Turning a staycation into a vacation... and other things to do in the Scottish Highlands

2021 is all about the staycation. The travel companies know it, and we know it. Cornwall's holiday homes, hotels and hostels were 98% booked up for this summer as of April 2021, according to Cornwall Live, while the Peak District has had a huge increase in visitors this year, according to ITV. However, staycationing may not always feel like the ‘vacation’ we crave. Be it the weather, the similar culture, listening to people speak the same language you hear in the (home) office everyday…

Just across the border, Scotland awaits. Technically, I left my home country of England, but I thankfully didn't have to pay through my nose for the privilege of having a swab stuck up there. I made sure I incorporated many aspects of a vacation into this staycation though, so I truly feel like I’ve been ‘away’.

A beach in the Highlands (yes, really!)

I've previously staycationed in Edinburgh, Scotland, so although I'm currently doing my best J K Rowling impression and writing this piece in the Scottish capital – with a mention of the famed boy wizard thrown in for good measure – I'm offering a new angle to hero the Scottish Highlands aspects of this trip. Although this piece does feature a few Edinburgh anecdotes, for a more Edinburgh-based piece, you can click here.

So, here we go, here's how to really staycation like you're on a foreign vacation...

Tap into what ignites your holiday fire

Is it an adventurous escapade? An all-inclusive blissful break? For me, solo travel truly gives me that sense of travel and adventure – though usually I'm headed to medinas in Morocco or white-sand beaches in Cuba. A little less warm, but just as beautiful, an escape to the Highlands offers mountains, waterfalls and gorgeous scenery galore, just like Morocco; however, the choice of tipple is whisky instead of Cuba's rum. I joined a day tour, instead of my usual week-long group tour, and it was brilliant. It sounds silly to say, but apart from my trip to Loch Lomond where I actively sought out solitude to write, solo travelling isn’t usually a lonely experience. You meet people alllll the time. However, unlike pre-Covid, there was little to no mingling between groups on this tour, which made for a more solitary experience for solo travellers – something I also learned living in Sydney last year. Blaaaaady Covid.

A view from the tour bus

It's not all wandering around gorgeous places in your own world though. Yes, while solo travel usually meant making new friends, in the age of staycations, it might mean bumping into your existing ones instead! Back down in Edinburgh, it seemed as though everyone had the same England-to-Scotland idea as I met up with two friends and their travel companions; one to climb Arthur's Seat and another for a morning smoothie at Hula.

Top of Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh

Stick to your travel routine

My pre-travel routine always included grabbing a magazine and a few snacks from WHSmiths – though usually at an airport instead of a train station. I made sure I did the very same at Kings Cross.

Once in Scotland itself, another non-Highlands-and-actually-Edinburgh experience (don’t worry, I’m getting to Highlands content in the next paragraph!) was hopping aboard a sightseeing bus. I've lost count it how many of these I've done in various cities, but I find them so helpful in getting my bearings, travelling between the main tourist sights, and gaining some insight into the city's history and culture.

Lunch stop views in Mallaig

Downing an ice-cold lemonade is another act that just gives me the holiday feels. I ensured to keep up the tradition, accompanied by a fish and chips, in Mallaig, while overlooking the harbour. I also spent some time there overlooking the gorgeous loch, under the bright blue sky. You'd be forgiven for thinking we were in Switzerland there. Actually, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were in Switzerland, or Iceland for that matter, anywhere in the Scottish Highlands! The White House, Glencoe (its actual postal address) gave me major Vik vibes.

The White House, Glencoe

Try the local food and drink

Food is such an important part of travel culture, and trying new dishes will really feel like you're away from home. While Scotland is still in the UK, there are some different culinary offerings you can get your teeth into, including black pudding, haggis, shortbread, single malt whisky, gin... In the town of Pitlochry, you'll find a sweet shop near the main public car park that serves multicoloured rainbow ice cream (I can hear the influencers flocking already!) and whiskey ice cream, made using real, local whiskey.

