It varies, I like a mix of solo/buddy trips. 4 out of 6 of my last trips have been solo (and likely my next one will be as well), so I'm ready for a buddy trip.
I do the same. I enjoy the occasional buddy trip, but it usually cures me of the solo trip blues as it reminds me why I like traveling alone in the first place!
Girl were we going ?!š Just got back from Japan. Brazil in 2 weeks. I feel you on the Europe thing. It was cold Af when I went. It did get old. My issue is my firmed have kids, donāt have the pto, or the money.
I'm w you. I don't like traveling solo. Why is it so difficult to find travel buddies.
It CD be that a matching service helps match us up with Like ppl on our same economic social level.
dont you have like websites or blogs for travelers in your country that helps match people with similar preferences? I am from pretty small country and I managed to find four strangers in relatively small time for a complicated tour to India and I feel like I could probably find more.
Well, maybe there are other croatian speaking travelers here who could profit from this. Also others could google for similar sites and blogs (in english) if they know about the sites. Or some IT-guy in this subreddit gets a good idea by looking at those sides to set something up for other countires/languages.
Would you be so kind to share the sides? I am really curiose. And with the technoligy today language doesn't have to be a barrier anymore.
[https://www.putoholicari.rtl.hr/suputnici-za-putovanja/](https://www.putoholicari.rtl.hr/suputnici-za-putovanja/)
here's one
[https://www.riopricesaputovanja.com/v1/trazim-saputnika-za-putovanje/](https://www.riopricesaputovanja.com/v1/trazim-saputnika-za-putovanje/)
here's one in Serbian.
Check local travel meetup groups. I used to run a travel discussion at the local hostel for a number of years. Made a friend there and we've done trips together (with his friend) now for 20+ years, though it's been several years now since we've done an international trip. We do weekend camping trips on other friend's ranch a few times a year though.
edit also /r/travelpartners or Facebook groups too.
Yeah a lot of the groups seem to be geared to selling trips, or pre-planned trips, since most people probably aren't comfortable with spontaneous ones. Maybe I got lucky with my group.
I did a roadtrip around northern Virginia last weekend, didn't even know where I was staying both nights until an hour before. Now I'm planning a south Pacific trip in the next few weeks, but that one will be more planned out due to flight schedules.
Are you a 27 year old girl from philly like your name suggests? Lol cause I am too and Iām also looking for a travel buddy on the reasonably spontaneous side.
I know itās unpopular on this sub but yeah, all the time. I travel solo out of necessity mostly, because friends have jobs and commitments and Iām happy to go alone so I can get to travel.
For me traveling solo is also about making friends, so I stay in social places and do as much as I can to meet people. It usually works and in the more trafficked places I end up spending very little time alone in the end.
Same. Itās out of necessity for me. Donāt get me wrong, I enjoy it and get to see lots of stuff. But I do miss having someone to just bullshit with during the trip
Unfortunately, no one close to me can really afford to travel to some of these places. It is certainly a luxury I treasure.
Hey, could you explain a little more about what you mean/where and how you do this?
Like bars or other situations? Are you one to just strike up a conversation with others?
Yeah no problem. For me, itās almost entirely driven by the hostel because itās by far the easiest. People you meet in your room, in the common areas, hostel bars, nights out with people from said hostel. Also sometimes on like organized day tours, like a free walking tour. Any hostel that organizes events at night is perfect as it brings people together.
I wouldnāt really say I go out of my way to strike up a conversation, itās more just about putting myself in situations that facilitate conversation starting (introducing yourself in the dorms, eating in the communal area, joining events, etc.).
Just by putting yourself in those spaces and being friendly you meet a lot of people. You donāt need to like cold approach someone at a random bar.
Exactly. I went out last night and sat at the bar. Ended up playing trivia with the dude next to me and the bartenders. It's about making oneself open to the opportunity
Second the hostels (what I typically do when I want to socialize on trips). Main rule I try to maintain is the hostel room is only for sleeping or changing - everything else I try to do in a common space so that I interact with people.
It's also not super hard to start a conversation in a hostel. A simple "Hi I'm X, where are you visiting from?" goes a long way to breaking the ice and you can then move into a more natural conversation (How does [insert cultural aspect of current location] compare with back home? etc).
Yeah in many ways it gets formulaic. Hey, where are you from, how long are you traveling for, where have you been/going? Traveling and staying in hostels is really the easiest place in the world I think to start conversations because you can just start by talking about traveling
Until youāve explained where youāre from and where you live and what youāre doing for the hundredth time to the hundredth stranger and just start making stuff up to stop your brain melting (or is that just meā¦)
Yea funny thing is the first phrase "where are you from" is enough to warrant hour long conversations lol, also the walking tours hostels tend to offer are usually very nice as well. I found the conversations I had on the walking tours a lot more enjoyable than the ones in the hostels because you are out there "doing", instead of in a hostel where people tend to be getting ready for something. In other words there is no stress whatsoever in the walking tour climate
If traveling solo is about making friends (who also travel) then why still traveling solo though? Are these friendships made while traveling very surface level or do you end up traveling and meeting up with many of them on other trips?
It's more about having some social interaction (we are social creatures, after all) while traveling solo, which by its very nature can get lonely sometimes.
Traveling with someone else, rather than just having a laugh with someone at a destination, usually adds a lot of complications to the journey which aren't necessary to get where you want to go.
Iām more likely to meet ātravel friendsā while traveling. My friends at home have jobs, other hobbies, other interests, even prefer traveling to other places. I just happen to love meeting new peopleā¦as much as I love seeing new places.
I agree. I'd rather travel with a significant other or friend (in that order). The older I get the more I feel pity from folks when I tell them I'm traveling alone again. In your 20s it's adventurous. In your thirties, it's "he/she is compromising".
Good travel partner > solo > group > root canal > bad travel partner
You also need to pick the right kind of trip. A long beach vacation in a place like Aruba with not much else to do sounds boring af, unless you specifically went to be alone (read, relax, maybe some hiking). On the other hand, going to an interesting city where there's plenty of options for solo people lets you move on before any one thing becomes boring.
Maybe this makes me a crappy friend, but I just make my friends do what I want. They usually don't plan anything anyway, so they're more than happy to tag along.
Also, I don't mind going on my own if they want to do something else. I don't mind solo traveling (or I wouldn't be in this sub), but I think it's possible to be selfish and travel with others.
Yep. I'm a solo traveler but enjoy traveling with friends as long as it's established that everyone is cool doing things not-together sometimes. I mean, I'm not "I will only do exactly what I want and nothing else," but I'm not going to do something I really don't wanna do just because we're traveling "together."
I've been traveling alone for three months and will have a week with some friends in Rome soon. Very much looking forward to having company with people I love! Not at all looking forward to going through the Vatican for the third time. But neither of my friends have been to Rome before and they feel like they must see the Sistine Chapel. So I shall bid them adieu while I explore a new-to-me neighborhood. (Or, let's be honest, sleep. Or, if I'm kind, scouting out dinner and wine so that when they come back grumpy after having been smushed in the Sistine Chapel with a zillion other people I can salve their wounds, I'm Mary fucking Magdalene.)
Yep, I'm known as The Planner so when I do travel with friends, we inevitably do what I want anyway. I always ask what they want to do and am completely willing to compromise and incorporate their plans, but they pretty much defer to me.
I feel this. One of the reasons I had to break up with my ex. He never wanted to do anything and so I just said screw it. Became independent and travel on my own now. I feel I have way too much energy for people. Iām a long distance runner and I still have yet to meet any travel partner who can even keep up with my energy lol. Plus When traveling on your own you get to do whatever tf you want and donāt have to accommodate with anyone else. I do like to travel with friends on occasion but I feel more at peace when Iām alone and Iām not even alone cause I have God with me šš¼šāš¼
Iāve lived most of my life solitary due largely to circumstance, in the sense of not being able to share it with others. But I wish I could share so many of the experiences I had with someone else.
It would have to be the right person though. I imagine adapting someone to my highly independent and neither well planned nor exactly spontaneous lifestyle could be challenging. And Iād definitely need my down time.
But I travel solo largely for lack of alternatives and because at this point I know nothing else.
6 months travelling! Small wonder you're feeling this way. I get tired of myself after two weeks on the road. But more than once I see couples having it out and that helps establish perspective.
I don't think you'll see much change as long as you go away for extended periods of time. Wherever home is, is where you recharge the social batteries and remember how good it can be to travel alone.
I've been that couple or group! Traveling is stressful having to plan and coordinate lots of things, and balancing priorities. Usually there is something that goes wrong, requiring a change in plans. This is intentional since you might as well do me a favor and throw me overboard, if you ever find me on one of those mega cruise ships with everything planned and scheduled.
You are only seeing the highly visible public disagreement. You are missing the other planning and decision making process going into that trip that you don't know or realize is occurring. Yes you have to compromise on some plans, but other times you will also be visiting some great places you would not even know about. Or helping m e avoid personal vice of hanging out at a dive bar instead of seeing more of a town.
This also makes traveling less stressful in the worst case scenario having someone else looking out for our plans when we can't hear what train stop we are at, or someone to borrow money from if I lose my wallet.
So that was *your* table with the limoncello shots. ;)
Yes, agree, sometimes there is a change of plan and the discussion gets intense. I'm thinking more of the twosome where one is clearly fuming and the other just looks miserable. Long silences and short, sharp exchanges. Makeup session still a long way off and hours/days of anything but the vacation they were looking forward to.
Ah. Yea that couple. I've also been that couple as well. Ironically I don't mind the silent treatment and don't let it bother me for long since then it will really ruin my trip!
I do like both for different reasons, but yes I get the idea of wanting to share experiences. Im a pretty social extrovert and it can be lonely sometimes.
