SPOTAHOME

I am a big fan of solo travels and I’ve been travelling solo for almost a year, but the truth is that solo travel is not for everyone and you might want to find a travel buddy for your adventures abroad. Here’s how, this your guide to finding your perfect travel buddy, or at least this is what worked for me ?

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Join travel Facebook groups!

Nowadays, you can find loads of groups online that help you connect with like-minded people who are traveling or living in the city you are going to visit. If you are a gal, travel Facebook groups like Girl vs globe and Girls LOVE travel are great to find female travelers who are always more than happy to help a sister out.

Meetup is also a popular choice, especially for those who are looking to connect with someone who has a similar hobby that goes far beyond travel.

Explore travel buddy apps

Similarly to the groups above, there are tons of new apps where you can join people on their adventure and let them join yours. Matador Network has just released their Travelstroke, it still needs some tweaking, but I really like the concept. Then there is Couchsurfing, Bungee Girl and of course, don’t forget to connect with Instagramers where ever you go!

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Choose the hostel life

If you don’t have much luck finding buddies before leaving home, don’t fret, you will surely find someone on the road. Make sure to stay in hostels popular with solo travelers. Put a big smile on and just go with the flow! This is how some of my best relationships have started in the last year!

Go on an organised tour!

There are various tour operators that offer you the opportunity to meet tons of people from all over the world. Most popular choices are Kiwi Experience, Contiki, Busabout, however, there are thousands of them out there.

After you’ve met a few interesting people and you are considering taking a road trip or go to a new destination with them, make sure to follow the checklist below.

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Questions to ask before getting a travel buddy:

– Do you have the same schedule / travel attitude?

I’ve travelled with people who can and want to sleep 12 hrs every night when I am a late sleeper and early riser. Make sure the people who are going to travel with you have the same habits, not just in terms of sleeping, but also ask them if they like exploring, hiking, cooking etc..or if they prefer to chill on the beach the entire day.

– Do you have the same budget?

Is your buddy sponsored by mummy and daddy while you are on a shoestring or vice versa? You might want to find someone else. While at the beginning everything could be fine, you might end up having huge fights for budgeting expenses and chipping in in the common budget. Are you both going to be happy in a hostel or is your buddy more of an Airbnb / hotel type?

– To party or not to party?

After a 30km hike, I am normally ready for a movie, a cup of tea and bed, but I’ve met people who after a shower are ready to go out and party. Of course, you and your travel buddy can separate from time to time, but perhaps you want to consider that if one of you wants to party-all-the-time and the other doesn’t, it might create a problem in the long run.

– Control freak or going with the flow?

Trains are going to be late and you are might miss a bus or a tour. Are you or your buddy going to stress about or are you both going to laugh? Attitude is very important when traveling so you must make sure your mate isn’t going to drag you down for silly things or little problems on the road.

Top tip on finding the right travel buddy

My top tip is to try and have a practice weekend away if possible. If a weekend isn’t possible, sometimes an entire day together can give you a good idea of the personality of your picked travel buddy. Try maybe to do something unusual for the day, maybe something a little different and adventurous rather than going for dinner or drinks.

This way, you’ll be able to understand something more about the other person in an uncommon place and situation.
And remember, if after a few days on the road you realise that you have some issues with your travel buddy, don’t fret! Just stop, grab a drink and have a really honest conversation with them. Analyse your differences and agree on compromises – make the most out of your experience.

Safe and fun travels!!

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