Pitlochry

Chat to people

Engaging with locals is another huge part of travel, and in the Highlands, there's no language barrier... well, not a huge one. Fun fact: once you reach the roads just outside Callander, Stirling, all the road signs are in both Gaelic and English. But yes, back to the main point; although the interaction between you and other travellers may be at a minimum during these Covid times, I've honestly never met more helpful staff, tour guides, waiters and waitresses! These service people are a wealth of knowledge. A stop at an Edinburgh gin shop led to a delicious dinner at Maki and Ramen, where I ate both maki and ramen. The sales attendant in the gin shop recommended it.

Back in the Highlands, I learned so much about the Scottish clans, English-Scottish history (FYI, Scone Palace and the stone of Scone is pronounced ‘Scoone’, offering a whole new dynamic to the scone/scone debate) and little local facts from the guide, such as the existence of request-only train stops. The guide also provided little language insights, for example, 'inver' means 'flowing into', i.e. Inverness means flowing into the Loch Ness.

The tour featured live commentary, punctuated with various Scottish music. My two favourites were listening to Skyfall, after venturing through the other-worldly landscape where James Bond stays with M towards the end of the eponymous film and, after seeing the famed Hogwarts Express viaduct, which is actually called Glenfinnan Viaduct, we listened to music composed for the Harry Potter films. It really felt like we were in a movie, travelling through those landscapes, listening to that music.

Jacobite steam train crossing Glenfinnan Viaduct

Final word

Right, so a big elephant in the room to conclude this piece: UK staycations and the weather. Now, of course, I would love to travel somewhere with guaranteed weather; however, Scotland showed UP on this trip. Not one drop of rain graced my head and it was mostly sunny throughout. Glencoe was notoriously a moody grey, but we got the benefit of seeing two rainbows without rain, so I'll take it. Overall, a fabulous trip, and I cannot wait to return!

Seeking serenity... and other things to do in Byron Bay, Australia

Peppered with palm trees, whitewashed wood-panelled shops and restaurants, and twinkling fairy lights come evening, Byron Bay is the ultimate beachside escape. It's easy to see why everyone raves about this place, and why a few celebrities have even made this place their home (shout out to my future husband, Zac Efron, and also one of the Hemsworth brothers) - I fell for its charms almost instantly.

Boasting a chilled, beachside town vibe, it's the kind of place where you would enjoy a proper bouji brunch, but barefaced of makeup and in flip flops. Amidst a plethora of long weekends (and big changes - one for another blog post coming soon), I booked a week away to Byron Bay, a 10-hour drive or 90-minute flight, up the coast from Sydney, near the Queensland/NSW border.

Thanks to its location, it enjoys warmer climes than Sydney and, although you'll likely feel relaxed the moment you step off the plane at Ballina Airport, or out of the car, here are a few tips to really capitalise on the feeling and achieve optimum zen.

Choose your base wisely

Due to booking, cancelling and rebooking of our accommodation (this COVID pandemic is synonymous with constant changes, hey), we ended up booking two different AirBnbs for our time in Byron. The first three nights were spent at Beachfront Apartments, mere metres from the Main Beach. The location was perfect: we could amble to the beach, to the Aldi for supplies, and our designated driver for the trip could enjoy as many drinks as she wanted as it was barely a 10-minute walk back to our apartment from most restaurants. One morning really epitomised our relaxation: I went for a morning run back and forth along the coast, followed by a cooked breakfast on the patio with a view of the sea, then went for a walk on the Main Beach "just to get my toes wet", and was treated to a show of a few dolphins playing in the water! Bliss.

Our second base was an absolutely gorgeous AirBnB, All About Byron, about 15 minutes' walk inland - I can't rave about this place enough. Adorned with bamboo shoots, Buddha statues and boasting our very own hot tub, I felt like I'd stepped into a Balinese retreat. Our host was brilliant too - easily and quickly contactable when needed. We spent many an hour in the hot tub, trying not to nap in the water when we weren't chatting or drinking (or stepping out for a smorgasbord of snacks) - it was so relaxing.