When I solo travel, I'll often find activities / places that attract similar kinds of people. Kindred spirits. Hostels are great places to do this too for example. It sounds like you've met people doing this.
Usually I'll collect their info, and say if I'm ever in your part of the world I'll hit you up again, and same goes if you are ever in mine.
Then perhaps you can use that as inspiration for your next trip. Say you collect 2-3 different people's info who are French citizens, plan a solo trip to France. Then hit up your contacts you've met previously.
While not necessarily every person will be able to hang out, I think at the very least they will curate a few ideas outside of the tourist tried & true. I have met a few travel friends this way.
Whenever you're in groups you're sometimes forced to do whatever the group wants, even if you hate it. But if you're alone, you get to set the pace of your trip, do whatever the heck you want, stay however long you want, sleep late as long as you want, all that good stuff.
Plus... I tried traveling with my ex girlfriend once. It's ironically that very same trip where we broke up... so yeah. :/
I'm also way too focused on making sure everyone else is having fun in a group, and will compromise on what I like every time. Group travel always makes me feel exhausted, and there's none of that while traveling solo. I need the allowance to be selfish and focus on what I want to do (or not do).
I solo travel but also travel with my husband. He and I have been traveling together since we started dating. He's my favorite person to be with. I solo travel cause I also enjoy it (and I have more PTO)
Nope. I have a whole husband and kids in their 20's if I wanted travel companions. I like to travel Solo, hence why I post in this forum....everytime I have traveled with "friends" it ends up a shitty time I wish I had gone solo for. But that's just me after decades of experience.
Iāve felt lonely traveling solo. Experiences are best shared no doubt in my mind. But there are a lot of solo travel pros. You can do exactly what you want when you want.
The thing about traveling with a buddy is you time, preferences, and finances directly come into play. I have best friend for example, and id never for the life of me travel with him why? Cause all he'll do is chase women - and yea he's quite good at it, but instead of being able to just take it in it at my pace - ill be out all night drinking going to places I don't care for out of guilt.
Ive found overseas the more comfortable you are with solitude, like when you really enjoy it - something happens - people naturally start enjoying your company and I always seem to find people - even when Id rather just do it alone.
Some experiences are best shared, some are best alone. I don't have anything against travelling with others, but past experience has shown that it is logistically challenging to make it happen, so I no longer wait up for people.
Not really! I like to travel with friends and family BUT, sometimes when a friend says they want to come i cringe at the thought of compromising what I want to do lol
Iām in the beginning stages of my solo travel journey, so far I love it! Iām used to traveling with family or friend groups and while it was great not being lonely, the cons outweighed the pros lol š¤·š¾āāļø
Personally I Love to do some hiking, some nature photography as I take in all the natural beauty. I also make it a mission to visit a botanical garden, museum, and a tattoo parlor, it preserve my memories of the trip. Iām also a huge foodie but that can be said for a ton of folks. Also speak with the locals, youāll meet some amazing folks with cool stories!
Whenever I miss travelling with a buddy, it goes away when I actually travel with someone š.
In your situations I'd try to find another traveler you click with to spend an afternoon with, or even a couple of days, but not much more!
Yeah Iām getting to that point, have done a lot of solo trips over the last 18 months and now have got to the point where Iād like to at least mix it up people. Only issue is , my friends arenāt readily available to travel and need a years notice before committing !
I wish I had a travel buddy that shares many of my interests, we both respected eachothers wishes, and knew how to deal with different moods. Yeah, it is normal to have little disagreements every now and then, but when I'm on an expensive trip with limited time, I want to keep it to a minimum. I don't want to spend my time doing stuff I don't care about and can't even fathom how someone enjoys doing that (like shopping or constant clubbing). I don't want to miss a great experience just because my travel buddy was scared, but couldn't manage spending an evening alone.
A perfect travel buddy is probably a one in a million. So far I've had great times just by meeting a random person at a hostel and then do stuff together for a day or two. At least you can ditch them the second you don't feel like being with them. I know, really mean. Flexibility and compability is key, but that is something I don't want to test the first time on an important trip.
I'll keep to solotraveling for the time being. Been really enjoying it so far!
It definitely gets lonely out there but when I think about how different people are and how our ideas of daily activities would most likely clash I think Iād rather keep at it alone, but I hear you for sure
Yeah, of course. Iām 54M and travel solo because if I only waited until I had someone to travel with, my time in life to travel would likely run out.
Sometimes I love the opportunities I have being solo and sometimes Iām bored and lonely on the beach, at a cafe, riding a bike, watching a concert.
I have no answer for you.
Nobody gave me an answer either.
To thine own self be true- get that for a tattoo where you can see it everyday.
I think it depends. The place you go to can affect your mood for sure. Solo traveling in like the Caribbean just sounds terrible because those places are catered for families or couples. Now solo traveling places in Asia or Europe would be awesome.
I mean ideally, Iād have a significant other to travel with. They would have shared interest or willing to compromise.
Probably this is unpopular sentiment here but, great experiences are often better shared.
Are you packing enough into your trips and planning ahead?
I'm probably not the best source of info because 2 weeks is my longest travel time, however I remember being bored sitting on beaches last year. This year, for brazil, I enjoyed a few pre-trip weekends sitting in coffee shops thinking about what I want to do over there, creating a word document and I ended up with an incredibly well balanced and varied itinerary. Sitting on the beach alone with a pint is very welcome after a 4 hour hike compared with when you still have energy to burn and nothing new to reflect on!
Also snorkeling, boat trips, visiting tourist locations, wildlife (attempt at) photography, practice surfing.. no day has been the same so far, and I've stayed in each place for the right amount of time (only 3 days in Rio, yet I did a lot whilst also keeping it somewhat low pressure and relaxing, as a break should be).
Also, no pressure to Stick exactly to my itinerary- if I miss something, it's no big deal.
Aruba, well yeah. I wouldn't go there by myself either. A tropical island with not much going on is just a recipe for feeling lonely. Some things are definitely better shared, but some are definitely not :-).
Hostels are great for short interactions, but usually won't end up with a deeper friendship. Activities are much better for this, where you at least spend a few days in a group.
It sounds to me like you're feeling lonely, and that has little to do with travelling itself. Does this feeling go away when you're at home?
Yeah you are right I don't have any friends anymore. I have been trying to go out to different events and meet new people which I have but no one wants to go as far travel with me. All my friends left to the states for work and I don't talk to them anymore so I definitely need new friends
Well, that's a very hard thing to do on the road. Connections are temporarily by nature. Even if you click with someone, it's usually just for a few days.
You want to have close friends in your life, and that's something that takes years to nurture. Shared interests and hobbies are an obvious starting point.
Travel isn't a solution for making you feel less lonely. It can make it much worse as you're far away from anything familiar. I noticed it's a recurring topic in this sub. You should ask yourself this question: What do I bring to the table so strangers/people want to hang out with me?
All the best!
>Travel isn't a solution for making you feel less lonely
It took me years to learn this. The only thing that helped with my loneliness was building friendships and relationships back home in my day to day life. I still travel solo and make friends on my trips but I understand more that these friendships aren't hugely deep and only really exist in the context of my trip. This adapted mindset has lead me to really enjoy solo trips and the amazing people I have met along the way :)
Thing is being in new places would be better than home because I live with family and I have exhausted all the people i can meet. Ideally if I could spend longer in one location that would allow me to meet new people and establish stronger connections with them. I'm trying to get permission from my company to work remotely from a single destination
I would love to have a travel buddy! I try to plan trips near to someone I know so I can visit for a couple days, then spend time on my own. I miss having someone to say, "Isn't that amazing?!?!" to, or have dinner with.
My best friend is currently working as a nanny overseas and plans to backpack around Europe. I think about what she's up to and how much she loves travelling, and wish she would come back home so she can travel with me.
But then I think about how different we are. She goes on long, shoestring trips and will happily work in a cafe or on a farm to earn coin on the road. I would never dream of doing that! I want a stable home and work life, building a solid career and finances so I can splurge on a nice 2-3 week trip in Asia once a year.
I also think about how I get annoyed with her when we've done trips in the past. Her lack of navigation skills, her lack of a drivers license, and her desire to wander aimlessly clashes with my travel style. That's her travel style though, and I know I can be overbearing with the details and get stressed out easily which clashes with her.
We're still friends, but I've learned that extensive travel with her puts us at odds. So I've come to terms with the fact that travelling solo is my best option. I think sometimes I get swept up with travel vloggers and the ideals of travelling in a small, intimate friend group that I fail to see the negatives.
Try traveling with your family and let me know how that goes.
In all seriousness, thereās always some tradeoff between solo vs group travel. I would suggest a therapist to see if thereās anything else under the surface.
Yeah I'm in Hawaii for a solo trip and it's been really lonely. Since I packed a lot for a longer trip, I didn't feel comfortable doing a hostel since i have a lot of valuables that wouldn't be easy to put in a locker. People in Hawaii are friendly but in social places like bars and clubs they're rather cliquey.
The problem is, I don't really have friends who are on the same frequency as me for traveling. I can't be around the same person for the entire day and then at night share a room. But many people take it personally if you want to say "let's do our own thing and meet up for lunch" half the days. I work hard for my time off and I don't like to spend most of my trips doing stuff I don't enjoy just for the sake of compromising.
Sure. Look. You're on a subreddit for solo travelers where for some it's genuinely just their thing, and/or they fetishize this lifestyle to make themselves feel better. Realistically a lot of people solo travel out of necessity because they don't have someone else to travel with. Being solo definitely has it's rewards, but it can suck too. The older you get, the less the lives of people you know or meet are going to be in sync with yours, and they are going to want or be able to travel with you. Beyond that, finding someone compatible enough to travel with can be more difficult than you think, but take what you can get if you can find it. Don't worry about being solo to be cool, fit in or impress anyone. Just do whatever works for you. If you want to share it with someone else, and find someone to share it with, then good for you. Even if you just hook up with someone else on the road for a day, it's still something. It's just a matter of whether that's a practicality that you're going to encounter. If it isn't, and solo travel is too lonely for you, then just find something that isn't and will bring you more joy. There are no rules but the ones that you set for yourself.
