Highland Cows in Applecross, Scotland

I felt so privileged to be able to get so close to these amazing, powerful (dangerous) animals, to look them in the eye, and for them to pose for a photo.

Highland cows (or “heilan coo” in local dialect) are such beautiful creatures. Growing up in Scotland they were obviously considered a really important animal, and one that I always felt close to even though I’d never really met one in real life. Occasionally you’d drive past one in a field and stop to look out the window but in general they’re not that easy to find or get up close to.

So I was over the moon when my friend suggested a trip to Applecross, Wester Ross in the Highlands. It’s only a few hours drive from my hometown but you have to pass through some pretty windy mountain roads and narrow country lanes. I’m not a brave driver (or a particularly confident one either) so I’d never dream of trying to drive those roads, which is why I’m lucky to have a friend who will.

We stopped for lunch and to view some scenic areas along the way but we were both eager to get to the area we know is famous for highland cow sightings, we’d heard that the cows are pretty unphased by humans and will even come close to cars and pedestrians.

When we actually reached the spot it was even better than we imagined. A whole herd of cows right by the side of the road, roaming free. We pulled up nearby as to not startle any of them (I mean, look at those horns). It was calfing season so we didn’t want to take any chances.

We waited, and surely one by one the herd came over to the car to investigate our presence. Once they were comfortable with us being there we were even able to get out and look at them from a safe distance. It was amazing. I’d go back every day if I could. A couple young cows started butting horns with eachother and it really gave us a chance to see how powerful and strong (and a little scary) they can be when they need to.

Not only is the landscape and scenery really beautiful, but having the opportunity to get close to a real life heilan coo is something I’ll never forget.

 

CDMX, Mexico

When I told people I was heading to Mexico City for three months they’re first reaction was usually “is that safe?!”. Before I went I was expecting the worst. Having spent quite a bit of time there, now I can confidently answer “yes, it is.”

It’s one of the biggest cities in the world, and it certainly feels like it. It’s a big city with a big reputation. When I told people I was heading to Mexico City for three months they’re first reaction was usually “is that safe?!”. Before I went, I wasn’t worried, but I was expecting the worst. Having been, and having spent quite a bit of time there, now I can confidently answer “yes, it is.”

Obviously there are parts (like any city) that are less safe than others. Yes, the murder rate is higher than some other cities, but the population is also very high, so it evens out (at least that’s how I reassure myself). The majority of the crime is gang and drug related, or due to poverty and corruption. The chances of you getting caught up in any of these things is very slim. The truth is that it’s a reputation, that’s all, there are cities in the UK and USA that are equally dangerous, but just don’t have the same reputation. I don’t even really want to talk about the crime because that is most people’s preconceived impression of the city and I want people to know that it is so much more than that. The three months I spent there I didn’t see or experience anything “bad”, just lots of warm, welcoming, hard working people, and a beautiful, fun, lively city.

Neighbourhoods

Each neighbourhood feels like a little city in and of itself. I lived in Tacuba, a pretty traditional, typical Mexican neighbourhood. I was on a super tight budget and shared the apartment with my (Mexican) boyfriend. I grew to love Tacuba, but I don’t think it’s somewhere most people would recommend. It’s not the safest neighbourhood ever and I think if you’re unfamiliar with Mexico City you could find yourself in trouble. Safety aside, I had to travel 15 by car to Polanco if I wanted any of my creature comforts, and it is a bit far from the centre of the city if you’re planning to see the sights. If you have a bit more money and are looking for a bit more safety, Doctores, Condesa, Roma, Coyoacan or Polanco would be your best bet. Those are the neighbourhoods I spent most of my time in because they have great shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars. They're generally the safest neighbourhoods in the city and La Condesa, Roma and Polanco in particular are more multicultural and international than most other areas.

La Condesa is quite European, Roma is very hipster and cool with lots of veggie and vegan places, and Polanco is posh and expensive. Coyoacan is eclectic and bohemian, the Frida Kahlo museum is there for example. Reforma and Zocalo are also areas worth visiting, they're in the city centre, with lots of landmarks and museums, and are basically the main tourist areas. However, I didn’t explore every single neighbourhood in the whole city, so check out AirBnB’s Mexico City Neighbourhood Guide for more.

Transport

The metro is the easiest and cheapest way to get around and you can download the "Metro-MB" app to plan journeys around the city and find out what route you need to take/where your nearest metro is etc. Otherwise I took Ubers because I'd be recommended against taking taxis by my Mexican friends (just because I was clearly a female foreigner on my own, I'm considered an easy target to be scammed. I'm sure most of the Taxi drivers are honest, hard-working people, but I wanted to follow my friends advice).