Relaxed yet fulfilling activities

While we graced the beach every day of our stay and didn't plan much, we made sure to still make the most of our time.

One of the few plans we did make was a 90-minute sunrise horse ride through the forest and onto the beach with Zephyr Horses. I hadn't ridden a horse since a child, and even then it was guided by a professional who walked the horse around. This time, I was in control; we were taught simple commands, and we were (thankfully) on horses used to carrying amateurs. The experience was absolutely incredible; I felt like a real cowgirl, more so when we got the horses to trot, and when we had to climb up and down steps with nothing but our balance and new skills to keep us on the horse. At one point, the sea was to my right, there was a rainbow to my left and mountains in front... it was magical.

Another activity that you can't miss in Byron is casting a look over the area from the lofty heights of the Cape Byron Lighthouse, which offers 360-degree vistas of the sea and mountains. You can either walk or drive up (parking is $4-$8) and spend time just soaking up the incredible views. We even saw dolphins and whales as we looked out to sea!

Although Main Beach was great, our favourite was just on the other side: Wategos Beach. Here, you have a full view of the mountains, you’re surrounded by picturesque green hills, and there are trees for respite from the sun. It is well worth the quest to find parking (and a hardy quest it is). The water is pretty shallow a fair bit out, so sit back (or stand in) and enjoy as the waves wash over. You might even see local wildlife - no, not whales, dolphins or horses again: the humble bush turkey! He/she came over to us, unbeknownst to us, until he clawed my housemate (eeek!) and then we watched him claw through peoples belongings until chased away.

We also ventured 20 minutes north of Byron Bay to the even more bohemian town of Brunswick Heads. We spent a few hours by the lovely lake surrounded by towering trees, where you can paddleboard or boat around, or make like us, and just chill on the side with a pastry from Bruns Bakery.

Eat really well

Now, I tell ya, this is something we truly mastered in Byron Bay. From our first evening dining on fancy fish and chips (sweet potato fries and Hoki) from the lauded Fishheads and desserts from the 24-hour bakery, Byron Bay Hot Bread, we sure as hell started as we meant to go on:

Three Blue Ducks - this rustic eatery sits on a farm - The Farm, actually - and serves delicious farm-to-plate fare. My flatmate had "the best green curry of [her] life" here, while my cocktail and platter went down pretty well too. After, be sure to have a stroll past the pigs, bees and other animals (and the gelato stall).

The Balcony - on a Sunday, The Balcony, a beautiful two-story, whitewashed wood number with, you guessed it, a balcony, holds Drag and Dine. The drag show comprises one act who does three or four sets, and this time around, a prize giveaway won by my flatmates (and then we promptly had my caption stolen by the restaurant's official Instagram!) My favourite part, however, was the food; in fact, it was one of my favourite meals of the trip. I had the softest trout, with the crispiest skin, on a bed of greens, drizzled with a delicious sesame-based sauce. Divine AND healthy. The cocktails were pretty good too.

Miss Margarita - speaking of cocktails, Miss Margarita had a brilliant list, playing host to my favourite fruit, like mango and watermelon, in martinis, mojitos and, of course, margaritas. The food was flavoursome, with a signature Mexican kick.

Bayleaf - a renowned cafe in Byron, we headed to Bayleaf for breakfast one morning. Their dishes are a tasty work of art, and even the humble scrambled eggs on toast looked so pretty, cooked into a swirly design. I even had an iced coffee! Who have I become?!

The General Store - another celebrated cafe in Byron. The team put emphasis on health, with ingredients like acai and coconut water taking pride of place on the menu frequently. I opted for a post-breakfast smoothie, which was as healthy and delicious as it was filling. What most intrigued me though was the way they announced your order was ready: "thanks, ‘Name’" each and every time. How very polite!

The Mez Club - a vision both in and out. Between the whitewashed exterior, curved archways, cushions and intricate lampshades, it felt like a cross between a Greek and Moroccan taverna. It's all about sharing plates here, and boy, was the food good. I tried oysters for the first time here (loved them), had THE softest lamb ever, delicious ravioli, gorgeous crisp potatoes, warm bread, and to follow, churros. The innovative cocktails are ones to savour too… though I’m not too sure about the one featuring avo.

