TEN TIPS FOR MAKING FRIENDS WHEN YOU TRAVEL
So let’s say you are now traveling for the first time as a solo. Maybe the last solo travel was in college and involved hostels? How do you present yourself and open this new door:
Here are tips for solo women travelers, to help you make safe new friends.
Know your destination. Study the area and check online for what is happening now. A good site is Time Out. You might find events that attract others who also do their research in English.
Read travel literature to fuel your conversation about the place. Example: Going to India? Read the national book award winner: The Beautiful Forevers by Katharine Boo. When you do meet new people, books about the area make easy opening lines. India: See the reading list on www.thewomenstravelgroup.com.
Ask affiliations like charities, your college or industry groups for contacts abroad. A club like Rotary can connect you with people in many cities who will open doors, even invite you to an event.
Lets Go Guidebooks are not just for college kids. These books are written by Harvard students also list good cafeterias and unusual opening night events. Want to have fun at the best pizzeria in Venice? Lets Go is the source. And cafeteria eating is less stressful than solo dining in a restaurant.
Ask at your hotel, not just from the concierge, but ask the management where they like to eat, shop, walk? Bolder yet? Ask them to book the restaurant for you directly, more personal through the concierge. Be careful not to insult the concierge.
Find out where English-speaking events are being held. Even a reading at a book store in English can make you feel less alone. Many non-English speaking areas have English speaking events.
Join in. Walks? Tastings? Cooking classes? Any interactive event brings on a conversation even for the shyest. Going to Paris: check out ParisRevisited for tastings from beer to champagne. Gary Lee Kraut is the owner and a veteran restaurant critic.
Look for restaurants that have a captain’s or kitchen table. These are not just in the US, I have seen them in Paris and Rome. Even some of the big names now have a casual group table in or near the kitchen.
I am a great believer in starting out a new solo travel life with like-minded groups. If you are a woman consider an all-woman trip or one to a destination resort where activities are included.
The tenth tip? This one has to come from you. Everyone has a trick to meeting new people and even, if serendipity, send it to us for our archives.
Join one of our friendly trips and get a guaranteed share to save on the single supplement. A good deal for solo women travelers.
www.thewomenstravelgroup.com has upcoming trips with this deal to India and to Morocco.
