Joint travel abroad. How to find a good travel companion: where to look, how to identify
Sometimes it is not possible to find a companion for a future trip from among your acquaintances. Some have no money, others have no time, others are simply tired. In such cases, there is nothing left to do but find a travel companion for a holiday abroad from among strangers.
Really, what's the point of this? Isn't it easier? The main reason is savings. Accommodation in a double room is usually much cheaper than a single room. In addition, you can share other expenses abroad with a travel companion, such as taxis, tips in restaurants, renting a car for two...
Among the other reasons why people look for a company, there are many different ones. Some people are simply bored being alone, some consider it unsafe to travel on their own, many need a “sponsor” for a vacation, and some, on the contrary, are ready to pay someone to travel for the provision of additional services. And it's not necessarily what you think. Services can be expressed both in taking on all organizational issues and in proficiency in the required language.
As you can see, the reasons are different for everyone, so before you start looking for a holiday companion, you should clarify for yourself why you need him. This will help avoid disappointment from a ruined vacation.
Finding a travel companion for your holiday through a travel agency
The easiest way is to contact the same travel agency where you buy your ticket. You are far from alone in your desire to find a travel companion for your holiday abroad, and it is likely that you will be matched with a neighbor “without leaving the cash register.” This is a safe and convenient option that will save you a lot of time searching on your own.
This method has one, but very significant, drawback. The travel agency selects what they think are suitable people without taking into account their characteristics. In other words, the selection is based only on gender: boys in some rooms, girls in others.
Because of this, a 20-year-old womanizer and lover of partying until the morning can easily end up in the same room with a “pensioner” whose bedtime is at 10:00 p.m. and wakes up at 6:00 a.m. And a lover of ruins and attractions may get a “beach seal” as a neighbor, chattering incessantly about sunscreen. Therefore, it is better not to hope for chance, but to start searching on your own.
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How to find a travel companion for a holiday on the Internet
This path is somewhat more difficult, but more reliable, because the key to a successful vacation is in your hands. To find a really good travel companion for your vacation, it is better to start your search early. If there is a well-attended, “live” city forum, it’s worth starting there. Traveling with a fellow countryman has the advantage that, even while abroad, you already have at least one common topic of conversation - your hometown.
Further searches can be continued on travel forums and social networks, where there are also many topics of this kind. Or you can immediately go to sites that specialize in finding travel companions for vacations and trips. Among the most promoted and popular are poputchik.ru, mahnem.ru, blablacar.ru, poputchiki.com.ua.
- Don't miss it:
Do not rush to immediately place your ad with contact information. To begin with, look through the existing ones, perhaps among them you will find a suitable companion, without the need to publish your phone number and email, which then often end up in spam mailing lists. If you haven’t found anyone suitable, then proceed to compiling an ad.
This very important step is somewhat reminiscent of searching for a match on dating sites. Describe yourself, your vacation preferences, past travel experiences, and interests as accurately as possible. Also express your wishes for your future travel companion. Indicate specific parameters of the upcoming trip: dates, duration, route and other details. The more data you provide, the less time you will have to spend weeding out unsuitable people.
How to find the perfect travel companion for your holiday abroad
You should not agree to the first offer you receive. Wait until you have a choice, and then start with the one that looks most promising to you. Invite the person to call on Skype or by phone to discuss the details of an upcoming holiday abroad.
The conversation should be frank, without concealment. Tell in detail how you see your upcoming vacation, what you are going to do, how to spend your free time, and ask your potential travel companion to do the same. Ask questions that arise during the process immediately, clarify all the details. It’s better to find out now some facts that are unacceptable to some of you and say goodbye at this stage, than to sulk at each other for the entire vacation.
It is worth discussing the financial side of the issue separately. If your vacation budgets are significantly different, this can cause a lot of misunderstandings and even conflicts. For example, one of you plans to dine in restaurants, and the other plans to cook on your own.
If you liked everything over the phone and there is such an opportunity, schedule a personal meeting, during which it is best to make the final decision. If it is positive, leave the coordinates of your companion to someone close to you and feel free to go on a trip.
We hope that after learning how to find a travel companion for a holiday abroad, you will make the right choice. Even if you made a mistake in something, don’t be upset, because the only thing that unites you is a hotel room. The rest of your time you can spend as you want.
