black pudding) and/or the mixed grill!

Favada

The mixed grill at Tierra Astur!

The cider-pouring champion of Asturias

It was an honour to witness the cider-pouring champion of Asturias, Felix de la Fuente, at work and serve us cider. Note the solemn look on his face. Cider-pouring is truly an art form in Asturias and it was a delight to watch the champion demonstrate his skill: pure art in motion!

The champion of Asturias at work

Art in motion!

Note: my trip to Asturias was part of a blog trip organised by the Tourism Board of Asturias and Tourism Spain.

Art in motion – pouring cider in Asturias is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

"Pap, Vertel 's!" ("Dad, Tell Me"): The original Dutch version of the book by Elma van Vliet

It was a book that begged to be read. I stared at its cover for a few more moments before asking my friend, Rob, what it was about. He turned to look at it and his eyes lit up instantly. He carefully picked up the book from the coffee table, like it was a fragile object, and passed it to me. He explained that he’d given this book to his father as a present. Several months later, his father returned the book, except, now, the book was worth countless times more than the price Rob had paid for it at the book store. It was a journal, one that’s filled with questions that every child would like to ask their parents. Rob’s father spent many hours answering the questions and accompanying his answers with beautiful family photos. The result was an inspiring, entertaining, heartfelt story about what it was like growing up, the highlights and challenges, finding the love of his life, raising Rob and seeing him go through life’s trials and tribulations. It was the story of raising a child through the eyes of his father – a story every child needs to know.

Dad, what was it like raising me?

The journal contained a collection of questions, many of which I would’ve loved to ask my Dad, such as “Which characteristics did I inherit from you, and which from Mum?”, “What was it like raising me?”, “During which moments were you most proud of me?” and “What have you learned from me?”.

The journal contained funny anecdotes and lovely family photos

There were also chapters with questions about the father’s adolescent years. Rob’s father did a magnificent job in answering every question with funny anecdotes and vivid descriptions of many cherished moments.

Rob read from a few of his favourite pages and I was simply struck by awe. This was a precious window into his father’s life and his bond with his child. His father’s honesty was truly gripping.

The journal contained many life lessons – the ones we pass from generation to generation – on self-discovery, parenting, overcoming obstacles and fulfilling dreams, as well as insights into what it’s like to be a parent. Above all, it’s a testament of the true bond that exists between a father and his child.

I decided to do some research and discovered that the journal (originally in Dutch) is also available in English in various versions. Written by Elma van Vliet, there’s a journal for fathers and for mothers. It’s a great gift to our parents; I’m sure many will enjoy answering the questions and looking up old family photos and other things to include. And it’s a great gift from a parent to a child, one that will be filled with stories every child needs to know.

A big thank you goes to Rob’s father for creating this inspiring book and for allowing me to publish a photo of its content.

Mum, if you’re reading this… expect a package in the mail soon!

About the author of “The Mother’s Book”

Photo & bio: Vertel Eens by Elma van Vliet

Upon learning that her mother was seriously ill, Elma van Vliet sat down and wrote The Mother’s Book, a collection of questions that would allow her to find out who her mother really was. She wanted to learn what her mum had been like as a girl, what her dreams had been at 18, who she had fallen in love with first, how she had felt about the birth of her child… and many more. She published her first book, “Mam, Vertel’s” (“Mum, Tell Me”) in 2004 and dedicated it to her mother. Since then, various versions for fathers, grandparents and friends were published and translated into English, German and Russian. Visit her website “Vertel Eens” (in Dutch only).

The story every child needs to know is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity…. It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.
- Melodie Beattie

The minute I gained that insight, I picked up a pen and jotted down everything I was grateful for that I could think of. So, here we go. I’ve narrowed down my list to ten things I’m thankful for:

• My family and friends
• The wisdom and power to simply be me
• Time spent with my loved ones
• Opportunities to travel
• Good health
• All that nature has to offer
• Artistic creations that inspire
• Running water each time I turn on the tap and food in the fridge
• The brilliant minds who created WordPress and twitter
• And last but not least: LOVE: to love and be loved – there’s nothing quite like it isn’t it?

Things to be thankful for is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Wishing all my readers, friends and sponsors

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

&

a MAGNIFICENT NEW YEAR!

Keep exploring, savour the experiences and most of all… be inspired in 2011!

Best wishes & lots of hugs,

Keith

Season’s greetings from Velvet Escape is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Geography is a lot more than being able to point out a country on a world map or knowing the capital city of every country in the world (though if you did, I would be VERY impressed!). It’s about getting to know our world and its people better and understanding what makes societies tick. Geography helps to trigger our curiosity and as we become more curious, our awareness grows. We begin to see that our world extends a lot farther than the boundaries of the town we live in. It opens our eyes to different cultures and perspectives, and helps us grow as well-rounded, emphatic individuals.

In conjunction with Geography Awareness Week, Gil Grosvenor, the National Geographic Society Chairman of the Board, was asked about the importance of geography. In the interview, he provided a myriad of reasons, the most important being that an effective democracy requires sufficient knowledge of geography. I’ve included the ten-minute video interview below.