Sights & Things to do

1. Chapultapec Castle/Park - The only royal castle in the Americas and former residence of the presidents

2. Frida Kahlo Museum/Casa Azul - Hope of the famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo

3. Torre Latinoamericana - Skyscraper with a viewing room on the top floor providing 360 view of the city

4. Xochimilco - Connecting rivers and islands filled with colourful boats available for boat rides

5. Teotihuacan Pyramids - Ancient pyramids accessible by a bus ride from the city

6. National Museum of Anthropology - (the clue is in the name)

7. Basilica of our Lady of Guadalupe - Catholic pilgrimage site and national shrine

8. Angel of Independence - Monument to commemorate Mexico’s war of independence

9. Zocalo/Plaza de la Constitution - Main square and public plaza in the city

10. Plaza Garibaldi - A square full of bars and cafes where mariachi bands play

11. Templo Mayor - Remains of the ancient underground city

12. Coyoacan Market - A eclectic market full of clothes, food, art, and accessories

13. Lucha Libre - Mexican wrestling entertainment

I ticked most of these things off my list, but it really depends on how much of a touristic time you plan to have. I prefer a more authentic experience of a place if I’m staying for a longer time so a lot of my best memories were just spontaneous days spent wandering the city and stumbling onto a new cafe or something fun to do.

Photos

Here are some of my Instagram posts to give you a better idea of what I got up to.

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Feb 4, 2019 at 7:15pm PST

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Jan 20, 2019 at 8:57am PST

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Jan 21, 2019 at 11:14am PST

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Dec 23, 2018 at 4:28am PST

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Oct 17, 2018 at 12:35pm PDT

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Nov 27, 2018 at 2:05pm PST

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Oct 8, 2018 at 7:32am PDT

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Sep 29, 2018 at 6:01am PDT

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Oct 11, 2018 at 8:06am PDT

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Mar 11, 2019 at 8:48am PDT

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Feb 24, 2019 at 8:50am PST

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A post shared by Kayleigh (@kayleski) on Jan 29, 2019 at 8:16am PST

I’m sure I’ll be back again (I’m considering moving there one day) so I’m open to hearing any other suggestions or tips. Or if there is any information you want that I haven’t written about, leave me a comment and let me know.

 

How to: be safe travelling alone as a woman

(TW: This post has brief (non-graphic) mentions of rape, murder, theft and other crimes)

The thought of travelling alone, especially for the first time, can seem scary. However, once you actually do it, you realise what a freeing and exciting experience it is. The news and media focus a lot on the dangers and negative events that happen in the world, which might make you feel like the world isn’t a safe place. The truth is that these incidents are rare, which is why they make the news; they don’t actually reflect everyday reality. “Out there” seems scarier because it’s unknown, but statistically you’re more likely to be raped or killed by someone you already know. You might live in a safe country, city or neighbourhood, but dangers are literally everywhere and you shouldn’t let fear be the thing that holds you back.

That being said, risks do exist, so you still have to be smart to reduce the chances of getting into one of those scary situations. Now, by no means am I saying if something bad happens it’s because you weren’t careful enough! (Which is something you will hear from people “what do you expect as a woman? that’s what you get when you go to XY or Z country”) but no-one wants to be a victim of a crime so, these are a few tips I’ve discovered over the last few years to help make travelling as safe as possible. If nothing else, it just help you to feel more confident and safe when exploring somewhere new.

First of all, just have common sense and keep your wits about you.

1. Don’t flash expensive goods (such as your phone, camera, jewellery) or money. Have a good, safe bag you can keep everything in when you’re out and about. Arden Cove make great anti-theft bags that are top of the range and look really nice, but they can be a little expensive. If you’re on a budget, check out some anti-theft bags on Amazon where you’ll be able to find some alternatives.

2. Research neighbourhoods and areas so you’re aware of the least and most dangerous places to go - and to stop yourself from getting lost. I like to use AirBnB to get info on neighbourhoods even if I’m not planning to stay in an AirBnB accommodation. If you’re already in a country and you’re tying to gauge if a neighbourhood is safe or not, my rule is to watch and observe if there are any other women or children walking alone. If there are, chances are, it’s safe enough.

3. Be careful at night. During the day, places will be busier, therefor (usually) safer. If I want to wander and explore a place I do it during the day, if I go out at night it is usually to a specific place (bar/restaurant) and then back to my accommodation. Some people like wandering at night, but I rarely feel like it’s worth the risk. This depends however on if I’m in a city or a small town, if I have friends there or if I’m completely alone.

