People make the place

The joy of meeting strangers in foreign lands

Some of the places I’ve loved the most when travelling are because of the amazing people I met there.

There is something so glorious about meeting a stranger and exploring the streets of a new city with them. Revelling in past adventures you’ve had. Telling each other the most embarrassing things that have ever happened to you.

“I don’t even know any of you but I’ll tell you anyway,” a guy at a hostel once announced to a group of us before telling us one of his most embarrassing stories. This is the vibe that I go into travel with. I don’t know these people, I most likely will never see them again, so let me give them a story to laugh at.

I feel like people who are travelling are generally more receptive to meeting strangers and becoming friends with them. The stakes are lower and you learn not to get too attached (although you also could potentially meet your new best friend). It’s a freeing feeling and such a fun way to make new friends.

While there are often talks of “If you’re ever in {insert city name here} come stay with me” or “Maybe we’ll cross paths again in {insert destination here}” they often won’t come to fruition. You’ll add each other on Instagram, and a few months later you’ll see they’ve posted something and have to rack your brain trying to remember who they were and where you met them. Some are more memorable and maybe you will see them in a few weeks when you crossover in another country on your travels. No matter what, you’ll always have fond memories of the few days you spent together trying not to get sunburnt on the beach and drinking a few too many beers on a night out together.

I don’t want to completely sugarcoat it though, because sometimes you can struggle to meet people or find people you click with. You might not have a great time in a place because of not-so-great people. You might struggle to meet anyone at all in certain places, and that can be lonely at times.

My advice if you want to meet people while travelling is to book a tour with people you know will be around your age, for example, a Contiki or Sail Croatia (a right of passage for many Aussie travellers). If you don’t want to do a tour, then another good option is to book an age-restricted party hostel. That way you’re guaranteed to be in a hostel with other young people who are eager to make friends. If you’re not keen on a party hostel but still want to make friends, look for hostels with a common room and good reviews for their atmosphere. I also love meeting people organically in random locations when travelling. I’ve met so many people on the street, in pubs, and at various tourist attractions. It can be so scary putting yourself out there and starting a conversation with a stranger, but trust me, it’s so worth it. Some of my best travel memories have been made with people I met along the way.

Living in Portugal has also been so special because of all the wonderful people I’ve met. Whether they’re the people I’ve become good friends with or just the waiter I had a 2-minute conversation with at a restaurant, everyone here is just fabulous.

I’ve been feeling very grateful and appreciative for all the incredible people I’ve met on my travels so far, and I’m excited to meet plenty more in my travels to come.