How to encourage an interest in geography

Travel bloggers testing their knowledge of geography

My parents sparked my interest in geography when I was eight by giving me a geographic encyclopedia as a birthday gift. There are many more ways in which parents can encourage their children to take an interest in geography. Here are five ideas from me and fellow bloggers:

• Aye, a fellow blogger, bought a shower curtain with a world map on it and teaches her daughter about the world during every bath.
• Andy Jarosz brings an inflatable globe with him on his travels to teach kids he meets about where he comes from.
• Travelpod has a cool online game that tests your knowledge of geography (as well as educates!). This is one of my favourites but there are many more online quizzes out there. An alternative is to purchase an interactive globe such as the LeapFrog Junior Explorer Globe. It’s good fun for the whole family.
• Mrs. Allen’s class is a brilliant example of how social media can be utilised to encourage interest in geography. Social media platforms like Twitter can play an important role in bringing the world into our classrooms. As an example: get out a big world map and a box of pins. Send a tweet asking your followers and their followers to introduce themselves (for the purpose of a little geography lesson). Request some information about where they live and maybe a photo of the most famous landmark in their hometowns. As the tweets pour in, get your child(ren) to pin the locations on the map and show them the photos of these places.
• Purchase a geographic encyclopedia that’s full of colourful illustrations and facts. Encourage your children to look up travel stories and photos from magazines or travel blogs to complement the information in the encyclopedia. Zoom into these places on Google Earth.

What can we do to nurture an interest in geography? Please share your ideas in the comments section.

30th Nov. 2010: A big thank you goes to National Geographic for being a huge inspiration to me… and for this wonderful comment via Twitter.

Why geography matters is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Beverly Gallagher, Nomadic Narrative, @nomadictweets10
Travel has taught me empathy. By experiencing the many different ways people interpret what it means to be human, I’ve been able to reflect on and shape my own vision of life. I’ve learned that there are multiple ways of being in the world, and that we are all struggling to survive. In this struggle, I’ve noticed there are far more people eager to lend a helping hand than to cut one off. Kindness can prevail. These revelations have helped me become a more tolerant and compassionate person. Humanity is one; and we all share a delicate planet.

Jeff Jung, Career Break Secrets, @careerbrksecret45
One of the most important things I’ve learned traveling is to SLOW DOWN. Every time I rush to see a big list I have in my head, I rarely enjoy the travel experience. I’ve learned that seeing less is more: more depth of experience, more connections, and more conversations with the people around you. The best example in my travels was in Turkey. I had many cups of apple tea around the country. I still saw what I came to see but I left with a great connection to the country. And, when I think back about that trip, it’s those chats over tea and the people I remember most.

Abigail King, Inside The Travel Lab, @insidetravellab51
Travel has taught me:

• That there is more to see and do than can ever be seen or done in a lifetime
• That humanity knows no limits when it comes to creating food, shelter, dance and drink, yet seems constrained by the snow globe when it comes to souvenirs
• That a little courtesy and kindness goes a very long way
• That carrying toilet paper is a good idea
• That it’s not for everyone
• That it’s definitely for me

Gwen McCauley, Algarve Experiences, @gwenmccauley41
Travel has taught me to not be blinded by the obvious, to explore and discover the rich life behind and beside famous sites, to turn around and see what delights are available in another direction.

Beauty and interesting people exist profusely in off-the-beaten-track and less known places. They are alive and vibrant, not relics frozen in time. Crowds, high prices and congestion are less likely this way and I am seldom disappointed. I experience beauty and delight that many others never notice, having learned to not be seduced by the obvious. Life feels much richer because I’ve learned this invaluable lesson.

Arwa Lokhandwala, Orange Splaash, @arwalokhandwala26
Travel has taught me to Learn, Unlearn and Relearn. In other words, do away with prejudices, be ready to think and feel with an open mind.

Nico Crisafulli, AirTreks, @AirTreks52
They had a group of huts built around a central cooking pit, a pot of food steaming over an open fire with a small group of folks enjoying what was probably a daily routine: one kitchen, five families, just before dinnertime. I couldn’t help but notice how content they looked. Kids playing and running around, adults laughing and patting the cow on its behind.

I think of that scene when I’m at home in my fancy kitchen with my coffeemaker and Frigidaire, I awe at the fact that I need such things. Those folks that day were enjoying the richness of their life right in the face of their scarcity, showing me just how absurd it is to need such things.

Peggy Coonley, Serendipity Traveler, @peggycoonley15
The most important lesson traveling has taught me is to follow serendipity while trusting God’s grace. I have learned to let go of expectations whilst welcoming the purity of the unexpected; confident that there are no coincidences in God’s incomprehensible plan.

On life’s journeys, my most cherished moments tend to be spontaneous and spiritual. Travel provides endless opportunities to acquire indelible impressions to hold in my heart. Traveling in the present moment, savouring smiles around the world, inhaling distinctive aromas, listening to the world’s music, experiencing native art, and tasting a kaleidoscope of cuisines affords experiencing the essence and goodwill of humankind everywhere.

What travel has taught me

Two years ago, I embarked on a five-month round-the-world trip. The lessons I learned during that trip had a profound impact on myself and my outlook on life. When I returned home, I knew my life wouldn’t be the same again. I wrote an ebook called “Travelations: The Trip That Opened My Eyes” as a reminder to myself of these lessons and, hopefully, as a source of inspiration to others.

Lessons I’ve learned from travel is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Curious about what others have learned from their travels, I decided to ask my fellow bloggers about their experiences. Below are their stunning answers to the question:

What was the most important thing that travel has taught you?

Keith Savage, Traveling Savage, @travelingsavage48
Travel has taught me to see the details of life. In the familiar, my eyes brush over the surroundings as I pursue my daily tasks and goals with a kind of mental tunnel vision. Traveling removes me from the known and forces me to be more attentive: from the way blades of grass jitter in the wind to the calcium deposits crawling up ancient fountains to the ripple of cloud shadows over ceramic roof tiles. These details hold the wonder in life; travel gives me access to them. The result is a richer, more meaningful experience and long lasting memory.

Chloe Johnson, Backpacking Journalist, @backpackjourno6
I’ve eaten sheep’s testicles, I’ve slept in a smokey, claustrophobic train cubicle, I’ve tip-toed around hundreds of worshipping monks and I’ve mastered the art of peeing in a hole in the ground (many Asian toilets).

