Doing anything alone is never an easy task be that going to the gym, eating at a restaurant or going to the cinema alone (it’s actually pretty cool you don’t get the constant “why did they do that for?” from someone during the film). Now of course, travelling with friends is amazing as mutual bonds are built upon and experiences shared and all that good stuff but what happens if you really want to go somewhere and you just can’t find the time for everyone to be available to travel…?

Well, in this article I will share some tips on how to meet people as well as things I have done personally to actually make friends when winging it alone (see the wordplay wing…travel… never mind).

When you decide to travel alone a million things can cross your mind like how do I get to downtown from the airport? what transport to take  (bus, train, uber) and probably the one which has crossed my mind more times than the why did the chicken cross the road joke is;

“I don’t know a single person here, what on earth am I going to do?”

This has happened far too many times for me to count and each time the thought crosses my mind and I actually get the opportunity of visiting a new country, I always change my original perspective and end up building a long list of people who I end up speaking with and sometimes becoming good friends with.

1. Always be open

 

By this, I mean being open and up for whatever life throws at you and open for meeting and interacting with people who you otherwise won’t perhaps normally get the chance to interact with. It’s hard enough as it is doing anything with someone new and if you choose to keep to yourself while travelling, well I’m afraid the chances of you actually meeting people who share similar interests with you are super slim. So don’t be the person that says no all-time when invited to drinks or lunch with a group of people you just met in your Airbnb.

Be fluid with your plans.

 

2. Stay in a Hostel

Look I get it… you might be scared that if you stay in hostel your stuff will get stolen or what if the person in my room is a creep or… (insert any negative thought). However, the truth is I have met some of the best people I have ever had the privilege of knowing and travelling with while staying at hostels. In fact, you’ll probably have more in common with your hostel roommates than you’ll have with a hotel receptionist.

For the most part, people who stay in hostels tend to be open-minded individuals who love to explore and travel the world just as much as you and the key area you guys have in common is, you’re all not paying $100 a night just to do so but instead about $15. (Bargain!)

A hostel I normally use whenever I travel is Generator Hostels — They are super clean, affordable and you kinda know what to expect.

If you’ve never seen the inside of a hostel, here’s a video of me solo travelling in a Swedish Hostel.

 

3. “Fix up look sharp”

 

This is both a famous UK artist “Dizzee Rascal” reference and a valid point when it comes to meeting people when travelling alone, you need to actually look like someone can be your friend. It’s one thing to actually go out and mingle with people but frankly, if you don’t look like a good enough catch then no one is really going to catch you.

If you hardly smile and you’re constantly face down on the phone, well it is pretty hard for people to actually feel the need to approach you if your body language is giving a leave me alone vibe. Instead aim to take a different approach and look relaxed and promote inviting body languages.

Doing something as simple as sitting upright and keeping your body in an open and relaxed position will actually make people feel confident enough to interact with you. I have actually met a few people by someone just coming up to me and saying something like “Hey! I like your shirt it’s really nice!” then from there, we strike a conversation.

 

4. Perhaps Apps?

Apps are a fantastic tool to meet new people online and sometimes the people you end up meeting can in time become good friends or even more than that. Make the most of the apps available when travelling alone to help boost your chances of meeting people. Personally, I have used;

• Meet-up — To find out about events which are happening during my stay which are of interest to me.

• Couchsurfing — Even though this app is primarily for finding a place to stay for free in someone’s house, they have a function in the app which lets you connect with other people locally and chat with them in WhatsApp groups to hangout. A status on the app might read:

“Hey, we are going for drinks tonight in the old town want to join?”

• Facebook Groups — This, in my opinion, is a great way to meet people as it has such a wide user base it allows you to meet people of all walks of life.

• Dating Apps — If you’re looking for something a bit more personal, then dating apps are a great way of meeting people who want to do a little more than grab a coffee. As usual, just be careful with who you meet online as not everyone is who they claim to be (#Catfish). There are many apps such as Tinder, Bumble etc.

 

5. Stay in touch

 

Communication is key for pretty much everything and it doesn’t fall short when making friends and meeting people when travelling solo. It just isn’t enough to speak to someone once and then expect them to text you all time. Instead, you have to make the effort of actually reaching out to new people you meet and keep in contact. If you don’t well the initial connection you made will begin to fizzle out and meeting up again could become difficult.

So always stay in touch and if someone invited you out then try and return the favour and invite them for something, the only two options you can get are “yeah sure!” or “no I might skip this one”.

 

Conclusion

One thing to note is not everyone that you meet, you’ll automatically become friends with and just because someone does something nice for you like buying you a drink or giving you a slice of pizza doesn’t mean you have found a new buddy (no pineapple on pizza stuff here and if someone gave me that they ain’t a friend of mine lol).

It’s perfectly okay to have people you don’t become friends with, but at the moment while you are travelling with them up that challenging mountain for the hike or in that boat sailing to another island you make them a friend and you take on tasks together. Some people are just meant to be experienced at that moment and cherished for the time you are with them.

Now I want to make this a bit personal to myself and the painful part about actually making friends or building a connection when travelling alone is sometimes due to proximity and due to how life operates you just might not meet again. This can be quite sad, and I have made many connections with people who even though I could call them friends I just won’t as it is difficult to see them again. Of course, social media allows you to connect and stay in contact but it just isn’t the same as inviting them over for dinner or going out. However, your paths can and will cross again you just have to make sure you are ready for it and embrace it with just as much love and excitement as the last encounter.