I’ve done my fair share of solo travelling and I can honestly admit that I still walk into a new city and new hostel as scared as I’ve ever been. The element of the unknown means literally anything could be waiting for you on the other side.
But despite my fears, I always end up making friends for life in a hostel. Here’s how…
Stay in hostels with free walking tours and pub crawls
Who doesn’t love free stuff? Or a good pub crawl? People who love these the most though are solo travellers. It’s a great way to meet fellow solo travellers looking to make friends, see the sights and party. Better still is that you’re staying in the same place so at the very least you’ll see these people again and have more opportunities to hang out. Walking around exploring a city together or hopping from bar to bar making memories are two of the best ways to make friends.
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Find a hostel that serves dinner
These are a little rarer – but if you do a little research and find that a hostel has a nightly dinner on offer, staying there is a must. More importantly, these dinners create a family atmosphere that is unbeatable. Everyone in the hostel sits down for a great meal and some drinks and then rolls on to a pub crawl. By the end of the night you’ve made some great friends and after three nights you’ve become a family.
Always ask people if they want to get food
Personally, I don’t mind eating alone – however you’d always prefer some company if it’s available. Opening with this line is a great way to make friends. Best case scenario everyone in your room is starving and has just been waiting for someone to suggest food and you all go out for a meal and have a great time. Even if people aren’t hungry there’s every chance they’re just waiting for the opportunity to get out and explore a little, so accompanying you for food sounds like a great way to do that.
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Have you made lifetime friends through travelling? Got any insider guides, or solo travel tips? Share your stories with us here and you could see your work published on six-two…