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Searching for travel companions for a holiday abroad on the Internet is becoming more popular every day. In our information world, with a large variety of social networks, this is not difficult.
People choose companions based on financial criteria, character traits, mutual interests, and hobbies.
Such a trip allows you not only to save money, but also to make new acquaintances with interesting people, broaden your horizons, and learn something new and interesting. And not only about the place of travel, but also about the homeland of the fellow traveler, if he is from another region or country.
Why are they looking for travel companions?
The main reasons for looking for travel companions on holiday abroad are two: financial, the desire to save money, and personal, to meet new people.
The first is simple and understandable to every person, since many rental services for cars, boats, hotel rooms and much more are much cheaper for two (or a company) of people.
It's not shameful. In addition, new acquaintances appear, and therefore new knowledge, and the money saved can be spent on additional needs all on the same vacation.
The second one is also quite logical. Someone wants to relax or go abroad, but does not have the financial means (and he is a good person), someone has money, but he does not have such a good person with whom he can go there (and he is a good person, but he works a lot , but no friends), so he is looking for a travel companion or partner for a trip abroad.
When considering the financial side, it is worth paying attention to such an aspect as a car - often the car owner tries to find travel companions in order to save on travel and even earn extra money. By setting the price below the market price, everyone gets what they wanted and is satisfied with the trip.
And you shouldn’t immediately look for sexual connotations in this. Cases, of course, are different, but still, other Internet resources are used for such purposes. Someone is looking for travel companions for a joint holiday, many “sponsors” are looking for companions with certain skills in speaking languages and knowledge of the area, or travel companions with an interest in a particular country and its attractions.
How to find a travel companion for a holiday abroad
Where you can find travel companions - the answer is simple: either through specialized websites, groups on social networks or travel agencies.
The last option is the simplest, for the “lazy” - you can “order” it directly from a travel agent by adding an advertisement for the search for travel companions when ordering a tour.
It is the simplest and riskiest, since tour operators usually select companions only by gender. And then living with a person who is opposite in spirit and interests can turn a pleasant vacation into a nightmare journey. And such a “random” choice is difficult to control, since there is often no one to choose from.
By following simple rules, you can worry about your safety as much as possible and find a companion that meets all the criteria, who will certainly not spoil your vacation, but will only complement it. The number of service users makes it possible to find your “ideal” travel companion.
Looking for a travel companion via the Internet
Most people have accounts on social networks. The most popular in Russia are Odnoklassniki and fellow travelers on VKontakte, in which millions of people are registered.
Demand creates supply, so there are quite a lot of groups focused on finding travel companions for holidays abroad. There are more than a dozen of them on VKontakte alone, and some have about 100 thousand members.
Joining such groups is not difficult. In them you can see all the advertisements for finding a holiday companion, read the conditions, get contact information, and leave your own offer.
Here you can already get preliminary information about a person from his page on VKontakte - see photographs, find out interests and hobbies, bad habits. And if everything suits you at the first stage, then contact the specified contacts. This search option is popular and people find suitable travel companions through social networks every day without any problems.
The second option for online search for travel companions is specialized sites. Registering an account does not take much time and after it the user has access to all the features of the service. Each participant can submit an advertisement, describing their desires, requirements and proposals.
Communication on the resources is correct, which is monitored by moderators, and registration provides an additional degree of security. If necessary, you can contact the owner of the ad through the message system, and only then call.
The sites are intuitively easy to use and easy to search due to their functionality. The search engine will return several sites popular among Russians for finding travel companions, among which will be “Makhnem ru”.
Finding travel companions on it is interesting because there are several thematic sections - “Fellow Travelers”, “Walks” and “Interlocutors”. In the first, people seek companions only for recreation. You can place your ad or find offers.
It is convenient to use the search form, in which you simply need to indicate all the necessary parameters. In the “Walks” section you can find a companion for going to the cinema, sports club, theater and even for lunch. Well, in the “Interlocutors” category, improve yourself in languages while communicating with other people.
Looking for the “ideal” travel companion
To find your “ideal” travel companion, you need to approach the matter responsibly. This is not only a matter of personal safety, but also a comfortable rest.