Granted some of those experiences were unpleasant but there was not one moment that I thought the country or the culture was weird. Travel has given me the ability to accept and appreciate the differences that make up the world we live in. It’s taught me that skin colour, ethnic foods, living conditions and the way we speak are unique qualities of one race – human.

Jason and Aracely, Two Backpackers, @twobackpackers5
Flexibility has been our greatest behavior while traveling long term. Flexibility gives us the ability to spend extra time with new friends we suddenly met. We can venture out to a new city or a new hike that we just learned of from other backpackers in the hostel. Flexibility allows us to relax and wind down in a single place and put our travels on hold. Great experiences and friendships would have been missed had we not been flexible during our journeys.

Evelyn Hannon, Journeywoman, @journeywoman55
A man once told me this. It’s easy to be a chief in your own village where everybody has known you and your family forever. It’s far harder to walk to a village 20 miles away and prove you deserve to be a chief.

Travel taught me that on the road we can’t fall back on the social standing we’ve earned at home. In jeans and a jean jacket we all look alike, travelling from point A to point B. It’s only our inner strength and generosity of spirit that will, in the end, earn us the full respect of others.

Caz Makepeace, Y Travel Blog, @ytravelblog50

That we never stop learning. There is so much joy to be had and awe to be present in our lives when we continue to learn and grow. A favorite saying of ours is “When you’re green you’re growing and when you’re ripe you’re rotten.” Traveling presents you with unlimited opportunities to learn. And to me that is what travel is – a process of discovery. I learned an incredible amount about life and myself through my experiences traveling, because I was open to learning them. I wrote a free ebook, sharing 20 lessons I learned traveling – lessons that have helped me to live an empowered life. Live Your Best Life!

Sze Foong
I used to travel with lists of must-dos and went at a feverish pace to cram in as much as possible. It made for constant stimulation and highs, but I often ended up feeling like it was more work than pleasure. So now I go to one or two things per day, and spend the rest of the day meandering about, return to restaurants I’ve enjoyed, nap. Which brings me to the other thing I’ve learned – never feel guilty about spending a whole day lolling about in bed in the hotel, especially if it’s a nice one. It’s a holiday, after all.

Ann Lombardi, The Trip Chicks, @thetripchicks57
Hands down, travel is the world’s best teacher. Blessed with (mis)adventures in 85+ countries, I’ve crashed into a snowdrift on a runaway Sami reindeer sled, been zapped with tear-gas in my curlers outside a Seoul hair salon, helped biologists collect howler monkey squat in Central America, woken up in a stranded rail car somewhere in rural Romania, discovered underground Moscow with a black market “entrepreneur”…Time after time travel shows me that with an open mind, a touch of serendipity, and big supply of laughter, we really can better understand this planet we share.

Janice Waugh, Solo Traveler, @solotraveler51
At the risk of sounding selfish, I’ll say that the most important thing I’ve learned from travel is that I am capable. It’s not that I don’t appreciate different cultures. I love expanding my mind, exploring, meeting people and discovering repeatedly how we can be both different and similar regardless of where we live. But the most important thing to come of my travels is to learn that I am capable of navigating the world and negotiating the new because this ability presents more opportunities for all the other great things that travel offers.

Amar Hussain, Gap Year Escape, @gapyearescape41
The most important thing travel has taught me is to take less photos. I know this may seem counter intuitive to some but it’s one of the best pieces of advice I can give. When you are travelling you will see it all the time; individuals with their Canons and Nikons snapping away furiously. When you show the photo to someone else they won’t always understand the significance as they weren’t there. Every now and again put the camera down. Just take it all in, be in the moment and don’t worry about taking the perfect picture.

What travel is about

Travel is more than just about going on cheap holidays or a luxury getaway. Whether I’m travelling for business or pleasure, to me, travel is about using our senses to experience a different place and culture, meeting new people, and it’s about what these experiences teach us.

Go explore. Experience. And be inspired!

The most important thing that travel has taught me is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

A friend of mine decided to celebrate her birthday with a picnic in Amsterdam’s famous Vondel Park. Armed with our birthday gifts, sushi and prosecco, we parked ourselves on a grassy spot at the edge of a pond. We talked, laughed and simply enjoyed the gorgeous weather. Everyone looked so happy: couples curled up in each others’ arms, friends having a good laugh together, parents playing football with their kids, the odd tourist smoking a joint – there were smiles all around!

A group of friends even brought a couch with them! They sat there, huddled together on their worn-out PVC couch, and watched the world go by. There was plenty to see: the shortest skirts, the tightest t-shirts, chiseled physiques, the latest designer shades; from sexy to scruffy; fresh-faced babies in their strollers to elderly folk with their strollers… everyone was out for a saunter to enjoy perhaps the last warm day of the year.

There were happy faces everywhere I turned. People flirted with one another with a fleeting look or a smile. The pheromones swirling around in the air were almost tangible!

“Live every day like it’s your last”

Someone brought a ghetto-blaster on a wheel-barrow and started belting out dance tracks from the eighties and nineties. People got up and started dancing. “Come on… join us! It’s FREE!”, one of them yelled. Many people stopped to watch, clapped their hands and swayed to the music.

The last day of summer is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

courtesy of @Theplanetd

A great thing about travelling is the many, often unexpected, sources of inspiration we encounter. One of the best sources of inspiration lies in the people we meet. I’m certain that we all have travel stories to tell in which we met someone inspiring who may even have had an influence on us in some way or other. To celebrate the inspiring people we meet during our travels, I launched a weekly guest series called “A world of inspiration” last year that ran for twenty straight weeks.