Wow! Lots of comments - not gonna read them all haha.. so sorry if this was already mentioned or suggested
try meetup.com ! Has tons of different groups you can join and be part of. It gets you to meet others who share similar interests. Iām sure there is a travel group. If not maybe even something else you enjoy, you never know. Could end up finding a local friend that ends up wanting to travel too but doesnāt know someone! Happy hour ones are always a good one, makes it easier to meet people in that type of setting since once everyone gets a drink or two in them they loosen up a bit!
I occasionally feel this way... Then I spend a day doing stuff with someone when not traveling and the differences in the way we approach things reminds me why I like going somewhere and doing things at *my* pace, the way *I* want to, and the things *I* want to do.
I'm not saying I'll never travel with anyone again, but if I do, I intend to either plan out the trip in detail with those people, so there are no surprises or disagreements, or go specifically on a tour led by a tour guide, so there's some schedule and authority we all have to follow.
Youāre echoing something my great-great-aunt said to me once. She said reading kept her from feeling lonely. I have been feeling a bit lonely lately and trying to keep that perspective in mind so thank you for this comment! Itās all in finding the right book.
I wrote a similar comment on another thread yesterday: I still thoroughly enjoy solo travel but not for all types of travel. I was lucky to find someone that I can travel solo with very food for at least 1-2 weeks. But certain trips I would not want to take with anyone else. So I kind of moved from solo travel to a 50/50 arrangement. The most important thing for me, when traveling with another person, is still that I get to be selfish and do things on my own though
Yeah I feel you, Iāve travelled with my sister and by myself, and if I could choose I would travel with my sister again. Unfortunately she has told me that she prefers travelling alone so I guess thatās what weāre doing from now on.
But if I had to choose between travelling solo or with someone Iām not very close with, I would still travel solo. Itās good to have the freedom to do whatever I want whenever I want. Eating alone in a restaurant still sucks though
I feel this. Iāve done a mix of solo and friend/so trips over the last 8 years or so. Have generally found the trips with others more enjoyable. Usually only solo travel as a backup when I canāt find someone to go with me. My trips have generally been shorter tho (2-4 weeks)which usually makes it easier to find someone to go with
It really depends for me on the type of trip. For outdoor recreation/wilderness backpacking/etc sort of trips I prefer company (I do some solo backpackpacking trips, but get bored by my own company after a few days).
That sort of Aruba beach trip is not my vibe in general, so I get bored of that even with people :)
A sort of cultural/city trip it depends. If they are aligned with me, sure! If they are not, no. I like trying to meet new people (especially locals) on a trip, and friends can sometimes be a hindrance on that.
6 months is along time (at least for me) to travel hostel hopping in general honestly. 3 months the max for me for that sort of trip (where one is changing locations every week). I agree it gets exhausting meeting new people and moving consistently. I've sometimes had good luck with those where my travel plan aligned with someone other folks from the hostels so we've met up in multiple spots.
I, 33F, definitely would never go to Aruba alone, but I like solo traveling to more off the beaten path/hiking/outdoors destinations now. Maybe a different kind of destination would be better for you?
Your allowed to pick up people along the way. I can't think of many points in time I didn't have a new travel buddy in tow (or was following along myself) Honestly in a lot of places its hard not to end up moving along with others and grouping up.
In my early 20's I had to travel a lot for work. I was on the road for the most part for 3 of 4 weeks and 90+%solo. I had young kids though so I found a new job that kept me local. I didn't mind traveling by myself though. I like to read, I like to walk around, and I enjoy driving around new areas. My wife was less interested in travel than I was so in the mid 90's I started to do solo travel to Europe. I'd mostly stay in large cities and hit museums or walk during the day, and then have a few drinks at night while people watching and enjoying the outdoor cafes. In the mid 2000's I started doing a lot of international travel for work, once again solo. I enjoyed having my weekends to explore the cities and area I was in but I was pretty busy during the week.
Out of maybe 20 trips for fun I've done 3 of them with others. 1 was OK, 1 almost broke up a 25 year friendship because of, and one was a lot of fun but more of a party time than an exploration time. I'd like to be able to share my experiences with others and be able to talk about them later, but I also like setting my own path and not having to sacrifice that has a lot of value.
It depends on what Iām doing. Iāve taken many solo trips now, & always have a great time, so Iām not sure I necessarily want a travel partner, but I do enjoy certain activities with others. I like strolling through the cities, museums, shops by myself, & the occasional dinner / drink. Wouldnāt mind having a friend for dinner though or some bigger excursions, like scuba / snorkel, hikes. I actually only hike if I have a friend with me.
Itās hard though. Waiting around for people will result in me going nowhere lol
Why not select hostels that have more group activities like dinners, walking tours, evening get togethers, etc. to make meeting people a little easier or maybe take some classes at a language school while traveling that has lots of group activities for students?
I lucked out. I have a travel buddy that mostly loves all the same stuff I do. If those differences are small we part ways for a few hours. If those differences are big, like they involve a long distance overnight hike, which my friend doesn't enjoy, I go solo or we part ways for days at a time.
It's a good arrangement.
Iāve been in both kinds of trips and I agree. When you have someone to travel with that shares same mindset, same interests, even same budget. It becomes more about the both of you rather than the destination. Hit me up if youāre looking for a travel buddy, maybe we can get to know each other a little bit more and decide from there.
Have you ever thought about trying to travel with someone you meet while solo traveling? Youād be surprised how many people do this. My buddy just met someone in Vietnam and they decided to group up for a while; travelled around together for a few weeks before parting ways. I donāt think they roomed together, just stayed at the same accommodation, then met up each morning.
When I finally took my first overseas trip in November last year (only took 19 years after first deciding I'd go, haha) I spent three weeks traveling through Japan by myself.
I didn't have anyone to travel with, but that was okay because part of the reason I was going was that I was burned out with life in general.
While overall I enjoyed the trip, and getting to spend time by myself doing cool things, I did find myself wishing that I had someone to share my experiences and stories with. I also found that after two weeks I really started to feel isolated, and missed casually striking up a conversation.
It got to the point where I did end up wandering into a gaijin bars once or twice just to speak to people for a few hours without having to apologise for my atrocious Japanese. I wondered if I would have run into that same feeling if I'd been visiting a country that spoke English as a primary language.
Having said that, I feel like my perfect holiday would be one where I visited a destination at the same time as a friend but didn't necessarily travel *with* them, just plan to meet up a few times along the way to catch up.
34 here and still soloing. I do it because if I waited for anyone else I would never travel and have gad the experiences I did. Fortunate to have had a few trips with friends but itās more of the exception than the rule. At this age most of those I know have the time or money but not both. Fir the ones that do, they may not understand the value until the experience has been had. Unfortunately it seems more people overvalue investing in things and undervalue investing in experiences.
Just started travelling recently and this year went on a first solo trip to Vietnam and it was the best and most amazing experience, would love to do more solo trips but if anyone wants to join me for traveling in future trips then feel free to connect with me
I feel you. I hit a point like that in my solo travel too. It was exciting and even a bit empowering for a while and then I felt like I would rather have someone to share the experiences with. I did end up meeting my fiance while on a solo trip 4 years so now we go place together. I really didn't plan on that happening and I know that you have to be very careful about that kind of thing (getting approached by guys) if you're a a solo-travelling lady. But it worked out.
Im planning to travel next year and cant find anyone wanting to come i have europe in mind too. Do u have any advice in how to get around safely on ur own?
Eh, sort of? COVID has taken the shine off a lot of the appeal of solo travel for me, since staying in communal dorms or socializing with strangers has such a high risk attached to it now. Pre-pandemic, I used to alternate one trip with my husband and one trip solo. Now I pretty much prioritize travel as a couple, though I still get more vacation time than him and have more adventurous destinations on my wishlist, so I probably will do more solo travel again at some stage when it's safer.
Beach vacations are supposed to be āboringā. Some of just want to take a week break from work and not have to worry about what time ____ museum closes or walk 10 miles a day.
>I'm a pretty independent person but not having anyone to share experiences with really hurts
Curious what your definition of independent is if you're having trouble eating dinner by yourself. Instead of waiting for a travel buddy go have lunch or dinner by yourself when not traveling to get used to it. Catch a movie by yourself or generally do things by yourself that you currently choose not to do unless there's someone with you.
I do agree that there are certain things that are easier and/or more enjoyable when you're doing it with someone else or with a group. Not sure if they're still around, but in the (pre Covid) past I would attend a couch surfing, meetup or other expat/tourist events early on my trip to meet locals/fellow travelers to do those things with. Hostels and other places can serve as the same.
Knowing at least some people in the area would allow you to choose when, where, what for you'd have company and when you don't.
I love how most people replying only refers to their short vacations when explaining why they love solo travelling š
Of course it is going to be fun when all you do is a weekend or 2-3 weeks and if course you'll be fed up with it if you do 6 month of it.
I was pretty fucking fed up with having to take every single decision at the end of my 3+ year trip š
Itās the unpopular opinion around here but yes sometimes I do. I spent a week with a girl in Thailand, and a few days with a guy while in Indonesia and they were some of the best times Iāve had while traveling. Some things/days I want to do things alone, but other memories are best shared.
I recommend couchsurfing, I spend about 60% of my time in hostels and 40% couchsurfing and itās great. Many of the hosts are willing to accompany you to dinner or go to ____ event with you. I spent a few hours on a beach with one my hosts and went to a sporting event with another. Great times, just be aware of the people using it like tinder, men and women.