Honesty is key here. You shouldn’t hide anything from your interlocutor when publishing your ad on a travel companions website for a trip from Moscow or any other city.
It is necessary to stipulate not only financial nuances, but also personal preferences, tastes, expectations and compromises, which in any case cannot be avoided. Having figured out all the details, you can expect that you will spend your time on vacation with pleasure, and not sorting things out or hiding from each other.
It is necessary to communicate using a telephone and, preferably, video communication. This will allow you to hear and see your interlocutor, and realize your readiness to spend some time with this person. If there is an opportunity to meet for a personal conversation, you should not refuse it. If desired and mutually agreed, you can exchange passport data, which will only add peace of mind.
As it becomes clear, finding a travel companion or companion for a vacation is not a big problem and does not require much effort, but it does require responsibility and attentiveness.
This makes it possible to save money, travel abroad for those who cannot afford it, find people with similar interests, have a good time and get help if necessary. Sometimes this is a necessary measure, but most often it is interest, a desire to expand one’s worldview and circle of friends.
Watch the video, which gives practical advice on finding travel companions:
How to find the one... with whom you want to go anywhere in the world, with whom you can be on the same wavelength, with whom you can spend hours exploring unfamiliar streets and happily immerse yourself in a new culture, with whom you can share some of the most joyful and productive days in life - days of travel... A travel companion is not just a person with whom you are traveling along the way, it is your like-minded person and potential friend. Of course, if you are not pursuing adventurous goals and are planning to check into a hotel and at most go on a couple of excursions, then you are unlikely to be puzzled by finding a travel companion. But if the plan is for an independent trip, then you should approach this matter, if not responsibly, then certainly with soul and intuition.
In my entire modest travel history, I traveled with three completely different travel companions whom I barely knew. I noticed this peculiarity in myself - it is much more interesting for me to travel with strangers, who are like a “blank sheet” for me, because it is on a trip that you can understand a person and see him for who he really is. I'm curious. That's part of the excitement. I admit, I will not find a common language with every person, not everyone will feel comfortable, and if I can be with a person 24 hours a day and at the same time we will not want to kill each other, then this is a real achievement, and this person - my man.
Some useful tips for all seekers!
I haven’t found any good advice on the Internet on what to consider when choosing a travel companion, so I will rely only on my experience.
Where to look
The very first question and the most important. Ask your relatives, friends, post on social networks with the appropriate hashtags - thank you, cap :)
Now let's get serious.
If you are a couchsurfer, then search on couchsurfing, on the website I mean. In the city feed, in groups. You can try posting in CS groups on VKontakte. In addition, this wonderful social network is teeming with various thematic groups for finding travel companions. Don't underestimate the benefits of social networks! Here you can find anything and anyone. If a post on your wall does not bring success, move on to communities. Here are the most adequate of them, in my opinion:
https://vk.com/neverstop. I have been following the movements of a St. Petersburg hitchhiker who travels around Russia for a long time; there is a topic in discussions called “Fellow Travelers.” Here you can find like-minded people who are ready to travel just as desperately as Natasha, the author of this page. I am not a supporter of eternal hitchhiking and consider this extreme. Still, I like to combine “wildness” with comfort. I love diversity in all its forms. I am one of those people who can hitchhike and live in a cheap hostel, but with the money saved, I can arrange a far-from-budget pleasure for myself, if my heart desires. In general, I am for balance and harmony.
https://vk.com/interestplanet_ru. There is probably not a single person who is not a member of this group. There is also a discussion thread dedicated to our “sore” issue. Stop by. People from all over the world, all different types, going to different parts of the planet and traveling in different ways. From finding travel companions for a hotel voucher to finding a partner for a trip around the world.
https://vk.com/vpoputchiki. The responses to my ad from such groups were mostly inadequate. I write that I want to go to Italy to specific places, and they call me to the Maldives, offering to cover all expenses. Well, people are of a different type, what can you do. Someone answers seemingly adequately, but you start asking all sorts of questions, and then the inadequacy comes to light. But what if you get lucky? Give it a try.
https://vk.com/club4081072. From the same category, but to be on the safe side you can take note.
https://vk.com/ru_couchsurfing. You can use discussions and a wall. In addition, sometimes there are interesting offers. If it doesn’t matter to you, then you can join someone who is in the same search.
https://vk.com/club180182 , https://vk.com/club1393701. Two more communities of couchsurfers on VK.
https://vk.com/lowcost. Those who hang out here are those who, as the name of the group implies, do not want to spend a lot and prefer to save at least on air tickets. Quite a worthy group. I judge from my bell tower by and large, but I haven’t received any inadequate responses from here.
https://vk.com/ru_autostop. A godsend for hitchhikers!
