I’m back from Mexico City, and here are my thoughts:
People always ask me, “What’s your favorite city?”
I HATE that question—because it has so many layers. Tell me what
you like, and I can give you a more specific answer.
That said, I can confidently say Mexico City is one of my favorites.
Here’s why: I feel a strong urge to go back just to relax. No content creation, no agenda—just enjoying the city, unwinding, and soaking in the local
atmosphere.
That’s how I know a place has truly won me over.
However…
I want to share a concern I encountered on a tour. As a disclaimer - this didn't happen because of Mexico City. It could happen
anywhere. It just happened to occur while I was there.
During an Airbnb experience tour, a person showed up late with a camera attached to his chest. We all thought it was strange, but didn't think too much about it. The tour had already started, and we didn't want to miss anything.
The tour guide asked
him about the camera rig, and he said he was "video recording from time to time."*
Something felt off about his energy, but since there were other content creators in the group, I didn't want to judge.
However, something kept nagging me when I noticed him talking to himself several
times.
Me: "Hey bro, are you live streaming?"
Him: "Yeah, I am."
This immediately put everyone on guard because nobody had agreed to be live streamed. I continued the conversation.
Me: "That's awesome, what's your content about?"
Him: "It's a little bit about everything…I like to travel. Tomorrow, I'll be in Cancun."
This was another red flag. Most content creators are eager to talk about their
work and gain followers, but this guy was being too vague.
Him: "One of my viewers wants me to mention that I have a Lamborghini."
Me: ????
He shared more information, but it was all vague.
When the tour ended, I approached him before leaving.
Me: "Hey man, it was awesome meeting you and best of luck with everything. I want to support your work - how do I follow you?"
He looked at me
suspiciously but gave me his information.
Back at my Airbnb, I immediately checked out his content. He said that he was only recording from time to time, but the entire tour was recorded. The camera footage showed everyone's faces in clear detail. Somehow, he was able to control the camera without touching it, and he had some inappropriate close-up shots of people in the group.
So creepy!
It turned out this guy creates lewd content, and the viewers of his livestream were participating in this sick experience. He deliberately chose a tour that he believed would have mostly women participants.
But a question
remained—how did he know women would participate in this tour?
I thought about it and looked at the Airbnb tour information and here's what I found. Depending on how the reservation is set up, some information you think is private is actually visible to other guests. I could see who was in the tour and view their profile information. Some people even had their
employers listed in their bios.
This situation really bothered me. Seeing the video and the comments was a clear invasion of privacy. It makes me concerned for friends, especially women who travel solo.
Here are a few things you can do to protect yourself:
- If you see someone with special equipment filming, find out immediately what they're doing and speak up if you're not comfortable with it.
- Be careful about the information you post on Airbnb, as some of it is public. People can use that information to target others.
- Safety comes in numbers. If you're by yourself, stay close to the tour guide and consider mentioning that your "partner
is nearby but didn't want to participate in the tour."
Stay safe out there, and don't let a few bad apples ruin your adventures!
*The dialogue in this email may not be verbatim, but it accurately conveys the essence of the conversation.
Keep traveling,
Andrew