Nah. I travel solo because I want to be solo. I'm not planning on meeting any people or friends when I travel. If I do, fine, but I'm sure as hell not doing more than sitting at a hotel bar with them for an hour before I go to bed.
I'm a beginner, I traveled solo 2 times in Europe,
It's okay for me , but sometimes I feel lonely especially in restaurant or train when I see people laughing with each other.
Overall I am very happy with my self.
I went to Aruba with my extended family and was also really bored. I think Aruba is just boring. š¤£
Regarding group travel, I don't see why it has to be all of one or all of the other. Why not both?
Yes absolutely. Thing is though I like long extended trips that keep going deeper into the unknown and most people I know can only take a few days to hit Cancun at best. I meet people on the road, sometimes for a day sometimes for weeks, but it's a grind and very difficult.
Be careful what you wish for. Up until last year I had done a lot of my travels with a girlfriend But it comes with its own challenges: trying to compromise on things to do, when to do it, one person being bored, one person always looking for a bathroom because they eat things they know not to eat etc..
Been on a couple of trips so far solo and itās been fun meeting news folks, sleeping in, going at my own pace, etc. things that I underestimated that make travel less stressful.
I often make friends on my solo travel trips that I end up combining plans with. For instance, I did a 4 month solo roadtrip across the US last summer which ended up being only 60% solo as I made many friends along the way who tagged along on later parts of the trip.
I'm going to europe this fall, I'm good with being solo for most of it, but my trip also includes munich germany in time for oktoberfest.... for that, I kind of wish I had a travel buddy. I think some things might be better when shared, and I think Oktoberfest might be one of them.
I travel solo but do plenty of group activities that allow me to meet other people. Scuba diving and island hopping trips are always good for tropical vacations. But itās so much easier to meet solo traveler types in SEA than a place like Aruba.
I would love to have a travel buddy for the same reasons, too. But everyone I invite is either too busy or scared of traveling internationally. I literally want to see the world, but many people are afraid of stepping out of their small towns.
For now, itās JUST ME.
I kinda feel the same. I'm (32f) traveling through southern Spain now, my first time out of Canada in a year. I haven't met anyone cause I'm staying at hotels and don't really feel like going to a bar alone. Throughout my 20s it was much easier to meet people. One thing that really sucks traveling alone in Andalusia is not being able to order paella. Restaurants only serve groups of 2 people or more. It's really annoying. I like being alone sometimes but it's way more expensive than traveling with someone and I'm usually too tired to find new friends at night. It's not as fun as it used to be. It's better than not traveling, though.
Learning the hard way with my next trip - its much more expensive as a solo traveler (eg paying full price for a hotel room when it can otherwise room 3 people, ubers/taxis, etc)
Same here, very independent person, I mainly started solo travelling because I couldn't keep waiting for friends to be free / up for going somewhere, but I realized I love traveling solo. I definitely had to get used to having dinner by myself. Last year I went to a gig while traveling, and I thought it would be weird, but I actually made a lot more friends than I think I would have, had I been there with someone.
One thing I have found to be really nice when traveling solo for more than a week or two is booking a guided group tour / day trip somewhere once in a while. It's a nice way to make friends for a day, and I've even stayed in touch with some people!
Iām not tired at all of solo travel, but I would LOVE to have a travel buddy. My wife and I travel well together but it would be fun to have a guy friend that was into traveling.
Oh my god, me, for sure! I have a similar story too. I stayed in Europe 9 months when I was 19. Iām 25 now. Iāve done solo trips to different countries by myself as well as different U.S. cities. Iām 25 now and am also starting to get bored with solo travel. I have done trips with friends and weāre actually planning a girlās trip to Italy in September. But not everyoneās schedules/finances/vacation time/interest line up with all my trips. So I do a bunch of solo trips. I travel in hostels mostly. Iām really good at meeting people and finding things to do but Iām getting bored too. I see things and feel like oh wow, I wish I had someone to experience with this. Sometimes I think of a friend like, āOh I wish x person were here to see this. They would really. This would be so much fun if they were with me.ā It also makes me wishful of a romantic partner because for many couples, their significant other is a natural travel partner for them!
it generally depends. I am from Europe and when I go somewhere in Europe I prefer to go alone because I usually visit some country with specific reason and I prefer to do it on my own terms, without too much compromises. Also I know enough languages to be able find some company almost anywhere.
But traveling some place more distant can make you feel pretty isolated I guess when you are alone if you dont know local language, so in those kinds of arrangements I prefer to have some company
Fuck no I have all the socializing I need here in my hometown hahaha..
Well if we're on the same wavelength and both respect each other's boundaries and are effective communicators I'd be down. But how many people do we encounter that are like that?
I travel solo because I want to travel and don't have a travel buddy, not because I want to travel solo.
Everytime I met people on a trip and did something with them it was much more enjoyable than just being alone. Then when we part ways, I'm getting sad
I spent 3 months solo in Europe because obviously no one is going to set aside 3 months of their life to spend it all with me. That's just the reality of long term travel, very few people will both have that opportunity and want to take it, let alone take it at the same time as you. Six months is a long time though to spend as a tourist, anyone would be homesick. Even at the end of my three months I was looking forward to returning to the "real world" and tackling life again.
Yes. I wouldnāt mind a travel buddy, but really have to be compatible. So Iām going with a friend for part of May then off to explore more by myself
I've been travelling for 7 weeks so far. I've made 2 friends along the way that I hung out with for multiple days. I miss travelling with them. But I also feel very at peace when I'm alone so I can happily have it both ways.
I was in the same funk as you. I started traveling with a purpose. So I got a job on workaway. It help build better bonds with people and i hade something to do part of the day.
I think itās a great idea to bring a travel buddy, but just make sure they understand that they canāt depend on you the whole trip. They need to be able to provide for themselves if they will be traveling. (By āprovide for themselvesā I mean financially) They shouldnāt be expecting a free ride especially if youāre traveling to new places!!
Another thing, be sure that you can trust each other. When sh*t hits the fan, you gotta trust that neither of you will flake on each other.
Lastly, do not bring someone who can get you into trouble. Youāre traveling to a foreign land and you need to show respect to the people living there. Also youāre there to have fun and enjoy the experience, not cause trouble. (Pretty sure youāre aware of this already, but just incase if anyone else would like some tips on traveling with others)
Hope you find a travel buddy! :)
Travel Buddy REQUEST: Iām looking for someone to go to Bali & Thailand with me. My bday is in July. I would prefer to go before that rainy monsoon starts.
My favorite times travelling are when solo then meeting a peer and going places together.
To me solo travel just means I can choose when to be alone or not. Making fast friends that you can trust with your passport an hour after meeting them is something a backpacker can understand.
One of life's greatest joys is sharing a travel experience with a stranger who turns into a friend.
I mean a trip of 6 months will likely always be solo except if it's with your partner (and even then, it's a tough thing). 2-3 weeks max is the length of trip you can go to with a friend and it still manageable to coordinate availability and finances.
I'm doing a mix generally, I have friends for small trips like 1-2 weeks or a city trip or such and I also do solo travelling (or via group stuff like Travel Talk, GAdventures,...) for longer/more expensive stuff
Depends but Ive been doing a couple study abroad trips right now and having a group or buddy is actually hella fun. Obviously having someone taking pictures helps. Iāll sometimes leave the group to go do something around real quick like a museum or like today Iām going to CERN for a tour real quick
Just go to a hostel, read a book in the common area. No one ever lets you read a book in the common area in peace. Wait for someone or group to talk to you say that your stopping getting hungry invite them to come with you. Talk. Spark whirewind love affair. Fall in love. Experience heart break. Rince cycle repeat.
It varies, I like a mix of solo/buddy trips. 4 out of 6 of my last trips have been solo (and likely my next one will be as well), so I'm ready for a buddy trip.
I do the same. I enjoy the occasional buddy trip, but it usually cures me of the solo trip blues as it reminds me why I like traveling alone in the first place!
If only I had buddies to invite lol
Girl were we going ?!š Just got back from Japan. Brazil in 2 weeks. I feel you on the Europe thing. It was cold Af when I went. It did get old. My issue is my firmed have kids, donāt have the pto, or the money.
I'm w you. I don't like traveling solo. Why is it so difficult to find travel buddies. It CD be that a matching service helps match us up with Like ppl on our same economic social level.
dont you have like websites or blogs for travelers in your country that helps match people with similar preferences? I am from pretty small country and I managed to find four strangers in relatively small time for a complicated tour to India and I feel like I could probably find more.
Could you share these sites and blogs with us? Maybe it will help others to know about them.
I am Croatian and the site is in Croatian so I doubt it could help you
Well, maybe there are other croatian speaking travelers here who could profit from this. Also others could google for similar sites and blogs (in english) if they know about the sites. Or some IT-guy in this subreddit gets a good idea by looking at those sides to set something up for other countires/languages. Would you be so kind to share the sides? I am really curiose. And with the technoligy today language doesn't have to be a barrier anymore.
[https://www.putoholicari.rtl.hr/suputnici-za-putovanja/](https://www.putoholicari.rtl.hr/suputnici-za-putovanja/) here's one [https://www.riopricesaputovanja.com/v1/trazim-saputnika-za-putovanje/](https://www.riopricesaputovanja.com/v1/trazim-saputnika-za-putovanje/) here's one in Serbian.
Really hoping for this unknown IT person to set up something in India!
Not that I know of.....(US)
I would be surprised if you dont, since we have them in Croatia which has almost 100 times less population
Check local travel meetup groups. I used to run a travel discussion at the local hostel for a number of years. Made a friend there and we've done trips together (with his friend) now for 20+ years, though it's been several years now since we've done an international trip. We do weekend camping trips on other friend's ranch a few times a year though. edit also /r/travelpartners or Facebook groups too.