For this series, I invited fellow travellers to share their experiences by writing a guest post. Each post was a gem: from “The Man Behind the Miracle” whom Vera Marie met in Mexico to Dave and Deb‘s tribute to the people of Myanmar in “The Man From Mandalay“, or Nellie‘s eye-opening encounter with an elderly lady in a bus in “A Familiar Face in a Foreign Land“, Gloria‘s beautiful ode to travel in the olden days in “The Rebel“, Andy‘s experiences during a trip to his mother’s homeland in “Ghosts of the Past” and Evelyn‘s inspiring story of a student nurse in “Her Generosity of Spirit“.

Click here for a complete list of “A World of Inspiration” posts.

Have you met an inspiring person during your travels?

If you have and you would like to write about your encounter as a guest post on the Velvet Escape blog, please send an email to keith[ad]velvetescape[dot]com for more details.

A world of inspiration – people we meet is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

A perfect escape or a blog post hit?

“You need a holiday?”, my friend remarked with a smirk when I told him I needed a holiday.

That was quickly followed by: “You’re a travel blogger. You’re always on holiday!”

I thought about those two remarks for a bit. Yes, travel bloggers seem like they’re always on holiday because they’re travelling all the time. What many fail to realise is that it’s a job. True, it’s a job I love but it remains a job. As a travel blogger who’s often on the road, I’m always thinking about things to write about, taking the best pictures and conjuring unique angles to a story. Once I’m back at my hotel or at an internet café, I start tapping away on my laptop, uploading my pictures, piecing everything together, proofreading and publishing. When that’s done, I log onto Twitter, facebook and other platforms to market my blog posts. This is a process that repeats itself several times a week. Pretty glamorous, don’t you think?

Taking off the blogger cap

As with any other job, I believe it’s important for travel bloggers to get away from it all, even if it’s just for a weekend, to unwind and recharge our batteries. During my last blog trip to Valencia, an interesting discussion about travel bloggers taking a holiday caught my attention. The main question was: “Is it possible for a travel blogger to take a holiday without having our blogger caps on?”. As a travel blogger, it’s hard not to think of an ‘angle’ or a good shot for a potential post wherever we are. We wondered if it’s possible at all to take off that blogger cap. My answer was YES, though certain conditions have to be met. These are:

1. Go to a place you’re familiar with; a place that relaxes you
2. Leave your laptops, iPads, etc.. at home
3. Ensure the place you’re going to doesn’t have an internet connection that’s easily available
4. Bring your camera if you wish but try not to use it as much as possible. Even better: leave it behind!
5. Don’t check your emails via your phone!

I would call this a cold turkey unplug! And that’s exactly what I’m going to do for the next five days. I’m going camping on a small island for some chill time. No laptop, no camera, no internet connection. Just my tent, the trees and the beach.

My next post will be on Tuesday 3rd August right in time for #TravelTuesday! Yay!

Hope to see you then.

Cheerio!

Keith

Even travel bloggers need a holiday is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

My relationship with my Mum has sometimes been tempestuous, especially during my rebellious adolescent years. One thing though that has always shone through the years is her unconditional devotion to and love for her children. It’s her love and devotion, and the many lessons she’s taught me, that have helped to shape me into the person I am today. And that’s something I shall always be grateful for.

As I write this, I can’t help but chuckle about those memorable lessons. Here’s a selection of my favourites:

Competitive spirit - “And you’re proud of coming in second in class???!!!”

Table manners - “Bring your spoon to your mouth, not your mouth to the spoon!” And “Don’t talk with your mouth full… and close your mouth when you chew, I don’t need to see what you’re chewing on.”

Posture – “Sit up straight. Don’t slouch or you’ll start to look like Grandpa.”

Grooming – “Keep your face clean. It’s your most important business card.”

Hygiene – “If you don’t wash your feet before you go to bed, you’ll get scary dreams.” (Especially relevant in many Asian homes where shoes are not worn indoors).

Gratitude – “There are people starving in Africa! If you don’t finish your plate, I’ll send you there!” And “Say ‘thank you’ or you’ll never get a present from anyone again!”

Wealth – “If you don’t finish all your rice, you’ll never be rich!”

To all the mothers out there, have a beautiful Mother’s Day!

Love & hugs,
Keith

Read ‘The Lady with the Twinkling Eyes‘, an inspiring story about a mother and a friend.

Lessons My Mother Taught Me is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

When I was in Kuala Lumpur, I received an invitation to join a group of food bloggers who, in turn, had been invited to review a new menu a certain restaurant was launching. It was an amazing experience: there were about 20 bloggers, cameras were clicking continuously, the wine flowed all night and the food just kept coming (I lost count of how many courses were served)! I later found out that events like these are commonplace in Kuala Lumpur. Pretty awesome!

5 Malaysian Travel & Food Bloggers To Watch

In the past month, I’ve become acquainted with some very talented Malaysian travel and food bloggers whose work has just blown me away. Together, they do a fabulous job of showcasing the best that Malaysia (and Asia in general) have to offer in terms of tourism and food. Please allow me to introduce my favourite 5 to you.

A Lil Fat Monkey

I was totally awestruck the first time I set my eyes on Jon’s blog. He writes his restaurant reviews in a stunning comic-book style. The pictures are amazing and it’s a hilarious read. I can’t begin to imagine the amount of work that goes into producing one of these comic-book posts. A Lil’ Fat Monkey is a fantastic visual foodie experience I can certainly recommend!

Site: A Lil Fat Monkey
Twitter: alilfatmonkey

A Whiff of Lemongrass

A Whiff of Lemon Grass is lovingly crafted by Meena. She writes beautifully and lavishes her blog with gorgeous photos and witty observations. According to Meena, “Food, for me, is a means to an end and not an end in itself. Food, for me, represents the love of family, the fellowship of friends, and the community and communality it brings.” Need I say more?