There are also specialized sites for finding travel companions (Mahnem.ru, Poputchik.ru, Poputchitsa.ru, etc.), but I strongly do not recommend using them. If you try, you will understand that they are of no use.
I remembered another very useful resource - the Vinsky forum http://forum.awd.ru. If you have a profile there, then you can drop a couple of lines in a special topic that you are looking for a travel companion. In general, I advise you to look there directly to prepare for your trip: route development, visa details, prices, photo reports, answers to a variety of questions about each country. It is better to look for a travel companion elsewhere.
So, you posted your post and are waiting for someone to respond. Will respond. Don't hesitate. Then you’ll be exhausted from sorting through tons of messages. There will be some funny ones, get ready to laugh and be surprised.
What to write in a message about searching for a travel companion
A few words about how to compose a message to avoid immediately receiving incomprehensible, abstract answers and save time discussing the details of the trip with a person who is not initially suitable for you.
Let's look at an example.
If you look into groups, you will come across a bunch of similar messages like this: “I’m looking for a travel companion to Italy, departure from Moscow.” And what? What did you understand from it? To Italy, where exactly do you want to go? Who are you anyway? Who are you looking for? What type of travel do you prefer? Personally, I don’t understand when people write things like that.
Be specific and “talkative.” Here's what I once wrote:
« I am looking for a travel companion of about my age from Barnaul or Novosibirsk for a trip to Italy in the summer (the possibility of a personal meeting is required to discuss everything). The travel time is limited only by the validity of the visa, probably 20-30 days, and the amount of money.
There are no specifics yet, but what I would like: a trip at the end of June-beginning of July for about 3-4 weeks, so as not to rush anywhere. Cities: Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples + the islands of Sardinia/Sicily and Capri/Ischia, perhaps also Cinque Terre, besides, after or before Italy I would like to visit Barcelona for a while. The plans include hitchhiking and couchsurfing, but you can stay in a hotel or hostel for a few days. Costs are mainly for travel, food, excursions. Oh, yes, the flight will most likely be from Moscow or Omsk, since these are the most budget options.
For lovers of “all inclusive”, clubs and five-star hotels, please do not disturb, you and I will not find a common language, and our purposes for the trip are completely different. Moderately adventurous ideas are welcome. I am ready to consider your wishes for the route, everything can be adjusted and discussed, as long as the rest is for the soul. All questions and suggestions in PM."
Please note that the ad is written simply, without literary flourishes, since that is of no use here, but at the same time it shows me a little and reveals what I want from the trip and who I want to find.
The main points that were important to me at that time: the age of the travel companion, the city of residence, the number of days on the trip, a small budget, certain dates, certain cities, method of travel (I openly say that “vegetable” and “club” holidays do not suit me interested), readiness for adventure, unexpected turns, detailed discussion of the route and its further adjustment.
So many interesting people responded to this simple ad... I didn’t even have time to respond to all the responses. Moreover, even if we didn’t go with someone, we still communicate and even met in person. Although I will say this: specifically, the fellow travelers with whom I actually traveled were found through a couchsurfing site. But perhaps something else will suit your case.
11 questions worth discussing
The ad “works”, you get a lot of responses. But how do you understand that this is the person you are ready to become travel companions with?
First, carefully read the response to your message - what the person writes and how he does it. Even spelling errors are an indicator. Secondly, look at his profile, on his wall, in his photographs. A person’s virtual page often reveals at least a little of what he really is like. For example, no matter how wonderful the response to my message may be, if my potential travel companion constantly takes pictures of herself in the mirror with a duckface, regularly takes selfies and elevator looks, and constantly posts all sorts of vanilla quotes and indecent pictures, such a person immediately repels me. At least I don't see him traveling together.