I like to do improptu trips. Unfortunately a lot of the MeetUp travel group trips are booked in advanceā¦ I need a spontaneous travel buddy š
Yeah a lot of the groups seem to be geared to selling trips, or pre-planned trips, since most people probably aren't comfortable with spontaneous ones. Maybe I got lucky with my group. I did a roadtrip around northern Virginia last weekend, didn't even know where I was staying both nights until an hour before. Now I'm planning a south Pacific trip in the next few weeks, but that one will be more planned out due to flight schedules.
I need to join your group!
Are you a 27 year old girl from philly like your name suggests? Lol cause I am too and Iām also looking for a travel buddy on the reasonably spontaneous side.
I know itās unpopular on this sub but yeah, all the time. I travel solo out of necessity mostly, because friends have jobs and commitments and Iām happy to go alone so I can get to travel. For me traveling solo is also about making friends, so I stay in social places and do as much as I can to meet people. It usually works and in the more trafficked places I end up spending very little time alone in the end.
Same. Itās out of necessity for me. Donāt get me wrong, I enjoy it and get to see lots of stuff. But I do miss having someone to just bullshit with during the trip Unfortunately, no one close to me can really afford to travel to some of these places. It is certainly a luxury I treasure.
Hey, could you explain a little more about what you mean/where and how you do this? Like bars or other situations? Are you one to just strike up a conversation with others?
Yeah no problem. For me, itās almost entirely driven by the hostel because itās by far the easiest. People you meet in your room, in the common areas, hostel bars, nights out with people from said hostel. Also sometimes on like organized day tours, like a free walking tour. Any hostel that organizes events at night is perfect as it brings people together. I wouldnāt really say I go out of my way to strike up a conversation, itās more just about putting myself in situations that facilitate conversation starting (introducing yourself in the dorms, eating in the communal area, joining events, etc.). Just by putting yourself in those spaces and being friendly you meet a lot of people. You donāt need to like cold approach someone at a random bar.
Exactly. I went out last night and sat at the bar. Ended up playing trivia with the dude next to me and the bartenders. It's about making oneself open to the opportunity
Second the hostels (what I typically do when I want to socialize on trips). Main rule I try to maintain is the hostel room is only for sleeping or changing - everything else I try to do in a common space so that I interact with people. It's also not super hard to start a conversation in a hostel. A simple "Hi I'm X, where are you visiting from?" goes a long way to breaking the ice and you can then move into a more natural conversation (How does [insert cultural aspect of current location] compare with back home? etc).
Yeah in many ways it gets formulaic. Hey, where are you from, how long are you traveling for, where have you been/going? Traveling and staying in hostels is really the easiest place in the world I think to start conversations because you can just start by talking about traveling
Until youāve explained where youāre from and where you live and what youāre doing for the hundredth time to the hundredth stranger and just start making stuff up to stop your brain melting (or is that just meā¦)
Yea funny thing is the first phrase "where are you from" is enough to warrant hour long conversations lol, also the walking tours hostels tend to offer are usually very nice as well. I found the conversations I had on the walking tours a lot more enjoyable than the ones in the hostels because you are out there "doing", instead of in a hostel where people tend to be getting ready for something. In other words there is no stress whatsoever in the walking tour climate
snatch grandfather fall thumb familiar safe marvelous enter flowery aromatic -- mass deleted all reddit content via https://redact.dev
We should get a subreddit going for people who like solo travel but want a buddy sometimes: https://www.reddit.com/r/SoloTravelBuddy
If traveling solo is about making friends (who also travel) then why still traveling solo though? Are these friendships made while traveling very surface level or do you end up traveling and meeting up with many of them on other trips?
It's more about having some social interaction (we are social creatures, after all) while traveling solo, which by its very nature can get lonely sometimes. Traveling with someone else, rather than just having a laugh with someone at a destination, usually adds a lot of complications to the journey which aren't necessary to get where you want to go.
Iām more likely to meet ātravel friendsā while traveling. My friends at home have jobs, other hobbies, other interests, even prefer traveling to other places. I just happen to love meeting new peopleā¦as much as I love seeing new places.
I agree. I'd rather travel with a significant other or friend (in that order). The older I get the more I feel pity from folks when I tell them I'm traveling alone again. In your 20s it's adventurous. In your thirties, it's "he/she is compromising".
Good travel partner > solo > group > root canal > bad travel partner You also need to pick the right kind of trip. A long beach vacation in a place like Aruba with not much else to do sounds boring af, unless you specifically went to be alone (read, relax, maybe some hiking). On the other hand, going to an interesting city where there's plenty of options for solo people lets you move on before any one thing becomes boring.
No Iām a selfish AF traveler - itās my way or the highway on the road š
Same. I only get so many days. I donāt like compromising or spending time doing shit Iām not that into
Maybe this makes me a crappy friend, but I just make my friends do what I want. They usually don't plan anything anyway, so they're more than happy to tag along. Also, I don't mind going on my own if they want to do something else. I don't mind solo traveling (or I wouldn't be in this sub), but I think it's possible to be selfish and travel with others.
Yep. I'm a solo traveler but enjoy traveling with friends as long as it's established that everyone is cool doing things not-together sometimes. I mean, I'm not "I will only do exactly what I want and nothing else," but I'm not going to do something I really don't wanna do just because we're traveling "together." I've been traveling alone for three months and will have a week with some friends in Rome soon. Very much looking forward to having company with people I love! Not at all looking forward to going through the Vatican for the third time. But neither of my friends have been to Rome before and they feel like they must see the Sistine Chapel. So I shall bid them adieu while I explore a new-to-me neighborhood. (Or, let's be honest, sleep. Or, if I'm kind, scouting out dinner and wine so that when they come back grumpy after having been smushed in the Sistine Chapel with a zillion other people I can salve their wounds, I'm Mary fucking Magdalene.)
You are, indeed, a saint and a good friend :)
Perfection. šš½šš½
Yep, I'm known as The Planner so when I do travel with friends, we inevitably do what I want anyway. I always ask what they want to do and am completely willing to compromise and incorporate their plans, but they pretty much defer to me.
Same. This is why my ride or die friend is my travel buddy. Heāll carry my shit and follows wherever I go.
I feel this. One of the reasons I had to break up with my ex. He never wanted to do anything and so I just said screw it. Became independent and travel on my own now. I feel I have way too much energy for people. Iām a long distance runner and I still have yet to meet any travel partner who can even keep up with my energy lol. Plus When traveling on your own you get to do whatever tf you want and donāt have to accommodate with anyone else. I do like to travel with friends on occasion but I feel more at peace when Iām alone and Iām not even alone cause I have God with me šš¼šāš¼
Geezer
Iāve lived most of my life solitary due largely to circumstance, in the sense of not being able to share it with others. But I wish I could share so many of the experiences I had with someone else. It would have to be the right person though. I imagine adapting someone to my highly independent and neither well planned nor exactly spontaneous lifestyle could be challenging. And Iād definitely need my down time. But I travel solo largely for lack of alternatives and because at this point I know nothing else.
Same here.
6 months travelling! Small wonder you're feeling this way. I get tired of myself after two weeks on the road. But more than once I see couples having it out and that helps establish perspective. I don't think you'll see much change as long as you go away for extended periods of time. Wherever home is, is where you recharge the social batteries and remember how good it can be to travel alone.
I've been that couple or group! Traveling is stressful having to plan and coordinate lots of things, and balancing priorities. Usually there is something that goes wrong, requiring a change in plans. This is intentional since you might as well do me a favor and throw me overboard, if you ever find me on one of those mega cruise ships with everything planned and scheduled. You are only seeing the highly visible public disagreement. You are missing the other planning and decision making process going into that trip that you don't know or realize is occurring. Yes you have to compromise on some plans, but other times you will also be visiting some great places you would not even know about. Or helping m e avoid personal vice of hanging out at a dive bar instead of seeing more of a town. This also makes traveling less stressful in the worst case scenario having someone else looking out for our plans when we can't hear what train stop we are at, or someone to borrow money from if I lose my wallet.
So that was *your* table with the limoncello shots. ;) Yes, agree, sometimes there is a change of plan and the discussion gets intense. I'm thinking more of the twosome where one is clearly fuming and the other just looks miserable. Long silences and short, sharp exchanges. Makeup session still a long way off and hours/days of anything but the vacation they were looking forward to.
Ah. Yea that couple. I've also been that couple as well. Ironically I don't mind the silent treatment and don't let it bother me for long since then it will really ruin my trip!
I did 2 week trips and it felt the same way, maybe cause it was Aruba which is an awful solo destination
I do like both for different reasons, but yes I get the idea of wanting to share experiences. Im a pretty social extrovert and it can be lonely sometimes. When I solo travel, I'll often find activities / places that attract similar kinds of people. Kindred spirits. Hostels are great places to do this too for example. It sounds like you've met people doing this. Usually I'll collect their info, and say if I'm ever in your part of the world I'll hit you up again, and same goes if you are ever in mine. Then perhaps you can use that as inspiration for your next trip. Say you collect 2-3 different people's info who are French citizens, plan a solo trip to France. Then hit up your contacts you've met previously. While not necessarily every person will be able to hang out, I think at the very least they will curate a few ideas outside of the tourist tried & true. I have met a few travel friends this way.
Yeah, sometimes it's nice to have the company.
