Finding Someone to Travel with - How to Find a Travel Companion

The desire to explore is one of the most ancient impulses among humans and this makes travelling one of the most satisfying experiences too. You can take the fun quotient a notch higher by setting out with a travel companion who suits your interests, priorities and more importantly travel plans. Here is to how to find someone to travel with and make the most of a delightful experience.

Ask friends and family

Very often you can get the best results with the simplest approach. So instead of preparing to seek high and low, start by asking your family and friends if they are thinking of taking a vacation in near future. The greatest advantage of choosing a travel companion among known people is that you can be assured of your personal safety and when in the midst of foreign surroundings and people, this is not a factor to be taken lightly. Again travelling with a friend also makes it easier to dispense with formalities. This means that you both will be comfortable with making decisions on the road without the fear of stepping on each other's toes. However, family members have their own quirk and eccentricities which might make travelling with them an exercise in patience. And even though you are likelier to have more in common with friends, they again may be subject to individual work and family commitments thus making finding a mutually agreeable schedule a challenge. On the whole, familiarity and security are the best aspects of finding a travel companion among friends and family.
 

Advertise in newspapers

Your local newspaper or town periodical can come in handy if you are looking for a travel companion within a limited geographical area. This is a good idea for those who would like to combine the advantages of a reasonably familiar background in a travel partner with a slightly wider range of contacts than the immediate social circuit can afford. On one hand you can still find someone in your city who you probably know by sight or through mutual acquaintances and at the same time the respondents may be more flexible in their travel plans. However this may be a time consuming affair. It is best if you can advertise your requirements say a couple of months in advance so that there is not only enough time for like-minded people to respond to your queries but also for you to pick and choose someone you will be most comfortable with.


 

Explore classifieds like Craigslist

Put up a listing on popular classified sites like Craigslist.org about your requirement of a travel companion. This will enable you to reach out to a much wider audience than it would have been possible by advertisements in newspapers or local publications. However don’t forget to specify the tentative travel schedule, destination and the itinerary since different people may have different ideas on where and how best to travel. At the same time, you have to be careful to choose someone you feel comfortable and safe with.
 

Travel sites

The internet can be a wonderful resource in finding a travel companion. There are in fact a variety of websites where you can advertise your requirement. The most reputed travel names like Lonely Planet and National Geographic have forums and message boards where travelers from around the world share their experience. Then there are the websites of commercial travel agencies where past and current clients may be looking for someone to travel with. Other than these there are a plethora of travel-club sites on the internet where prospective travelers come together to exchange notes, discuss on destinations, travel routes and look for travel companions. Commercial travel-mate sites on the other hand will, for a fee, pair you up with a travel buddy best suited to your travel schedule as well as your personality and interests.
 

Find your nice area

It may be that in your search for a travel companion, you want someone more than just to split the tip and share the room rent.  Perhaps you are looking for a companion to accompany you on a special kind of travel experience like walking tours across the mountains of Ireland or kayaking in the rapids of . If so, it would make sense to approach niche travel groups or adventure sports clubs which specialize in these sort of vacations and where you may come across a companion to share your passion with.
 

Online dating websites

The most popular of these sites actually offer much more than just casual dating – they are often a kind of social networking portal with members forming special interest groups and blogging about shared interests. So joining such a website may help you to come across people with similar hobbies like traveling and if lucky you may even find someone compatible enough to chalk out a common travel itinerary. To top it all if you are single, who knows the website may even fulfill its primary purpose of bringing about a romantic connection between its members based on mutual interest.
 

Keep an open mind and set off

Very often, the easiest place to find a travel partner is on the road. When traveling solo, people are naturally drawn to each other and especially so if their destination happens to be the same. Look out for bulletin boards at hostels and other tourist centers where travelers usually post notes or exchange information about they are headed to, when and how. Who knows you may stumble upon a like-minded companion on your travels despite your best effort at finding one before you set off.
 

Finally consider traveling alone

Being by yourself may not be a bad thing after all. You have the most obvious advantages like privacy and the freedom to decide your own itinerary. You might even meet someone interesting during your trip. Besides that it is also a good way to bond with yourself having being freed from all outward social niceties and compulsions –  which, finally, what going out of your familiar territory is all about.