So, in principle, you like and are interested in the person, you imagine you conquering the world together, let’s move on to a detailed condemnation. Below is a list of questions to which you should know the answers in advance. It’s up to you to decide which ones to ask online, by phone or in person.
1. Route. Ideally, you plan the route together in person from start to finish. Thus, already in the planning process, you can notice some features of a person’s behavior and, in principle, understand whether it will be easy for you to act in the event of a sudden change in circumstances. Pay special attention to the issue of “flexibility”, find out whether your companion is ready to deviate from the intended route or completely change it radically. For example, suddenly you like one city so much that you want to stay there and not continue your journey, or you meet people there with whom you do not want to part, or in general you meet your love. Thus, it is important to discuss the timing of the trip: it is one thing if you are going for 2-3 weeks, another thing if you are going to travel for six months with a backpack on your back in search of inspiration, a better life or work abroad.
2. Interests. I’ll surprise you if I say that this is also a very important point. At least music, places to visit, bad habits, lifestyle, attitude towards the world and its perception in general.
3. Budget. It can be completely different, but spending on things that concern both of you should preferably be the same. This applies to finding housing, travel, and partly food. It would be bad if one wants to dine exclusively in restaurants, while the other wants to buy food in the cheapest supermarket and eat on a bench. There will be no understanding between such people. Determine the upper and lower limits of the budget and the degree of deviation from the planned one.
4. Possibility of overnight stay. What I talked about above. Couchsurfing, hostels, hotels, tents, benches in parks... In addition, p When comforting a travel companion, discuss in advance the issues of overnight accommodation in difficult situations, they may arise, especially if you are hitchhiking. After all, if one is willing to pay any amount just to have a roof over his head, and the other is willing to sleep under any bush, no good will come of it. A compromise - asking to spend the night in some house - also needs to be discussed. For one this will not be a problem, for another it is, to put it mildly, unpleasant, inconvenient, indecent... the series of negative adverbs can be continued ad infinitum. In general, in a stressful situation, when there is a divergence of opinions between two stubborn individuals, a conflict will inevitably arise. Try to warn him, or at least roughly know what to be prepared for.
5. Language. Oddly enough, this plays a role. Your travel companion's level of English and intention to learn other foreign languages may also affect you. Decide what is acceptable to you. For example, are you ready to go on a trip with a person who cannot connect two words in a foreign language, or, on the contrary, he spits out like a true native speaker, and compared to him you seem, excuse me, like a slowdown. Or maybe you want to practice German, and your companion will be looking for Spanish speakers to practice Spanish. I advise you to find out this in advance.
6. The opportunity to separate during the trip and travel separately. If your partner harshly insists, “No matter what happens, we will be together from beginning to end,” think about it. It’s better if you’re both ready to calmly part ways if something happens, without offense, reproaches or phrases like “You ditched me!”
7. Love affairs. We are all people who are either already in love or not averse to falling in love. Discuss this in advance. Again, an example - when I was looking for a travel companion to Italy, I had a young man in Russia, accordingly, I was not in the mood for any romantic acquaintances, and I did not want my companion to seduce Italians and have affairs with them there. The purposes of the trip were completely different. Although many girls go to Italy just to pick up someone there.
8. Travel options. Planes, buses, local transport, taxi rides, hitchhiking, hitchhiking.
9. Action plan in case you miss a beat or get lost. For example, agree to meet in an hour at some famous landmark in case of disconnection. Also have a telephone number (local) with you so that you can somehow contact passers-by using the phone. In most cases, relying on city Wi-Fi is pointless.
10. Activity/relaxation. Tell each other exactly how you plan to spend your time. Personally, I like to alternate, because constant running around and endless travel tires me. But I don’t want to lie on the beach the whole holiday either.
11. Shopping. Discuss how much time you are willing to spend shopping and whether you plan to do it at all. If you are planning, then approximately where and when.
And know that you will definitely quarrel while traveling together; you will definitely have controversial issues that can spark a conflict. Treat this normally, because we are not immune from quarrels even with close people, let alone new acquaintances. Nothing is perfect.
On this “positive” note, I conclude the most practical memoir in the history of my blog. In the next post I will show you my wonderful travel companions, with whom I conquered foreign expanses, and even tell you a little about them.