Site: A Whiff of Lemongrass
Twitter: llemongrass

Cumi & Ciki

Cumi & Ciki takes its name from a Malaysian children’s television programme in the 1980′s about two adventurous monkeys. Mei and her husband enthrall their readers with their culinary and travel adventures in Malaysia and around the world. Their stories are fun and often thought-provoking, whilst the photography is jaw-dropping gorgeous – I can assure you that your jaw will drop further if you find out which camera Mei uses! If you’re looking for some travel inspiration, coupled with culinary indulgence, I recommend a hop over to Cumi & Ciki.

Site: Cumi & Ciki
Twitter: agentcikay

Malaysia Asia

Malaysia Asia was founded by David & Lilian. Their goal is to highlight the ecological wealth and UNESCO Heritage sites in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, and they do it beautifully. They specialise in places that are off-the-beaten-path and which have a natural element of adventure. If you’re planning to visit Southeast Asia, stop by Malaysia Asia for some expert tips.

Site: Malaysia Asia
Twitter: MalaysiaAsia

Rasa Malaysia

Rasa Malaysia (literally translated: “Taste of Malaysia”) is arguably one of the biggest and most well-known of all Malaysian food blogs. It’s been featured in many publications around the world such as the New York Times and Saveur. That’s not surprising as the site is a treasure trove of Malaysian and other Asian recipes. Low’s passion for Asian cooking is apparent from the first minute you arrive at her site. The photography is stunning and her writing makes for a pleasant read. She likes to call her site Asian cooking made simple. She sure knows how to make it look simple!

Site: Rasa Malaysia
Twitter: RasaMalaysia

Read other posts on Malaysia:

• Kinabatangan river safari
• Orangutans of Sabah
• Shop till you drop in Kuala Lumpur
• 10 things to do in Kuala Lumpur
• Getting over my Jaws complex

Five Malaysian travel and food bloggers to watch is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Think About It.

Read about or visit the “Deep Rooted: How Trees Shape Our Lives” Exhibition at the Whitworth Art Gallery.

Earth Day – Just One Thought is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Through the years, I’ve made a pretty sizeable contribution to feeding mosquitoes around the world. My simple swatting efforts to mitigate them pale in comparison. Anyway, for anyone who’s interested, or who can relate to my predicament, I’ve listed my top-5 mosquito attacks. And to create a wee bit of suspense, I’ve switched the sequence to make it a countdown of my mozzie misery.

Mosquito attacks

5. Lang Tengah island, Malaysia
I was sitting at a Lang Tengah hotel bar one evening. I was constantly waving my arms around – the little citronella candles on the table didn’t quite do it for me – and the bartender suggested I order a gin & tonic. The quinine in the tonic would ward them off. The other guests at the bar roared with laughter and we all ordered G&T’s. I was still bitten considerably but we had a whale of a time.

4. Zanzibar, Tanzania
I arrived in Zanzibar after a ten-day safari trip. The beach resort was simply gorgeous: a blindingly white beach, stunning gardens, breezy cabanas, swaying palms… you get the picture.

A dinner was organised at the poolside on the first evening. We were surrounded by colourful Arabian lamps, trees decorated with fairy-lights and floating candles in the pool – it was so romantic. Unfortunately, there was no romance in the air, just mosquitoes. Or maybe the mosquitoes drove away the romance. The mosquito coils under the table worked well… under the table. My arms and neck were the prime targets. I downed my dinner in 20 minutes, then escaped to the safety of my room.

3. Bako National Park, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo
A four-hour trek through the jungle turned into a bloodbath. And why, oh why, oh why did I wear shorts??!!! I was literally swatting mosquitoes as I removed the leeches from my legs with a knife. My stamping around, flailing arms and constant cries of “bugger off!” scared off every other animal but the mosquitoes. The Bako National Park is famous for its rich fauna – I wouldn’t know… I didn’t spot a single beast.

2. Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
Another trek and another mozzie nightmare. The Franz Josef glacier has its origins in the lofty peaks of the Southern Alps and descends gracefully to near sea-level, through a beautiful rainforest. It was a short trek through the rainforest, with its lush ferns and towering trees, to the viewing platform a few hundred yards away from the glacier. We decided to continue our trek across the valley floor (a dry riverbed) to the glacier… and that was, with hindsight, a bad idea. We were soon harassed by swarms of ravenous mosquitoes and I attracted the bulk of them. By the time we returned to the park entrance an hour later, my arms, neck and face were red and puffy.

1. Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica
Nowadays, when I see a hammock, I think of my Costa Rican nightmare. It was during a visit to the Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast. I was having a miserable ‘animal attack’ day: during a six-hour boat-ride and jungle trek, a large caiman almost jumped into the boat (we got a tad too close) and during the trek, I was attacked by a viper (our guide was quick to fend it off). We returned to the lodge, totally drained. I found a shady spot near the river bank, climbed into a hammock and fell asleep within moments. Fifteen minutes later, I woke up with a stinging sensation in my back. I climbed out of the hammock and realised that mosquitoes had feasted on my neck, back, arms, legs, my cheeks and my ears! They’d bitten through my cotton t-shirt and flew up the legs of my jeans. The bumps were so big and red that my back and arms looked like the surface of Jupiter! To top it off, the itchiness persisted the whole night and there was nothing anyone could do.

Are you constantly bothered by mosquitoes? Do you have an anti-mosquito tip?

Please share your story/tip in the comments section below.

My top-5 mosquito attacks is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

I love my Travel Pro Pilot case carry-on rolling suitcases with the little Eiffel Tower emblem. They are tattered and battered and have a history almost as long as me and my husband. They have been on trains, planes, ships, buses and automobiles. They have been tossed around, broken and bruised along the way but they have had so many happy adventures with us.