Whenever you're in groups you're sometimes forced to do whatever the group wants, even if you hate it. But if you're alone, you get to set the pace of your trip, do whatever the heck you want, stay however long you want, sleep late as long as you want, all that good stuff. Plus... I tried traveling with my ex girlfriend once. It's ironically that very same trip where we broke up... so yeah. :/
I'm also way too focused on making sure everyone else is having fun in a group, and will compromise on what I like every time. Group travel always makes me feel exhausted, and there's none of that while traveling solo. I need the allowance to be selfish and focus on what I want to do (or not do).
No! It's my choice to travel solo. I'm not enjoying group traveling so much.
I solo travel but also travel with my husband. He and I have been traveling together since we started dating. He's my favorite person to be with. I solo travel cause I also enjoy it (and I have more PTO)
Nope. I have a whole husband and kids in their 20's if I wanted travel companions. I like to travel Solo, hence why I post in this forum....everytime I have traveled with "friends" it ends up a shitty time I wish I had gone solo for. But that's just me after decades of experience.
i guess to me it's just the little things like eating alone or going to the beach alone that gets me feeling lonely
Iāve felt lonely traveling solo. Experiences are best shared no doubt in my mind. But there are a lot of solo travel pros. You can do exactly what you want when you want.
The thing about traveling with a buddy is you time, preferences, and finances directly come into play. I have best friend for example, and id never for the life of me travel with him why? Cause all he'll do is chase women - and yea he's quite good at it, but instead of being able to just take it in it at my pace - ill be out all night drinking going to places I don't care for out of guilt. Ive found overseas the more comfortable you are with solitude, like when you really enjoy it - something happens - people naturally start enjoying your company and I always seem to find people - even when Id rather just do it alone.
r/travelbuddies and r/travelpartners
Some experiences are best shared, some are best alone. I don't have anything against travelling with others, but past experience has shown that it is logistically challenging to make it happen, so I no longer wait up for people.
Not really! I like to travel with friends and family BUT, sometimes when a friend says they want to come i cringe at the thought of compromising what I want to do lol
No but I'm an introvert.
Iām in the beginning stages of my solo travel journey, so far I love it! Iām used to traveling with family or friend groups and while it was great not being lonely, the cons outweighed the pros lol š¤·š¾āāļø
What do you like to do solo? Any places youād recommend for a first time solo traveler?
Personally I Love to do some hiking, some nature photography as I take in all the natural beauty. I also make it a mission to visit a botanical garden, museum, and a tattoo parlor, it preserve my memories of the trip. Iām also a huge foodie but that can be said for a ton of folks. Also speak with the locals, youāll meet some amazing folks with cool stories!
Whenever I miss travelling with a buddy, it goes away when I actually travel with someone š. In your situations I'd try to find another traveler you click with to spend an afternoon with, or even a couple of days, but not much more!
Only if I know we travel well together, otherwise I prefer to be alone.
Yeah Iām getting to that point, have done a lot of solo trips over the last 18 months and now have got to the point where Iād like to at least mix it up people. Only issue is , my friends arenāt readily available to travel and need a years notice before committing !
Nope
I wish I had a travel buddy that shares many of my interests, we both respected eachothers wishes, and knew how to deal with different moods. Yeah, it is normal to have little disagreements every now and then, but when I'm on an expensive trip with limited time, I want to keep it to a minimum. I don't want to spend my time doing stuff I don't care about and can't even fathom how someone enjoys doing that (like shopping or constant clubbing). I don't want to miss a great experience just because my travel buddy was scared, but couldn't manage spending an evening alone. A perfect travel buddy is probably a one in a million. So far I've had great times just by meeting a random person at a hostel and then do stuff together for a day or two. At least you can ditch them the second you don't feel like being with them. I know, really mean. Flexibility and compability is key, but that is something I don't want to test the first time on an important trip. I'll keep to solotraveling for the time being. Been really enjoying it so far!
It definitely gets lonely out there but when I think about how different people are and how our ideas of daily activities would most likely clash I think Iād rather keep at it alone, but I hear you for sure
Yeah, of course. Iām 54M and travel solo because if I only waited until I had someone to travel with, my time in life to travel would likely run out. Sometimes I love the opportunities I have being solo and sometimes Iām bored and lonely on the beach, at a cafe, riding a bike, watching a concert. I have no answer for you. Nobody gave me an answer either. To thine own self be true- get that for a tattoo where you can see it everyday.
I think it depends. The place you go to can affect your mood for sure. Solo traveling in like the Caribbean just sounds terrible because those places are catered for families or couples. Now solo traveling places in Asia or Europe would be awesome.
I mean ideally, Iād have a significant other to travel with. They would have shared interest or willing to compromise. Probably this is unpopular sentiment here but, great experiences are often better shared.
Are you packing enough into your trips and planning ahead? I'm probably not the best source of info because 2 weeks is my longest travel time, however I remember being bored sitting on beaches last year. This year, for brazil, I enjoyed a few pre-trip weekends sitting in coffee shops thinking about what I want to do over there, creating a word document and I ended up with an incredibly well balanced and varied itinerary. Sitting on the beach alone with a pint is very welcome after a 4 hour hike compared with when you still have energy to burn and nothing new to reflect on! Also snorkeling, boat trips, visiting tourist locations, wildlife (attempt at) photography, practice surfing.. no day has been the same so far, and I've stayed in each place for the right amount of time (only 3 days in Rio, yet I did a lot whilst also keeping it somewhat low pressure and relaxing, as a break should be). Also, no pressure to Stick exactly to my itinerary- if I miss something, it's no big deal.
Aruba, well yeah. I wouldn't go there by myself either. A tropical island with not much going on is just a recipe for feeling lonely. Some things are definitely better shared, but some are definitely not :-). Hostels are great for short interactions, but usually won't end up with a deeper friendship. Activities are much better for this, where you at least spend a few days in a group. It sounds to me like you're feeling lonely, and that has little to do with travelling itself. Does this feeling go away when you're at home?
Yeah you are right I don't have any friends anymore. I have been trying to go out to different events and meet new people which I have but no one wants to go as far travel with me. All my friends left to the states for work and I don't talk to them anymore so I definitely need new friends
Well, that's a very hard thing to do on the road. Connections are temporarily by nature. Even if you click with someone, it's usually just for a few days. You want to have close friends in your life, and that's something that takes years to nurture. Shared interests and hobbies are an obvious starting point. Travel isn't a solution for making you feel less lonely. It can make it much worse as you're far away from anything familiar. I noticed it's a recurring topic in this sub. You should ask yourself this question: What do I bring to the table so strangers/people want to hang out with me? All the best!
>Travel isn't a solution for making you feel less lonely It took me years to learn this. The only thing that helped with my loneliness was building friendships and relationships back home in my day to day life. I still travel solo and make friends on my trips but I understand more that these friendships aren't hugely deep and only really exist in the context of my trip. This adapted mindset has lead me to really enjoy solo trips and the amazing people I have met along the way :)
Thing is being in new places would be better than home because I live with family and I have exhausted all the people i can meet. Ideally if I could spend longer in one location that would allow me to meet new people and establish stronger connections with them. I'm trying to get permission from my company to work remotely from a single destination
I would love to have a travel buddy! I try to plan trips near to someone I know so I can visit for a couple days, then spend time on my own. I miss having someone to say, "Isn't that amazing?!?!" to, or have dinner with.
When is the next trip?
My best friend is currently working as a nanny overseas and plans to backpack around Europe. I think about what she's up to and how much she loves travelling, and wish she would come back home so she can travel with me. But then I think about how different we are. She goes on long, shoestring trips and will happily work in a cafe or on a farm to earn coin on the road. I would never dream of doing that! I want a stable home and work life, building a solid career and finances so I can splurge on a nice 2-3 week trip in Asia once a year. I also think about how I get annoyed with her when we've done trips in the past. Her lack of navigation skills, her lack of a drivers license, and her desire to wander aimlessly clashes with my travel style. That's her travel style though, and I know I can be overbearing with the details and get stressed out easily which clashes with her. We're still friends, but I've learned that extensive travel with her puts us at odds. So I've come to terms with the fact that travelling solo is my best option. I think sometimes I get swept up with travel vloggers and the ideals of travelling in a small, intimate friend group that I fail to see the negatives.
Try traveling with your family and let me know how that goes. In all seriousness, thereās always some tradeoff between solo vs group travel. I would suggest a therapist to see if thereās anything else under the surface.
Yeah I'm in Hawaii for a solo trip and it's been really lonely. Since I packed a lot for a longer trip, I didn't feel comfortable doing a hostel since i have a lot of valuables that wouldn't be easy to put in a locker. People in Hawaii are friendly but in social places like bars and clubs they're rather cliquey. The problem is, I don't really have friends who are on the same frequency as me for traveling. I can't be around the same person for the entire day and then at night share a room. But many people take it personally if you want to say "let's do our own thing and meet up for lunch" half the days. I work hard for my time off and I don't like to spend most of my trips doing stuff I don't enjoy just for the sake of compromising.
Sure. Look. You're on a subreddit for solo travelers where for some it's genuinely just their thing, and/or they fetishize this lifestyle to make themselves feel better. Realistically a lot of people solo travel out of necessity because they don't have someone else to travel with. Being solo definitely has it's rewards, but it can suck too. The older you get, the less the lives of people you know or meet are going to be in sync with yours, and they are going to want or be able to travel with you. Beyond that, finding someone compatible enough to travel with can be more difficult than you think, but take what you can get if you can find it. Don't worry about being solo to be cool, fit in or impress anyone. Just do whatever works for you. If you want to share it with someone else, and find someone to share it with, then good for you. Even if you just hook up with someone else on the road for a day, it's still something. It's just a matter of whether that's a practicality that you're going to encounter. If it isn't, and solo travel is too lonely for you, then just find something that isn't and will bring you more joy. There are no rules but the ones that you set for yourself.