4. Choose your transport wisely. I use Uber when I’m in a big city to get from A to B. I know that there are occasionally horror stories about Uber drivers in the press but I like being able to follow the journey on the map on my phone, to know the exact cost before I take the trip, that I can share the trip with a friend so they know I’m safe, and that there is a crisis button I can press if something goes wrong. To get from city to city, I use BlaBlaCar, train, or take a good quality bus. I like public transport but it’s important to do research to find out if the mode of transport itself, and the specific company is safe for the country you’re in.

5. Avoid making yourself more vulnerable. For example, I don’t drink at all when I travel alone. It’s such an easy way for someone to take advantage of you, I don’t even bother, but that’s not a problem for me because I’m not a big drinker anyway. Not everyone will want to do that, and if you enjoy a drink they you might be reluctant to give it up. So just be smart about how much you drink, and to, obviously, never leave your drink unattended.

6. Lock ya door. Whether I stay in a hostel, hotel, airbnb, or whatever else, I know that there’s a high possibility someone else also has a key to my door, which could mean late night visitors. So I have a door stop I use to jam the door shut while I sleep just to give me an extra sense of security. There are three types that I know are highly recommended. This one is slid into the side of the door to create or secure a lock. This is a door stop that also acts as an alarm to warn you of an intruder. The third one uses force to jam the door shut, to withstand even strong attempts at forced entry.

Another thing that really helped me get the confidence (and sometimes great advice) I needed to go on some of my trips was facebook groups. I’m not a huge facebook user but these groups have been a godsend. There’s lots available but these are some that I’m part of and that I recommend.

1. Women who travel

2. The solo female travel network

3. Solo women travel tribe

4. Girls gone global

What’s so great about groups like this is that they’re full of really diverse women, from all different countries and backgrounds, so it’s easy to find people to relate to or draw wisdom from. The majority of the women are unmarried/divorced and without children - probably because this demographic has the most time and money to be able to travel. However, there are also single mothers, wives who like travel without their husbands, lesbian couples, widows, student backpackers, and retired women. Some of the women travel on a budget, some go on extravagant luxurious vacations. You can search any destination or topic on the page and find dozens to hundreds of posts with information about it. The best thing - everyone looks out for each other. They warn each other about airlines that are consistently unreliable and hostels where the male staff treated them inappropriately. It’s such a valuable resource to get advice on baggage allowances, restaurant recommendations, the best tourist (and non tourist) spots as well as things like “I’ve had my heartbroken and I don’t know what to do now”.

A great way to be safe alone is to not be completely alone. So, the final thing that I rave about to everyone, is Workaway. It is a website that helps you find food and board that you can get in exchange for a few hours of voluntary work. There’s hostels, beach resorts, language exchanges, animal care, childcare, and even house sitting in almost every country you can think of. Most of the time you’ll share the accommodation with other workawayers or the owners so it will help you make friends and feel less lonely. You can also specify what kind of work you’re willing to do, for how long, and check reviews left by previous volunteers. A lot of people have issues with volunteer work but for me it’s worth it.

If you have any other tips then please please leave them in the comments and let me know!

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Wazuka, Japan

Wazuka is a small town, you’re probably not going to read about it in your guide book…

I hope, one day in the future, a lot more people will learn about and visit this beautiful place. About an hour and a half from Kansai International Airport (Osaka), it’s easier to get to than you’d think - but still an absolute hidden gem. I lived there for three months during my summer break at university, and it was one of the most beautiful and picturesque places I’ve ever been. Nestled in the Kyoto prefecture and Uji region of Japan, it’s in the heart of tea country. Most of the town is covered in tea fields, with tea farming being the biggest industry in the area. The landscape is so beautiful that one of the fields is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage site. The town itself is a huge contrast from the skyscrapers and hectic lifestyle of the cities, with beautiful traditional buildings and acres of peaceful rolling green hills. I highly recommend it if you’re doing a tour of Japan and want a change of pace or sneak peak at what rural life is like in the country.

Wazuka Checklist

1. What to do? Take a tour of the tea fields and enjoy traditional Japanese tea at Obubu

2. Where to stay? Get an authentic and welcoming experience at Blodge Lodge

3. What to eat? Try matcha ice cream at Wazukajaya Yamajin on a hot day, and okonomiyaki at Tampopo in the evening

Watch a film I made in Wazuka and see inside a Japanese tea factory.