Follow Friday: Be Inspired by Keith Jenkins

Editor's Note: Inspired by Follow Friday on Twitter, I am profiling (in far more than 140 characters) extraordinary travelers who you, too, should follow! Through these profiles, I want to introduce you to globetrotting souls that follow their hearts to places near and far, so join me each Friday in my quest to be inspired by some of the most intriguing adventure seekers on our planet!

Be Inspired by: Keith Jenkins, Amsterdam
Follow him: @velvetescape

Deep down inside, don't all of us want to quit our day jobs and travel the world? (Well, except me! After all, a travel company does sign my paycheck!) After being offered a new position, Keith, a former investment banker, made the split decision to take a break from work and follow his passions instead. One week after leaving the industry he had worked in for 10 years, Keith took off on a solo trip around the globe, an experience he describes as "a huge eye-opener." During his trip, he trekked through desolate South American landscapes, conquered his fear of sharks and picked up a little Spanish. Five months later, he returned to his home in Amsterdam a "solo travel convert," who was itching for a career change. Keith knew he wanted to travel a lot more and write about his adventures, so he started Velvet Escapes and has been "having a ball with it since."

@jenngaines: Please tell me a little bit about your most recent adventure.
@velvetescape: My round-the-world trip was my biggest and most mind-altering adventure. I traveled around Southeast Asia, then spent a month in Australia before crossing the South Pacific, stopping in Tahiti, Bora Bora and Easter Island, and then on to South America. In South America, I spent several months wandering around Chile and Argentina. The South American leg was the biggest adventure since I only spoke a mouthful of Spanish! I picked it up rather quickly though, and I had the time of my life! Within the span of one month, I found myself trekking through the icy and desolate steppe of Patagonia and across the dry, volcano-studded deserts of northern Chile. It was an amazing adventure full of breathtaking moments, gorgeous wines and fine food!

@jenngaines: Everyone travels for different reasons. As a traveler, what really inspires you?
@velvetescape: I travel for many reasons. I love exploring new places, meeting new people, learning new things (such as a new language or the flora and fauna) and trying out new cuisines. When I was working at a corporation, my trips were a welcome break, and I always enjoyed the different pace and environment. However, I never felt I had sufficient time during those short holidays to really get to know a place or its people well enough. Now that I have the time, I relish taking my time to truly explore and experience a place and have lengthy chats with the locals and fellow travelers. It's the people that I meet, the ecological treasures of our planet, magnificent landscapes or everyday things like a fabulous sunset that inspire me.

I recently did an interview with the Solo Traveler Society about why I embarked on a round-the-world trip, my experiences and what inspired me. You're welcome to see the video here.

@jenngaines: What is your most memorable travel experience?
@velvetescape: One travel experience that I will never forget was my trip to San Pedro de Atacama in northern Chile. It's the driest, most inhospitable place on Earth but I was totally spellbound! The colours of the desert, the towering volcanos, the abundance of nature and the pure azure blue sky were truly awe-inspiring! I'll always remember that 10-mile trek through the desert. I was plagued by (mild) altitude sickness, and it was extremely hot but the unworldly landscapes and the brilliant colors of the desert were unforgettable.

@jenngaines: What is the most challenging travel experience you've had?
@velvetescape: I love a challenge! One of the reasons I embarked on my round-the-world trip was to challenge myself continuously, explore my boundaries and try to overcome various phobias. I've always been terrified of sharks (classic story of a kid watching 'Jaws' the movie and being traumatized for the rest of his life!) so I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of these creatures in order to ease my fear of them. I had my first opportunity to do just that when I was in Malaysia. I visited Lang Tengah island, a small island whose waters are teeming with marine life. I went snorkelling every chance I got to confront my fear of sharks. It was a scary, yet thrilling endeavour and when I was finally face-to-face with several of them, I just gaped in awe! It was simply a mind-blowing experience!

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