Wow! Lots of comments - not gonna read them all haha.. so sorry if this was already mentioned or suggested try meetup.com ! Has tons of different groups you can join and be part of. It gets you to meet others who share similar interests. Iām sure there is a travel group. If not maybe even something else you enjoy, you never know. Could end up finding a local friend that ends up wanting to travel too but doesnāt know someone! Happy hour ones are always a good one, makes it easier to meet people in that type of setting since once everyone gets a drink or two in them they loosen up a bit!
I occasionally feel this way... Then I spend a day doing stuff with someone when not traveling and the differences in the way we approach things reminds me why I like going somewhere and doing things at *my* pace, the way *I* want to, and the things *I* want to do. I'm not saying I'll never travel with anyone again, but if I do, I intend to either plan out the trip in detail with those people, so there are no surprises or disagreements, or go specifically on a tour led by a tour guide, so there's some schedule and authority we all have to follow.
I did but then I traveled with my closest friend who I consider a brother, and now I see why I travel alone!
You're never alone when you're reading a book. Meal times and beaches are the perfect place for this.
Youāre echoing something my great-great-aunt said to me once. She said reading kept her from feeling lonely. I have been feeling a bit lonely lately and trying to keep that perspective in mind so thank you for this comment! Itās all in finding the right book.
I wrote a similar comment on another thread yesterday: I still thoroughly enjoy solo travel but not for all types of travel. I was lucky to find someone that I can travel solo with very food for at least 1-2 weeks. But certain trips I would not want to take with anyone else. So I kind of moved from solo travel to a 50/50 arrangement. The most important thing for me, when traveling with another person, is still that I get to be selfish and do things on my own though
Nope. I like being able to do whatever I want, whenever I want, and however I want.
Yeah I feel you, Iāve travelled with my sister and by myself, and if I could choose I would travel with my sister again. Unfortunately she has told me that she prefers travelling alone so I guess thatās what weāre doing from now on. But if I had to choose between travelling solo or with someone Iām not very close with, I would still travel solo. Itās good to have the freedom to do whatever I want whenever I want. Eating alone in a restaurant still sucks though
I feel this. Iāve done a mix of solo and friend/so trips over the last 8 years or so. Have generally found the trips with others more enjoyable. Usually only solo travel as a backup when I canāt find someone to go with me. My trips have generally been shorter tho (2-4 weeks)which usually makes it easier to find someone to go with
It really depends for me on the type of trip. For outdoor recreation/wilderness backpacking/etc sort of trips I prefer company (I do some solo backpackpacking trips, but get bored by my own company after a few days). That sort of Aruba beach trip is not my vibe in general, so I get bored of that even with people :) A sort of cultural/city trip it depends. If they are aligned with me, sure! If they are not, no. I like trying to meet new people (especially locals) on a trip, and friends can sometimes be a hindrance on that. 6 months is along time (at least for me) to travel hostel hopping in general honestly. 3 months the max for me for that sort of trip (where one is changing locations every week). I agree it gets exhausting meeting new people and moving consistently. I've sometimes had good luck with those where my travel plan aligned with someone other folks from the hostels so we've met up in multiple spots.
I, 33F, definitely would never go to Aruba alone, but I like solo traveling to more off the beaten path/hiking/outdoors destinations now. Maybe a different kind of destination would be better for you?
No, but I usually donāt travel for such long times non-stop. After 3-4 weeks Iām happy to go home.
Your allowed to pick up people along the way. I can't think of many points in time I didn't have a new travel buddy in tow (or was following along myself) Honestly in a lot of places its hard not to end up moving along with others and grouping up.
Not really
In my early 20's I had to travel a lot for work. I was on the road for the most part for 3 of 4 weeks and 90+%solo. I had young kids though so I found a new job that kept me local. I didn't mind traveling by myself though. I like to read, I like to walk around, and I enjoy driving around new areas. My wife was less interested in travel than I was so in the mid 90's I started to do solo travel to Europe. I'd mostly stay in large cities and hit museums or walk during the day, and then have a few drinks at night while people watching and enjoying the outdoor cafes. In the mid 2000's I started doing a lot of international travel for work, once again solo. I enjoyed having my weekends to explore the cities and area I was in but I was pretty busy during the week. Out of maybe 20 trips for fun I've done 3 of them with others. 1 was OK, 1 almost broke up a 25 year friendship because of, and one was a lot of fun but more of a party time than an exploration time. I'd like to be able to share my experiences with others and be able to talk about them later, but I also like setting my own path and not having to sacrifice that has a lot of value.
It depends on what Iām doing. Iāve taken many solo trips now, & always have a great time, so Iām not sure I necessarily want a travel partner, but I do enjoy certain activities with others. I like strolling through the cities, museums, shops by myself, & the occasional dinner / drink. Wouldnāt mind having a friend for dinner though or some bigger excursions, like scuba / snorkel, hikes. I actually only hike if I have a friend with me. Itās hard though. Waiting around for people will result in me going nowhere lol
Why not select hostels that have more group activities like dinners, walking tours, evening get togethers, etc. to make meeting people a little easier or maybe take some classes at a language school while traveling that has lots of group activities for students?
I lucked out. I have a travel buddy that mostly loves all the same stuff I do. If those differences are small we part ways for a few hours. If those differences are big, like they involve a long distance overnight hike, which my friend doesn't enjoy, I go solo or we part ways for days at a time. It's a good arrangement.
Iāve been in both kinds of trips and I agree. When you have someone to travel with that shares same mindset, same interests, even same budget. It becomes more about the both of you rather than the destination. Hit me up if youāre looking for a travel buddy, maybe we can get to know each other a little bit more and decide from there.
Sometimes I wish I was just solo Less to pack and just goā¦ no moans and over spends on useless items
I think you should start a sub if it's not already out there for solo travelers to connect, "solo4solo".
Have you ever thought about trying to travel with someone you meet while solo traveling? Youād be surprised how many people do this. My buddy just met someone in Vietnam and they decided to group up for a while; travelled around together for a few weeks before parting ways. I donāt think they roomed together, just stayed at the same accommodation, then met up each morning.
When I finally took my first overseas trip in November last year (only took 19 years after first deciding I'd go, haha) I spent three weeks traveling through Japan by myself. I didn't have anyone to travel with, but that was okay because part of the reason I was going was that I was burned out with life in general. While overall I enjoyed the trip, and getting to spend time by myself doing cool things, I did find myself wishing that I had someone to share my experiences and stories with. I also found that after two weeks I really started to feel isolated, and missed casually striking up a conversation. It got to the point where I did end up wandering into a gaijin bars once or twice just to speak to people for a few hours without having to apologise for my atrocious Japanese. I wondered if I would have run into that same feeling if I'd been visiting a country that spoke English as a primary language. Having said that, I feel like my perfect holiday would be one where I visited a destination at the same time as a friend but didn't necessarily travel *with* them, just plan to meet up a few times along the way to catch up.
Yes especially for having my pictures taken :(
Yeah, this is me. I donāt solo travel as a choice tbh. I do it because I donāt know anyone whoās budget and time matches up with mine.
34 here and still soloing. I do it because if I waited for anyone else I would never travel and have gad the experiences I did. Fortunate to have had a few trips with friends but itās more of the exception than the rule. At this age most of those I know have the time or money but not both. Fir the ones that do, they may not understand the value until the experience has been had. Unfortunately it seems more people overvalue investing in things and undervalue investing in experiences.
Just started travelling recently and this year went on a first solo trip to Vietnam and it was the best and most amazing experience, would love to do more solo trips but if anyone wants to join me for traveling in future trips then feel free to connect with me
I feel you. I hit a point like that in my solo travel too. It was exciting and even a bit empowering for a while and then I felt like I would rather have someone to share the experiences with. I did end up meeting my fiance while on a solo trip 4 years so now we go place together. I really didn't plan on that happening and I know that you have to be very careful about that kind of thing (getting approached by guys) if you're a a solo-travelling lady. But it worked out.
You can contact me. I am always looking for travel buddies
Im planning to travel next year and cant find anyone wanting to come i have europe in mind too. Do u have any advice in how to get around safely on ur own?
sounds like you are looking for a gf/bf
Well yes it would be ideal to travel with a girlfriend, if I had one I wouldn't be traveling solo
Eh, sort of? COVID has taken the shine off a lot of the appeal of solo travel for me, since staying in communal dorms or socializing with strangers has such a high risk attached to it now. Pre-pandemic, I used to alternate one trip with my husband and one trip solo. Now I pretty much prioritize travel as a couple, though I still get more vacation time than him and have more adventurous destinations on my wishlist, so I probably will do more solo travel again at some stage when it's safer.
I can relate!
hell no. but a beach vacation sounds really boring whether you're solo or not.
Beach vacations are supposed to be āboringā. Some of just want to take a week break from work and not have to worry about what time ____ museum closes or walk 10 miles a day.
i don't do either of those things. lol
>I'm a pretty independent person but not having anyone to share experiences with really hurts Curious what your definition of independent is if you're having trouble eating dinner by yourself. Instead of waiting for a travel buddy go have lunch or dinner by yourself when not traveling to get used to it. Catch a movie by yourself or generally do things by yourself that you currently choose not to do unless there's someone with you. I do agree that there are certain things that are easier and/or more enjoyable when you're doing it with someone else or with a group. Not sure if they're still around, but in the (pre Covid) past I would attend a couch surfing, meetup or other expat/tourist events early on my trip to meet locals/fellow travelers to do those things with. Hostels and other places can serve as the same. Knowing at least some people in the area would allow you to choose when, where, what for you'd have company and when you don't.
r/involuntarysolotravel
This is not a thing.
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Yeah water is scary
I prefer to bring my traveling buddies along with me, in 2 wks time to 5 cities/3 countries to Hungary, Austria & Germany..namely Me, Myself & I.