I love carry on luggage because it makes traveling so much easier. I simply whisk through the airport to my destination. Our Travel Pro Pilot suitcases have shared so many wonderful memories with us. On our first trip to Italy years ago, we arrived in Rome and took the train to Florence. It was our first experience on a train in Europe complete with dining car. It was thrilling to watch the landscape change as we rode into Tuscany. I also remember the romance of Paris in the winter, walking along the Seine at one in the morning. It was freezing. The only one warm (or smart) were our suitcases in the hotel room. We would get in the room our feet frozen and pour a hot bath and defrost. The bed with a thick down comforter was really inviting after a long day of sightseeing. The box of Belgian chocolates on the pillow was a welcome treat as was the best hot chocolate I have ever had served in the finest French Limoges.

The suitcases wear their tatters like a badge of honor. They are veterans of travel. Parts are missing or broken. The zip that you pull to open the case has broken off years ago and in its place I put a keychain. It works great (though it looks a little funky). One of the plastic feet on the bottom to aid in its standing upright is broken. A battle scar from being tossed around on so many flights. But they still roll along.

My Travel Pro's French Connection

I don’t think we ever have to worry about anyone rummaging through them. They don’t look like they’d have any treasures inside. Maybe it is the hot pink and lime green vinyl luggage tags attached. I found the ugliest and brightest tags so they would stand out in a sea of black suitcases.

I often wonder what their favorite trip was. The road trips through mountains, getting lost (one of our specialties) in Verona, our beach or historic vacations?

A few years back I bought two new red suitcases because I thought it was time. The Travel Pros were looking pretty worn and maybe they should retire. I started to pack my new suitcases and to my surprise, they didn’t hold nearly as much. And I just couldn’t go on vacation with them. So the new suitcases are in the garage (still unused) and my old suitcases are getting ready for the next adventure. So T-Pros, I think we better start packing. Where are you going, you ask dear suitcases? California, here you come.

About this week’s guest writer
Jill Love is a travel industry consultant for Gerson Lehrman, a social media enthusiast and a lover of all things travel. With over 20 years in the travel industry (with a specialty in cruises) Jill is very happy to plan your cruise vacation. Catch Jill on Twitter while she’s planning her next adventure which includes a never ending quest to find the perfect pizza.

“A Love Story”… sort of is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Traveldudes: Hi Keith, thanks for being my Twitterview partner. First, let us explain what we are doing. It’s simple! We are having an Interview… the twitter way. Short & informative! To be a part of it, just follow us or follow/search for “#Q&A” (Question & Answer). Easy as that.

Let’s begin! You are a quite popular travel tweeter & got your own travel blog.

But you haven’t been a travel blogger all your life. What have you done before?

Velvet Escape: Hi Melvin, thanks for inviting me. I was an investment banker before. I’m a travel blogger now. Here’s my story.

Traveldudes: I already like the start of this Twitterview! But let’s not discuss finances… Right now it’s all about traveling for you, right? I know that you just created a new site. GBN. http://su.pr/7yGSFN Tell us a bit about it.

Velvet Escape: Yes, I have my Velvet Escape travel blog. I also recently co-founded the Global Bloggers Network with @solotraveler51. With GBN, we aim to help individual & corporate travel bloggers grow their blogs through our GBN program.

Traveldudes: Wow! That is a great idea! I guess we’ve got a few more readers right now… How exactly does a travel blogger benefit from GBN?

Velvet Escape: We organise webinars by experts. Members can consult our Expert panel. And we help promote our members’ blogs. Our members also benefited from our Blog Feedback exercise: members provided valuable feedback on each others’ blogs. We also have a Blogging Buddy program: bloggers share their tips/advice/feedback with 1 another.

Traveldudes: I’ve attended a Google webinar, that was interesting. Do you have an example of what yours are about?

Velvet Escape: Our 1st webinar was abt monetizing your blog. Our 2nd webinar this Sat.: Positioning/Marketing your blog by @jeffbullas. We’ve lined up among others, @remarkablogger52, @rtwdave57, Invesp & @chrisgarrett51, a well-known social media expert. We also hope to confirm StumbleUpon soon.

Traveldudes: You are going big, I can see that already. I guess there are many people interested already…even the gurus

Velvet Escape: The response is amazing. People can still sign up to join the program & attend the webinars. I’ve learned many things myself!

Traveldudes: Yes, that’s what I like about Twitter & social media, you can learn something new each single day! If I’m interested to join, what do I have to do?

Velvet Escape: Follow us at @GlobalBloggers29 To join, visit the Member page on GBN. You can join us &/or sign up for our free newsletter. Global: $20/month, all GBN services. Continental: $12/month, webinars, access to experts & blog marketing.

Traveldudes: Sounds good. Are there any new things you’ve planned to do on GBN for the future?

Velvet Escape: The Blog Hop will b fun. We’re adding extra webinars; learning tools & money-making blogging opportunities 4 members from our sponsors.

Traveldudes: Do you still have time to travel, when doing all these things?

Velvet Escape: I do! I just need my laptop & an internet connection. I’ll be co-hosting next month’s webinar from Borneo! Should be fun!

Traveldudes: Borneo, how nice. So you’ll also get a few more travel posts about Borneo soon.

Velvet Escape: Yup, u can expect some posts on Borneo. One of my dreams is to swim with whale sharks in Borneo! Hope that works out.

Traveldudes: What about the Orang Utans?

Velvet Escape: I’ve also arranged a visit to the Orang Utan Sanctuary in Sabah. I might even adopt one! Fab cause!

Traveldudes: Great to hear that. I’m looking forward to read about it! Getting to the end… Do you have a special travel tip you can recommend & you really like?

Velvet Escape: Sabah, Malaysian Borneo is a diver’s paradise with top-notch dive spots like Sipadan & Mabul islands.

Traveldudes: Sabah, (Borneo) looks great! FINAL Question by @agentcikay: Why is there a fee of USD20 involved when joining GBN?

