Traveling with a friend is much more fun than traveling alone, but what if none of your friends are willing or able to travel with you? It may be a good idea to find a travel partner who you can enjoy the trip with. Here are some ways that you can find a travel partner.
Talk to people who are already part of a group you belong to, or put up a notice that you are seeking a travel buddy. The notice can be shared with your church group, a pick-up basketball group, or even a sewing club. Checking with people who already have something in common with you is a good first step. There may be a woman at church who has always wanted to visit Greece, but didn’t want to go alone. Or maybe a guy from basketball would love to go to Oktoberfest in Germany, but wanted a buddy to go along.
For shorter trips, check out Craigslist. There is a rideshare board on Craigslist where people list places they are going or placed they would like to go. Dates of travel are usually listed, and sometimes the ad includes the amount of space available. If you find someone going to the same place you want to visit, make contact. Just make sure you spend some time talking before hitting the road. If the person claims to have a drivers license, check that they do. Ask about drug use also. The last thing you need is to be in the next state over and learn that the guy you and your child are riding with has several pounds of illegal drugs in the trunk, and makes his living smuggling drugs from state to state.
Search online for websites, forums, and messageboards that help people find travel partners or travel buddies. You can look for someone who has similar interests, is near your age, and is your gender. It is generally not a good idea for a woman to choose a strange man as a travel buddy. He may be a perfect gentleman, but it is a risk. You may find someone who wants to travel with you for a portion of your trip, and someone else to travel with you on another leg of your journey.
If you don’t find a travel buddy, you can still meet lots of new people while on your trip. Look into “couch surfing,” and you can find places to stay while on your trip that do not cost anything with the added benefit of meeting new people. Sometimes you can find people who are willing to show you the hottest nightclub, or the most magnificent museum that isn’t on any travel brochure. Use the Internet to find these great matching sites.
Use these tips to find a travel buddy for travel in your country or abroad. Make sure you and your new buddy mesh well by meeting prior to your travel dates. Enjoy your trip together, and maybe you will want to enjoy this experience again someday!
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