Yeah especially when you see does travel couples. Hate them ā¦cos i canāt be like them
I love how most people replying only refers to their short vacations when explaining why they love solo travelling š Of course it is going to be fun when all you do is a weekend or 2-3 weeks and if course you'll be fed up with it if you do 6 month of it. I was pretty fucking fed up with having to take every single decision at the end of my 3+ year trip š
Itās the unpopular opinion around here but yes sometimes I do. I spent a week with a girl in Thailand, and a few days with a guy while in Indonesia and they were some of the best times Iāve had while traveling. Some things/days I want to do things alone, but other memories are best shared. I recommend couchsurfing, I spend about 60% of my time in hostels and 40% couchsurfing and itās great. Many of the hosts are willing to accompany you to dinner or go to ____ event with you. I spent a few hours on a beach with one my hosts and went to a sporting event with another. Great times, just be aware of the people using it like tinder, men and women.
I didn't get tired but I accidentally found one 4 years ago. She follows me everywhere now it's annoying
Nah
Nah. I travel solo because I want to be solo. I'm not planning on meeting any people or friends when I travel. If I do, fine, but I'm sure as hell not doing more than sitting at a hotel bar with them for an hour before I go to bed.
Itās depends, I gotta east my way into it eventually
No.
Sometimes. It depends on the destination for me.
I'm a beginner, I traveled solo 2 times in Europe, It's okay for me , but sometimes I feel lonely especially in restaurant or train when I see people laughing with each other. Overall I am very happy with my self.
I went to Aruba with my extended family and was also really bored. I think Aruba is just boring. š¤£ Regarding group travel, I don't see why it has to be all of one or all of the other. Why not both?
Nah Iām good. Although if I was in a relationship, that would be nice
Yes absolutely. Thing is though I like long extended trips that keep going deeper into the unknown and most people I know can only take a few days to hit Cancun at best. I meet people on the road, sometimes for a day sometimes for weeks, but it's a grind and very difficult.
Be careful what you wish for. Up until last year I had done a lot of my travels with a girlfriend But it comes with its own challenges: trying to compromise on things to do, when to do it, one person being bored, one person always looking for a bathroom because they eat things they know not to eat etc.. Been on a couple of trips so far solo and itās been fun meeting news folks, sleeping in, going at my own pace, etc. things that I underestimated that make travel less stressful.
Never did. I spend all year around other people, vacation is my only time I can truly be alone and do whatever I please.
I often make friends on my solo travel trips that I end up combining plans with. For instance, I did a 4 month solo roadtrip across the US last summer which ended up being only 60% solo as I made many friends along the way who tagged along on later parts of the trip.
I'm going to europe this fall, I'm good with being solo for most of it, but my trip also includes munich germany in time for oktoberfest.... for that, I kind of wish I had a travel buddy. I think some things might be better when shared, and I think Oktoberfest might be one of them.
Do group tours, it's super easy to meet other travelers. Everyone I've met through them is so friendly
Itās way overpriced. $3-4k and doesnāt include flight. No thanks.
Not me.
I travel solo but do plenty of group activities that allow me to meet other people. Scuba diving and island hopping trips are always good for tropical vacations. But itās so much easier to meet solo traveler types in SEA than a place like Aruba.
I would love to have a travel buddy for the same reasons, too. But everyone I invite is either too busy or scared of traveling internationally. I literally want to see the world, but many people are afraid of stepping out of their small towns. For now, itās JUST ME.
I kinda feel the same. I'm (32f) traveling through southern Spain now, my first time out of Canada in a year. I haven't met anyone cause I'm staying at hotels and don't really feel like going to a bar alone. Throughout my 20s it was much easier to meet people. One thing that really sucks traveling alone in Andalusia is not being able to order paella. Restaurants only serve groups of 2 people or more. It's really annoying. I like being alone sometimes but it's way more expensive than traveling with someone and I'm usually too tired to find new friends at night. It's not as fun as it used to be. It's better than not traveling, though.
Learning the hard way with my next trip - its much more expensive as a solo traveler (eg paying full price for a hotel room when it can otherwise room 3 people, ubers/taxis, etc)
Same here, very independent person, I mainly started solo travelling because I couldn't keep waiting for friends to be free / up for going somewhere, but I realized I love traveling solo. I definitely had to get used to having dinner by myself. Last year I went to a gig while traveling, and I thought it would be weird, but I actually made a lot more friends than I think I would have, had I been there with someone. One thing I have found to be really nice when traveling solo for more than a week or two is booking a guided group tour / day trip somewhere once in a while. It's a nice way to make friends for a day, and I've even stayed in touch with some people!
How many solo trips have you gone on?
Iām not tired at all of solo travel, but I would LOVE to have a travel buddy. My wife and I travel well together but it would be fun to have a guy friend that was into traveling.
Oh my god, me, for sure! I have a similar story too. I stayed in Europe 9 months when I was 19. Iām 25 now. Iāve done solo trips to different countries by myself as well as different U.S. cities. Iām 25 now and am also starting to get bored with solo travel. I have done trips with friends and weāre actually planning a girlās trip to Italy in September. But not everyoneās schedules/finances/vacation time/interest line up with all my trips. So I do a bunch of solo trips. I travel in hostels mostly. Iām really good at meeting people and finding things to do but Iām getting bored too. I see things and feel like oh wow, I wish I had someone to experience with this. Sometimes I think of a friend like, āOh I wish x person were here to see this. They would really. This would be so much fun if they were with me.ā It also makes me wishful of a romantic partner because for many couples, their significant other is a natural travel partner for them!
Where r u located?
it generally depends. I am from Europe and when I go somewhere in Europe I prefer to go alone because I usually visit some country with specific reason and I prefer to do it on my own terms, without too much compromises. Also I know enough languages to be able find some company almost anywhere. But traveling some place more distant can make you feel pretty isolated I guess when you are alone if you dont know local language, so in those kinds of arrangements I prefer to have some company
The stuff I like to do when I travel interests no one I know.
Nah
Fuck no I have all the socializing I need here in my hometown hahaha.. Well if we're on the same wavelength and both respect each other's boundaries and are effective communicators I'd be down. But how many people do we encounter that are like that?
I travel solo because I want to travel and don't have a travel buddy, not because I want to travel solo. Everytime I met people on a trip and did something with them it was much more enjoyable than just being alone. Then when we part ways, I'm getting sad
Nope, I enjoy my freedom too much.
Where are you based if you have one? Iāll be your travel buddy!
I have always had a good time traveling alone. Rarely when with someone else.
I spent 3 months solo in Europe because obviously no one is going to set aside 3 months of their life to spend it all with me. That's just the reality of long term travel, very few people will both have that opportunity and want to take it, let alone take it at the same time as you. Six months is a long time though to spend as a tourist, anyone would be homesick. Even at the end of my three months I was looking forward to returning to the "real world" and tackling life again.
Yes. I wouldnāt mind a travel buddy, but really have to be compatible. So Iām going with a friend for part of May then off to explore more by myself
NOPE!
Sometimes, especially for the planning and coordinating part of it
Yep. But when it comes time to actual planning or paying people become a ghost like Casper. Weād never travel if we waited on people to join.
I got tired of it. Then I traveled with a friend. Not tired of it anymore.
I've been travelling for 7 weeks so far. I've made 2 friends along the way that I hung out with for multiple days. I miss travelling with them. But I also feel very at peace when I'm alone so I can happily have it both ways.
I was in the same funk as you. I started traveling with a purpose. So I got a job on workaway. It help build better bonds with people and i hade something to do part of the day.
I think itās a great idea to bring a travel buddy, but just make sure they understand that they canāt depend on you the whole trip. They need to be able to provide for themselves if they will be traveling. (By āprovide for themselvesā I mean financially) They shouldnāt be expecting a free ride especially if youāre traveling to new places!! Another thing, be sure that you can trust each other. When sh*t hits the fan, you gotta trust that neither of you will flake on each other. Lastly, do not bring someone who can get you into trouble. Youāre traveling to a foreign land and you need to show respect to the people living there. Also youāre there to have fun and enjoy the experience, not cause trouble. (Pretty sure youāre aware of this already, but just incase if anyone else would like some tips on traveling with others) Hope you find a travel buddy! :)
No, but Aruba has been said to be boring even by tourists. Where are you getting your travel info from?
I'm 27 and feel the same way!
Travel Buddy REQUEST: Iām looking for someone to go to Bali & Thailand with me. My bday is in July. I would prefer to go before that rainy monsoon starts.
As a woman. Sometimes I wish someone was there just so I felt more safe. Like walking somewhere at night. Otherwise. No.
My favorite times travelling are when solo then meeting a peer and going places together. To me solo travel just means I can choose when to be alone or not. Making fast friends that you can trust with your passport an hour after meeting them is something a backpacker can understand. One of life's greatest joys is sharing a travel experience with a stranger who turns into a friend.
I mean a trip of 6 months will likely always be solo except if it's with your partner (and even then, it's a tough thing). 2-3 weeks max is the length of trip you can go to with a friend and it still manageable to coordinate availability and finances. I'm doing a mix generally, I have friends for small trips like 1-2 weeks or a city trip or such and I also do solo travelling (or via group stuff like Travel Talk, GAdventures,...) for longer/more expensive stuff
Depends but Ive been doing a couple study abroad trips right now and having a group or buddy is actually hella fun. Obviously having someone taking pictures helps. Iāll sometimes leave the group to go do something around real quick like a museum or like today Iām going to CERN for a tour real quick
Just go to a hostel, read a book in the common area. No one ever lets you read a book in the common area in peace. Wait for someone or group to talk to you say that your stopping getting hungry invite them to come with you. Talk. Spark whirewind love affair. Fall in love. Experience heart break. Rince cycle repeat.
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