Velvet Escape: The fee covers our costs like the webinars & our personalized services/tools. We’re working wth our GBN sponsors to offer our members money-making opportunities so it’s a win-win for all!

Traveldudes: Thanks a lot for this interesting Twitterview, enjoy Borneo & all the best with the Global Bloggers Network!

Velvet Escape: THANK YOU for inviting me. This was a really cool experience! Thumbs up to you Melvin!

About Traveldudes
Traveldudes is a premier resource for travel tips and advice for backpackers and flashpackers. Visit the site for a treasure trove of information for travelers, by travelers. Follow Traveldudes on Twitter.

Twitterview with Traveldudes is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

Summer flight from Vancouver to Amsterdam

The cabin was quiet. I couldn’t sleep so I checked the flight path – we were above Baffin island in northeastern Canada. I raised the shutter and watched the sun slowly dip its head below the horizon, casting an intense reddish, golden glow across the vast icy landscape. No sooner had the sun disappeared, it rose again. Within a few minutes, the sky was illuminated with fresh, warm hues of pink and orange. Pure magic!

Swimming with dolphins, Curaçao

I had my fins on and I was ready to go. We jumped into the water and looked around for the dolphins. Two dolphins broke the surface of the water a few yards to my left, whistling cheerfully. It was amazing to see these gorgeous creatures up close. I suddenly felt a nudge in my back. I turned around and a third dolphin looked at me. Her playful eyes sparkled with glee. She shoved her fin under my left arm as if to say, “Come on, let’s go for a ride”. I grabbed her fin and off we went, ‘hand in hand’.

Sailing trip around the Whitsunday islands, Australia

It was a warm night. I stretched out on my thin mattress on the deck. Waves gently rocked the boat and in the distance, I could see the twinkling lights of other boats anchored in the little harbour. I turned my gaze to the majestic star-studded sky above. The constellation of Scorpio, with its long curly tail, was unmistakable. A shooting star streaked across the velvety black sky. Then another and another. I didn’t make a wish. I’d never felt so blessed.

My most magical travel experiences is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

These are their stunning contributions. Enjoy these magical experiences!

China

Stepping off the trans-Siberian train in Beijing to arrive in a whirlwind of intense sensations: new sights, sounds and smells hit us instantly, and after spending 6 days on the train we soaked it up with a euphoria that would have had people wondering if we had crossed Russia on foot!

By: Andy Jarosz
Blog: 501 places

Cambodia

Having my fortune read by a Buddhist fortune teller at Banteay Samre temple, in Cambodia. I’ll never forget his huge, welcoming smile and gentle voice. I wasn’t going to visit that temple, but was so glad I did and happened upon this spiritual character – it was quiet, peaceful and beautiful, a purely magical experience.

By: Natalie K.

Argentina

A few steps, a short turn and we arrived at the Devil’s Throat. Rainbows shone through the watery haze, our skin shimmered with droplets from the falling wall of thunder and birds swooped past and back into the jungle. Iguazu Falls justified the early start to the day.

By: Abigail King
Blog: Inside The Travel Lab

China

In a hotel room in Xi ‘An, China we sat on chairs facing 12 orphanage nannies holding 12 crying babies. My daughter’s name was called. She walked to the center of the room. Lotus, her given daughter was placed in her arms. After three years of waiting — a dream fulfilled.

By: Evelyn Hannon
Site: Journeywoman

USA

The Burning Man doesn’t burn like he should. At first people cheer and whistle, then they start to leave. I wait 20 more minutes and finally decide to accept that he’s changed if not fallen. He’s a new Man and I define him. In that moment, my life is altered.

By: JoAnna Haugen
Blog: Kaleidoscopic Wandering

Malaysia

There is nothing more magical than turning a corner and witnessing a landscape that doesn’t seem real. We witnessed this when we trekked to the Pinnacles of Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Like sentries they stood silent, towering over the jungle like a giant painted canvas. Nature’s work of art.

By: Dave and Deb
Blog: The Planet D

My most magical travel experience is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

go explore. experience. and be inspired.

I remember the first few months very well. I’d just made my first foray into the blogging world and everything about it was new. What do I write about? What is ‘Velvet Escape’ all about? How does this WordPress thingy work? Someone mentioned that there are plugins for everything. Plugins? Err.. what? Who’s going to read my articles? There are many more aspects to blogging that I’ve yet to discover but when I look back at those first few months, I can only grin. Writing was the easy part. Photos weren’t a problem too – I have loads of them. The technical aspects were my biggest challenge. There were times when I really felt like flinging my laptop out the window but the wondrous resources on the internet always came to my rescue. Getting a problem solved gave me the biggest kick.

Writing about my travels allowed me to re-live those marvellous trips and share my personal experiences. I enjoyed it thoroughly (I still do) but people weren’t exactly banging down the door to read my articles.

Stephanie, light that candle will ya!

And then I discovered Twitter. I was delirious the first time I was re-tweeted. I later found out it was a bot but hey.. an RT is an RT! When Lonely Planet re-tweeted one of my articles for the first time, I opened a terrific Merlot reserve to celebrate! The rest is history, I guess, but it certainly has been a memorable year full of wonderful challenges, great discoveries and new insights.

One year on, and 250 posts later, I look back proudly but more importantly, I’m thankful for all the new friends that I’ve made this year and the enormous support they’ve given me. THANK YOU! Another big thank you goes to the many guest writers who have contributed dozens of beautiful articles. Finally, I would like to thank Frits and my family for their unwavering love and support. You’re the best!

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers a fabulous 2010. May the new year bring you happiness, good health and much travel inspiration.