I am so glad Byron Bay lived up to the hype; it was a place I wanted to visit since I first visited Sydney in 2018, well before I made it my home. I can’t wait to one day return with my mum - it is very much her vibe.

Being in a pandemic lockdown... and other things to do in the Blue Mountains, Australia

What a weird year 2020 has been so far - and it’s only the beginning of April! Personally, I made the big decision to move to Sydney for the year, but obviously, I’m not the only one in a brand-new situation; thanks to Covid-19, we’re all going through an adjustment period, and a very steep learning curve, whether at home, or on the other side of the world.

Thanks to a dear friend I met in Morocco, I am now currently experiencing lockdown from Australia’s Blue Mountains (there’s a reason I wax lyrical about joining travel tours when travelling solo!) I am a city girl at heart and while I love my place in central Sydney, there’s a lot more open space here, whether you stay at home, or go for the once-daily sanctioned walks (while practising social distancing, of course). There are many towns within the Blue Mountains National Park - so-called due to the vapour that’s given off by the gum trees - but wherever you’re based, there is plenty space to roam while adhering to government advice. I can’t stress how much time ‘in the green’ has changed my mindset in a short time during this lockdown; I know I am lucky to have this option, and I am so incredibly grateful. I urge people to seek out fresh air too, where possible, safe for themselves and others, and within your country’s restrictions.

There are a few things keeping me busy during the lockdown, and while some are specific to this period of time, or the area I’m staying in, others are also relevant if you choose to visit the Blue Mountains after this pandemic is over.

Take in (some of) the local sights

I’ve been to the Blue Mountains once before, visiting the waterfalls and the famed Three Sisters, which of course isn’t appropriate during the current climate. However, within walking distance, we have two parks, both abundant in space and the Mountain’s characteristic tree-laden paths. Similarly, a noted cemetery lies pretty close by too, and while seemingly a little morbid, is actually pretty fascinating for a walk, much like The Cimitero Monumentale in Milan.

Go on a bear hunt

I won’t lie, when my friend’s mum waved the two of us off on a walk with a “look out for the bears”, I almost $@#t myself! Much like the drop bear fable, there was nothing to worry about: during the lockdown, people in the local area are placing teddy bears and other stuffed toys at the window for children, and children at heart, to spot on their daily walks. What I did have to watch out for is the cars - there are no curbs or pavements here!

Go on a bushwalk

The National Park is beautiful and, as long as you have Google Maps or a local with you (from your household right now obvs), you (probably) won’t get lost. Spend a few hours really socially distancing from the world, walking through the bush, stopping to admire the trees below - wear good shoes though, as the hospitals currently have bigger fish to fry than a broken ankle! Sitting down on your walks isn’t allowed at the moment, but lookouts are a great spot to sit and reflect once this is all over.

Birdwatch

Two close friends of mine are avid bird watchers, and I never really understood the appeal until now. There really is something magical about listening to bird calls as you wake up, relax or WFH. There is a plethora of wild birdlife here, including cockatoos (pretty, but boy, are their squawks loud), rainbow lorikeets and crimson rosellas.

Recognise the silver lining

Whether you’re in London, Sydney or the Blue Mountains, this is one you can do from anywhere: recognise the positives, no matter how hard this whole situation gets. Most of us have a home and our health, and apart from those essential and front-line workers, our duty is just to stay home. Yes, many of us are facing issues with job security, but we can seek comfort and advice from those in the same situation. Use this time to keep smiling at the little things, from the buzz of a home workout to the buzz of homemade cocktails. I’m also currently buzzed off being able to still watch EastEnders, thanks to BBC UKTV…

And once lockdown is over…

There’s a whole world out there! I was lucky enough to return to the Mountains a few months after writing this piece, and indulged in all the bits I missed during Autumn; find out more here.

Stay safe and follow government advice. Keep up-to-date here (UK) and here (Australia).