Cheers,
Keith

Top-10 Velvet Escape posts in 2009

1. Plane views: Bora Bora
2. Ten things to do in Kuala Lumpur
3. Ten things to do in Cape Town
4. The Blue Grotto, Capri
5. Ten things to do when you travel alone
6. Ten tips for planning a RTW trip
7. A little piece of heaven
8. Ten reasons to travel alone
9. A world of inspiration: A lesson in humanity
10. Travelations: the trip that opened my eyes

Umm… five of the top-10 were ‘list’ posts. Now there’s a lesson!

One year on is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

2009 has been an amazing year of new insights and reinvention for me. I discovered a new path, learned many new things about blogging and social media, made many new friends and most of all, I got to do what I love to do: travel and write about it! I have quite a few exciting new ventures planned for 2010 which I’m really looking forward to. I’m also wishing for a year full of travel, and writing that will continue to interest my readers.

To my friends and readers, I wish you a happy and safe holiday season, and a terrific new year.

As always, go explore,experience, and be inspired in 2010. Travel safe!

Cheers,
Keith

Best wishes! is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

My Dad & me in Sydney (1982)

When I was twelve, my parents separated. It was hard for the whole family. My Dad left and that was a hard pill to swallow. At that age, I didn’t blame either my Dad or Mum but I felt guilty because, somehow, I imagined, I might have been the cause of their separation – it was only years later that I realised I wasn’t. Throughout my adolescense, my relationship with my Dad kind of petered out. I moved to Amsterdam to study Economics when I was 19 and I later became a banker. I guess he was a bit disappointed that I didn’t become a pilot. My elder brother became a pilot and my Dad was thrilled. As for me and my Dad, we didn’t have much to talk about for many years. My interest in aviation and my travels kept our conversations going but he couldn’t quite grasp the banking world I was in. I felt hurt about it, like he wasn’t really making an effort to connect with me and with what I was doing. I harboured those emotions for years. The hurt grew into anger and frustration and I tried to pacify those feelings by trying to understand the reasons behind it all. Reasoning helped to a certain degree but my relationship with my Dad was never the same again.

In June 2009, my Dad suffered a stroke. I rushed to Kuala Lumpur to be with him and I sat with him for many hours in the hospital and we talked about many things. We’d never spent that much time together in years. My Dad had a wicked sense of humour and we spent many moments laughing until tears ran down our cheeks. I returned to Amsterdam after he was discharged from the hospital; he was still in a wheelchair the last time I saw him conscious but he was recovering well and he would soon walk again.

A month later, he fell while trying to stand up and went straight into a coma. I remember so clearly seeing him lying in that bed in Intensive Care. I’d just arrived back from Amsterdam. I always cringe when I see hospital scenes like that on television or in movies, but this was my Dad. Somehow, I felt like it was ok. I didn’t cringe. I stood by his side and fondled his hair. I spoke to him, telling him about my flight and the cocky stewardesses on board. The tears streamed down my face but it felt so natural.

I thought I’d slipped into a weird dream

Three weeks later, my brother, sister and I were having a quiet dinner together when my brother’s phone rang. My Dad’s condition was deteriorating rapidly. I got into the car with my brother and we rushed to the hospital. The radio was on and Michael Jackson was singing one of my favourite songs: “You Are Not Alone”. I gripped the armrest thinking, is this it? Why was this song on the radio? Was it some sort of sign? We drove in silence and my thoughts were constantly about my Dad and his past three weeks in coma. He had suffered severe brain damage during his fall and the doctor told us that the chances of him recovering were very slim, that his body was slowly shutting down and it would only be a matter of time. I thought about this, and suddenly I heard the Black Eyed Peas belting out: “Tonight’s Gonna Be a Good Night”… I thought I’d slipped into a weird dream. Was this my Dad’s wicked sense of humour? Apparently, my brother shared the same thought and he turned off the radio.

We arrived at the hospital and rushed to my Dad’s bedside. The alarms from the monitors were ringing from all directions, severely dramatising the moment. I held his hand gently and looked at him. I realised: so what if he couldn’t relate to my profession? So what if we couldn’t talk about anything else but aviation? He’s my Dad and I love him very much. It dawned on me that all the hurt feelings and frustrations I harboured throughout the years were based on my own pettiness. He was always around for me when I needed him and he always supported me with whatever I did. It was me who thought that he didn’t understand me. In actual fact, he did, as a father would his son. His lack of knowledge about banking didn’t drive us apart. It was my mind, that was clouded by my egotistical feelings, that had erected this barrier between us.

As I stroked his temple, I whispered into his ear : “I love you Daddy,… very much. It’s ok to go. I know now what you’ve always tried to tell me. I know you’ve always loved me. And I know I’ll never be alone because you’ll always be by my side”.

My Dad passed away several minutes later.

My brother, sister and I huddled together. We were sad but we knew he’d had a fulfilling life. We would miss him dearly but we were at peace, just as he was.

As I made my way through those emotional months before my Dad’s passing, a line to a song kept popping into my head. The words “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” from Joni Mitchell’s ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ turned out to be rather prophetic.

Not only did they tell me that I might live to regret some of my choices over the years, but that regret can stay with us for a very, very long time. Beyond the obvious lessons to cherish our loved ones that death teaches, I also realised how important it is to invest time and energy into working out my differences with people I care about – life is just too fragile to allow lingering differences to hold me back from enjoying friends and family.  I am grateful to my Dad for that final lesson. And to Joni for being the poetic bridge that helped me realise the importance of my Dad’s last lesson.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Janice Waugh, Stephanie Diehl, Gwen McCauley and Evelyn Hannon for their constant support and for keeping tabs on me during this difficult period. A special mention goes to Gwen who encouraged me to write this story and publish it.

Till It’s Gone is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog

I wrote an essay documenting the circumstances that led me to leave the corporate world behind, the things I learned during my world trip and my endeavours since. You can find this essay in the 9-page free e-book by clicking on the cover below.

FREE E-BOOK!

Travelations: the trip that opened my eyes is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog