G'day! I'm Chris. I left my home in rural Australia back in 2007 to pursue a life less ordinary.
I specialize in ambitious travel - bucket list worthy journeys such as the Great US Road Trip, the ultimate African safari, and following the length of the Silk Road.
This one was written over a month ago now in the wake of the ending of my relationship with Fallon. I wasn’t sure I wanted to post it, but it seems right that such a significant period in my life be commemorated on my site. I’ve not edited it at all since I wrote it in early January.
Goodbyes are a common part of life on the road. Differing itineraries and budgets mean that no friendship or relationship on the road can last forever. Eventually you’ll have to part ways and experience that bittersweet mix of emotions as you’re both grateful for the time you’ve had with a person and sad that the time was not longer.
For almost two years I was lucky enough to have shared a path with Fallon. Having met at a house party in Gwangju, we bonded over our mutual hatred of night clubs and our mutual closeness to our families.
Our friendship didn’t take long to blossom into romance as I finally opted to take security and affection over the high drama that had colored my 2008 love life.
Fallon introduced me to healthy relationships. To unconditional support and affection. She patiently guided me through anxiety attacks and educated me on the finer points of a relationship that is driven by more than just sex and drama.
Over the course of our near two year relationship, I not only grew tremendously as a person – but I also grew tremendously in life experience.
With Fallon I took up running and ran in my first races, I kayaked and rock climbed for the first time, scuba dived, surfed, zorbed, black water rafted, and hiked a glacier. I discovered a passion for travel and photography that spawned this site. I learned to appreciate healthy foods and country music.
Essentially, the Chris of 2008 bares only the slightest resemblance to the man I am today. I will always be grateful to Fallon for not only opening my eyes to a world much larger than my living room – but for loving me unconditionally throughout our travels. I only hope she left our relationship having learned at least half as much as I did.
I won’t sully our goodbye by giving a blow by blow of it here. It was a private thing shared between two people who loved one another enough to let go. For a long while our paths coincided, and when they finally split it seemed unfair that either of us be forced to compromise our hopes and dreams for the other.
I will say freely that saying goodbye to Fallon was the single hardest thing I have ever had to do. Kissing her that last time and sobbing out our final goodbyes is an experience that, a week on, still conjures up a hollowness in my chest. Could I have had that final moment last forever, I’d gladly have taken it. In our final moments together the gravity of both our situation and our affection for one another hit home. I have been forever changed for the better by her love.
A week on from our parting I miss her companionship. Rather than watch what we had inevitably spiral into an ugly break-up as we realized we wanted different things we opted to instead go out on a high. My final two weeks exploring New Zealand and Fiji with Fallon were amongst the happiest days of my life.
I have so much to be grateful for in my life: Loyal friends, good health, and a loving family. I’m also grateful not only for the two wonderful years of love I shared with Fallon, but for the countless years of friendship I now hope to share with her. I’ll never completely stop loving her (I don’t think you ever stop loving somebody. You just start loving somebody else), but we’ve done the right thing. I’ve lost a girlfriend, but I’ve kept my best friend.
That’s worth any short term sadness.
I won’t write more on this subject. A wonderful chapter of my life is over and a new (and hopefully equally wonderful) chapter has begun. But I couldn’t let such a significant moment in my life pass without remark. I hope you’ll forgive me my indulgence.
If you’re lucky enough to share the path you walk with somebody who enriches your life – be sure to tell them how grateful you are to have them by your side. You never truly know how much a person brings to your life and your travels until your paths diverge.
Thank you for so many fantastic memories and experiences Fallon. Here’s hoping we both have many more ahead of us. And maybe someday our paths will cross again and we can walk a ways together. It was never dull.
It’s pretty common to hear a foreigner living in Korea use the phrase “If you’ve seen one temple, you’ve seen them all”. There’s a good reason for this. During the Korean War the majority of Korea’s ancient and beautiful temples were razed to the ground by the invading North Koreans, and most of what people see these days were rebuilt in a post war rush to restore the country’s proud history. While this meant that these sacred sites were not completely lost – it also meant that most of them are quite similar to one another.
Daewonsa on the outskirts of Gwangju is one of the temples that has some unique characteristics, and over the Solnal (Chinese New Year) vacation I discovered that Yonggungsa Temple here in Busan is uniquely beautiful as well.
Busan was one of the few cities in South Korea not to fall to the initial North Korean surge, so it stands to reason that its own temple fared considerably better in the war than its northern compatriots. But what really makes Yonggungsa stand out is its coastal location. The vast majority of Buddhist temples in Korea are nestled away in mountains, yet Yonggungsa proudly stares out over the grey waters of the Sea of Japan (or the East Sea as Koreans insist on calling it) from its rocky perch.
Getting There
I’d originally intended for Thursday (the second of five days off) to be spent in bed watching movies and doing little else. But with my friend Heather in town from Pohang and eager to check it out for herself, I opted to tag along. Busan had turned on a beautiful day for us – shrugging of its perpetual mantle of oppressive skies and icy winds and favoring us with a bright, still day. My neck of Busan just happens to be about as far as possible from almost everything in the city – although Dongdaeshindong does boast a decent nearby beach and is close to Jagalchi Fish Markets if I’m ever feeling a hankering for some live sea cucumber or still moving octopus.
Heather is excited for our adventure
The subway system in Busan is a joy to ride, and while it’s often so crowded that you can’t find a seat, the trains are regular and you can get to the majority of important sites without too much fuss. At just 1200 won (approximately $1.20) for a one way ticket, it’s a much cheaper option than taking a cab and only marginally more expensive than the bus network. From Dongdaeshindong we had to change trains at Seomyeon Station. I don’t think I’ve ever done the change from Line #1 to Line #2 without encountering Koreans frantically sprinting as if the next train to depart for Haeundae (Busan’s trendy beachside suburb) would be the last of its kind.
All told it’s about a fifty minute ride from my part of Busan. Most tourists into Busan will probably end up staying in foreigner friendly Haeundae though – so there’s no train ride necessary for them. From there you can either save some money and take the bus (181 will get you there) or you can do what we did and just spring the few extra dollars for a taxi. From Haeundae it came out at 4000 won ($4).
Street Fare
Our taxi deposited us in a rather packed car park, but we shouldn’t have been surprised. Many Korean holidays involve paying respects to Buddha or to one’s ancestors, so it stands to reason that on the first day of the Year of the Rabbit we’d not be alone in visiting the temple. A press of people stood between us and the entrance to the temple proper, but a rash of food and souvenir stalls at least made the jostling interesting. The souvenirs ranged from miniature Buddhas to all manner of ceramics and even a few children’s toys that had no real reason to be there.
Odeng, tapbokki, and twigim on offer for hungry pilgrims
The stink of bondeggi (boiled silkworm larvae) mixed with the far more appetizing scents of tapbokki (chili rice cakes) and odeng (processed fish cake) in what is a pretty common scene in Korea. Hell, my walk to and from work every day takes me down a narrow street choked with fruit vendors, street food peddlers, women selling live fish out of tiny tubs, and everything in between. It’s just part of the perpetual market bazaar that is Korea.
Once inside the temple the crowd began to disperse, although it quickly became a problem again whenever we had to make our way down stairs or through a narrow tunnel. I’d imagine the place is absolutely serene on a normal day. The ominously dark waters beat against the grey cliffs and all around pine and other hardy trees cling tenuously to their purchase on the rock. The buildings themselves either blend into this dour display or they defy it with bright oranges and reds. A massive golden Buddha stands as pride of place at the heart of the temple, while quieter shrines are up in the hills surrounding the main area.
Posing with some stern faced friends at the entrance to Yonggungsa
In such a spiritual place it might seem odd to pass a bank of vending machines or a small tent restaurant serving fried food and soda, but that’s Korea for you. It’s a country of convenience and enterprise – and that extends all the way to this temple. In fairness to Korea, I’ve not encountered anything quite like that at another temple. It may well have just been to cater for the large number of visitors for the holiday.
And I’m Spent
While there was plenty to admire at the temple, without the quiet to actually soak it in, it couldn’t hold my interest for long. I remember spending a peaceful two hours exploring Sumiyoshi at the heart of Fukuoaka, and Fallon and I (along with Cody and Dez) spent even longer photographing and exploring sun-soaked Daewonsa in August of 2009. It may be that a repeat visit to Yonggungsa will prove necessary, but I enjoyed what little time I did get to spend there.
A dramatic view of the temple and its ocean viewA dragon guards YonggungsaThe wall and the ocean beyondFlags flutter in the wind as we clamber over rocks to see more of Yonggungsa
That first month after taking a new job in South Korea can be one of the hardest. It’s not just that you’re adjusting to a new country and a new job, but you’re also going to be living on whatever meager savings you brought with you until that magical first pay check comes in. If you’ve been responsible and saved some cash for the occasion – your $1500 or so will be more than enough. If you’re like me and come over on a whim, you might be trying to stretch $800 or so. That’s definitely doable, but here are a few tips for making that money last while still having a good time.
Most Korean jobs pay monthly, so you’re going to need to make that money last for at least four weeks. Thankfully Korea is a really cheap place to live, so with the tips below you’ll be right.
Eat Korean
The temptation to eat a lot of comfort foods from home is going to be there. I can’t blame you. You’ll be missing your friends and family and something as simple as a greasy Big Mac or a decadent meal at TGI: Friday or Outback Steakhouse is going to be your only link to home. Well, that and downloading a whole lot of American TV to watch from the comfort of your bed.
I’m not saying you can’t eat a little Western food to help with the transition, but it’s going to be infinitely cheaper to eat Korean food. A good, fresh roll of kimbap is only going to be around 1,000 won. A heaping serving of bibimbap (rice and vegetables served in a hot bowl with vegetables, meat, and pepper paste) is 4,000. Some greasy, deep fried twigim or spicy deokbokki won’t even reach the 1,000 mark.
Twigim and deokbokki might not be healthy, but they’re cheap and they’re surprisingly good
If you’re not quite ready to leap into the deep end of Korean food, you can try for some fusion – the bastard child of Western food and Korean cuisine. Places like Han’s Deli serve up curries, pork cutlets, and burritos for around 4,000 to 6,000 won. Paris Baguette and other similar bakeries (Cafe Roti is another good one) have a variety of pastries, cakes, and stranger concoctions like croissants wrapped around hot dogs or oddly sweet sandwiches. It’s not the healthiest of options, but you’ll be able to get your fill for around 1,000 to 5,000 won.
Cooking at home would seem like a logical option since it’s the cheap way to live back home, but between the difficulties in finding common ingredients and the limited cooking equipment you’re going to have access to in your apartment – it’s actually a frustrating process and not as cheap as you’d hope. That is unless you want to cook Korean cuisine.
Avoid the temptation to eat all of your meals at familiar places and you’ll save plenty of cash. You’ll also be avoiding the dreaded weight gain that so many of us experience in our first month or two in Korea. Which takes me to my next tip…
Affordable Drinking
Drinking and living in Korea go hand in hand. As I said in my entry about the Top 10 Things to Love About Korea, socializing in Korea is fueled by alcohol 80% of the time. At most foreigner bars in Korea you’re looking at around 3,000 to 4,000 won for a local draught beer. Cass, Hite, OB, and Max aren’t remarkable beers by any stretch – but they’ll get you buzzed and they’re available everywhere. An import is going to be at least 2,000 won more expensive, so avoid the temptation to slam back the Heinekens and Coronas and you’ll be able to afford a few extra beers.
My good friend Paul chugging some goju (Gatorade + soju)
Pre-drinks are another good idea if you’re trying to save some money. Every convenience store in the country is going to have a decent selection of beers on offer – and there’s also wine, a few pre-mixed options, and the ever present soju if you’d rather avoid the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage. Hell, you can even get soju in juice boxes!
Have a few pre-drinks and you’ll need a few less beers when you hit the bars, and that’s a few extra bucks in your pocket for the inevitable taxi ride home at the end of the night. Which leads me to…
Getting Around
Taxis are a cheap and ever present option in Korea. With rates starting at around 2,000 won and climbing up at a surprisingly affordable pace from there, you can get most anywhere in a city like Gwangju for 10,000 won. In Busan you’re looking at closer to 20,000 for the longer trips, and Seoul’s a different kettle of fish. If you’re in a smaller town like Mokpo or Pohang, you can get most anywhere for 6,000 won.
Sometimes a taxi is going to be your only option – especially after a night out on the piss. But if you’re keen to save some money, look at public transport. Most cities have a surprisingly good bus network that will only cost 1,000 won to get you wherever you like to go, and the larger cities will also have a subway network that you can rely on. I’ve fallen in love with Busan’s subway network, and Seoul possesses an exhaustive (and confusing) network that stretches to a lot of nearby satellite cities such as Suwon and Incheon.
In an internet savvy country such as Korea there’s always going to be a website for the local transit options, and these days most also have an English section so you’re not squinting at the hangeul and trying to figure out which stop you need to get to.
You Can Do It!
That first month can be tough, I’m not going to lie. The temptation is going to be there to binge on Western food and spend entirely too much time in your apartment. Granted, staying in and watching movies on your laptop is going to be cheaper than going out – but it’s not going to do much to cure your homesickness. Getting out to a bar or tagging along with a foreigner club might mean spending a little bit of extra money, but it’s better to be a few thousand won poorer than to be miserable and alone in your apartment.
With a bit of common sense and sacrifice, you’ll power through that first month and discover some great, cheap food options along the way. Even when my money is doing really well I still occasionally stop for an Isaac Toast (fast food style toasted sandwiches) or some cheesy dankas (cheesy pork cutlet).
And when that first, magnificent pay check comes in you’re going to be so overjoyed and flush with cash that you’ll weep tears of joy. That rough first month will be a distant memory and your bank balance will benefit from the little nuggets of wisdom you garnered during your frugal month.
For those contemplating the leap that is teaching English in South Korea, there’s plenty of documentation out there to highlight the big picture draws of the country and the career. You know about the good money, the free accommodation, and the fact you can use South Korea as a launching pad into South East Asia – so here are the ten small pleasures that I’ve picked as reasons I love being in Korea again.
#10 – Pizza and Fried Chicken
I hope you wanted corn with that…
I might not be a big fan of the Colonel’s finest or its many, many imitators here in Korea – but if you like super greasy chicken, you’re going to love being in Korea. Fried chicken joints seem to be almost every corner and a bucket of the stuff comes for about a third of the price of what you’d expect to pay back home. Pizza’s the same story. While Pizza Hut and Dominoes are on par with what you’d expect to pay back home, you’ll find plenty of cheap local chains offering good quality pizza for less than 10,000 won ($10 equivalent). The beauty of the local chains is that they’ll usually treat their regulars to a little something extra – whether it be a small tub of cheese sauce or a large bottle of Coke to wash your greasy pizza down with.
A lot of these places deliver as well, and while only the bigger chains tend to have English speakers manning the phones, you’re in luck if you can learn the basic Korean needed to order your favorite unhealthy snack and have it delivered right to your door.
A few words of warning though. Korean pizza makers seem to have more corn than they know what to do with. I’ve had cheese pizzas with corn kernels hidden underneath the cheese, and sometimes they seem genuinely confused when I request that there not be any corn on the pizza. You’ll also find sweet potato in some form is a common pizza topping, so be careful when ordering if you’re not a fan. As for chicken – they fry the entire bird, so don’t scream when you find a deep fried chicken’s foot wedged in between a wing and a breast.
#9 – Cheap Travel
Silliness at the Gwangju Bus Terminal. Photo by Amber Rork.
I’ve mentioned the cheap travel perk in my entry on the Top 10 Reasons to Teach in South Korea, but it goes beyond the cheap buses and trains you can use to get around the peninsula. After a drunken night out you’ll often find that you’ve missed the final city bus or subway home. Enter the humble Korean taxi. Sure, the drivers might try and bore you to death with their limited English or literally kill you with their erratic driving, but there’s something to be loved about always being able to get home for an affordable price.
After paying $50 to get from one suburb of Sydney to another in twenty minutes, it’s pretty refreshing to be able to get from one side of Korea’s second largest city to the other at 5am for under $20 (equivalent). You’ll occasionally get a driver who doesn’t know where he’s going or pretends not to, but by and large taxi drivers are going to be your best friend after a night of heavy drinking.
#8 – Coffee Shops
The delicious pretzels on offer at Tom & Toms. Taken in Sydney, strangely
Starbucks might be the most common of the many coffee chains in the country, but they’re far from the only option for coffee lovers. There’s Tom & Toms with their decadent stuffed pretzels, Kenya, Angel in Us, a Twosome Place, and a variety of others that offer a good variety of coffees as well as cakes and various other snacks. They also make for an ideal meeting point for nights out or adventures about the country, since their signs are always in English and usually stand out from the rest of the gaudily lit signs that line the streets.
#7 – Crazy Fast Internet
Just your typical Korean PC room. Photo by joopdorresteijn
Unlimited 100mbps cable internet for under $40 a month? Yeah, I don’t really need to explain too much about this. I’ve downloaded countless songs, movies, TV shows, and games over the years in record time. Don’t have a computer? There’s a PC Bang (room) or four on every city block in the country. If you can stand the smoky air that seems to pervade these places, you’ll find top of the line PCs and comfortable chairs as well as basic snacks, ramen, and drinks so that you don’t even need to venture out into the harsh light of the day.
#6 – Festivals
Once a year the Butterfly Festival turns Hampyeong into one of Korea’s must see destinations
Korea is a country that loves a good festival. These range from the extravagant Lantern Festival in Jinju to the borderline orgy of Boryeong’s Mud Festival. From Gwangju’s quaint Kimchi Festival to Jindo’s famous Moses Walk Festival. From the beautiful Hampyeong Butterfly Festival to the just plain weird such as the Slow Walking Festival. Barely a weekend passes in Korea without some kind of festival taking place somewhere, and if you’re a sucker for foreign culture you’ll never be short of something strange and interesting to do.
In 2011 I’m making it a mission of mine to get to as many of these festivals as I can, so be sure to check back here to find out more about them. You can already find two entries on here about the Mud Festival.
#5 – Foreigner Clubs
The foreigner community is a huge highlight of anybody’s visit to Korea, and the various foreigner clubs are a huge part of this. Whether it’s a local theater society, a book exchange club, a sporting team, or a hiking club – you’re almost guaranteed to find like minded people to spend time with on your sober weekends. I myself have recently joined the Busan soccer club, the ultimate frisbee club, the hiking club, and the rock climbing club – and had been involved with the Gwangju community newspaper, the Gwangju theater society, and a Koreans & Foreigners dinner club in my last stints here. Facebook is a wealth of info regarding these clubs – and most cities will also have some kind of community website as well. Busan also has the pretty tremendous Busan Haps offering up info for the newcomers.
Foreigner magazines and newspapers offer up plenty of useful information as well. Gwangju’s fantastic Gwangju news (edited by my good friend Dan Lister) is a wealth of info about the community, and entry #1 on this list offers up another choice piece of advice on how to make friends.
#4 – Noraebang
A much younger Chris singing his heart out in Busan in 2008
If you enjoy singing but are a bit too shy for karaoke or if you enjoy the hell out of karaoke but can’t stand waiting for your turn to come around, noraebang is definitely for you. Take the fun of a good karaoke sesh, jam it into a tiny private room with couches and ‘service’ (free) snacks, add an extra echoey microphone, and put a bar full of cheap Korean beer and soju just outside the door and you’ve got the finish to pretty much any good night out in Korea.
It’s not a truly epic night out in Korea if your night doesn’t end with you emerging bleary eyed from a dimly lit noraebang into the dazzling early morning light. The song selection might be pretty much stock standard across the board as far as Western tracks go, but the required power ballads and cheesy love songs are there – and when you’re slamming down somek (soju and beer mixed together) and stuffing dried squid and gim (sheets of lightly salted seaweed) into your mouth, it’s really not about the tunes as much as the company.
#3 – Street Food
Twigim and tapbokki being served up in GwangjuBondeggi. As gross as it looks.
In Australia it’s the humble kebab or meat pie and in the US it’s fast food. In England it’s a curry and in Canada it’s… I don’t know. Poutine? In Korea street food is big business, and you can’t walk a hundred meters without seeing at least two or three little Mom & Pop businesses being run out of the back of a truck or from a tiny little cart. There’s roast chestnuts and bondeggi (fried silkworm larvae that taste as bad as they smell), tapbokki (chewy rice cakes in a spicy sauce) and twigim (all manner of deep fried goodies dipped in soy sauce), toasted sandwiches and fruit on a stick, and a bunch of other weird and delightful things in between. Whether you’re out on the piss and need some pizza in a cup (literally) or just hankering for a potato tornado (an entire potato spiraled, fried, and then put onto a stick with liberal ketchup) on a hot day, Korea is a world of delicious (and only occasionally disgusting) treats for you to discover.
#2 – Convenience Stores
Ministop. They’re everywhere.
I walk approximately five hundred meters on my way to school every day. On the way I pass three 7-11 stores and two G25s. There’s also another G-25 on the opposite side of the road that I don’t include in that count. Every one of these stores boasts a modest selection of groceries, a pretty extensive selection of drinks and snacks, an ATM that may or may not allow the use of foreign cards, a modest spirits selection, beer, cigarettes, various greasy snacks that are best avoided when sober, some basic wine options, and occasional offerings of kimbap (somewhat similar to a sushi roll) and pre-packaged sandwiches.
If it’s midnight and you’re in dire need of a bottle of water (Korean tap water isn’t really drinkable) or a snack, you’ll become quite friendly with your local convenience store operator. They’re your go to spot for booze on a stinking hot July evening, make a pretty good place to drink during the warmer months (most have a small number of tables and chairs outside), and are probably amongst the first places you’ll familiarize yourself when you stumble out of your apartment wide eyed and innocent on that first day in Korea.
#1 – Foreigner Bars
A few of my nearest and dearest head for Gwangju’s German Bar in late 2008
I waxed lyrical about a few of my favorite haunts in Korea in my Top 10 Favorite Bars entry a while back, but it really needs to be emphasized that Korea is a drinker’s heaven. That’s not to say you can’t have a good time here sober or that you won’t make friends, but moreso than back home – alcohol isn’t just a social lubricant, it’s also the glue that generally binds the community together. I don’t know whether it’s sad to admit it or not – but I’ve been friends with some people for a few years now and never once spent any time with them sober. True story.
Any city worth its salt is going to have a few foreigner friendly bars. In Gwangju it’s Speakeasy, Bubble Bar, German Bar, Soul Train, and Tequilaz. In Busan Thursday Party, Metal City, Eva’s, Kino Eye, the Wolfhound, and Sharkies are just a few. Seoul has innumerable options including Geckos, the Wolfhound, Rocky Mountain Bar, and God knows how many more. Mokpo has P Bar and Ice Bar. I’d go on forever, but you get my point.
High stakes darts at one of many Thursday Party locations in Busan
Even in cities or areas of cities where there aren’t any foreigner targeted bars, it only takes a few like minded people to turn a Korean establishment into a foreigner friendly one. Many a Fish & Grill (fantastic fruit soju smoothies) has been temporarily overtaken by foreigners, and I still have fond memories of a tiny little hole in the wall that myself and a bunch of other foreigners made our own early in my first year in Korea through sheer force of numbers.
In two weeks in Busan I’ve made more friends than I can count on one hand. Sure, the majority aren’t ‘tell my deepest secrets’ kind of friends, but they’re valued drinking buddies and I’ve even managed to spend sober time with one or two of them. And almost all of them were met at bars. One of my oldest friends in Korea is a guy I never got drunk with, but he’s the exception rather than the rule. If you enjoy drinking – Korea’s the place for you. If you don’t, just be prepared to either spend time in bars sober or to have to work just that little bit harder to meet people. Entry #5 on this list covers that a little.
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There’s countless other reasons while you’ll enjoy your year in (or visit to) Korea, but these are ten of the ones that keep me coming back for me. Did I miss any? Let me know.
Tip: Don’t make friends with the creepy ginger kid.
Just because you start travelling alone doesn’t mean that it will stay that way for long. It’s no secret that more and more people are travelling every year, and hostels have become a staple for those who want to see the world but can’t necessarily afford high-end hotels and resorts.
Sure, hostels might not be the lap of luxury that a five star hotel or resort is, but if you stay in hostels you’ll never be alone, and with so many people coming and going there is almost a 100% chance that you will meet someone to travel with, have a beer with, grab dinner with, or just have a chat. It’s criminally easy to make friends in hostels. Want to know the secret?
It’s criminally easy to make friends in hostels. Want to know the secret?
Just start talking.
Hostels usually have common rooms where people are spending their downtime while not exploring the city, and you can hear a lot of interesting stories and get a lot of information about places that you might want to travel to. If it’s a Friday or Saturday night, chances are there’ll even be the beginnings of a party forming already. Grab yourself a beer and join the fun!
The most important thing is to talk. Ask for a book from another traveller, have a peek at their map, ask about the sights in the cities they have explored, or anything else that comes to your mind. Are they wearing a sports jersey? Ask about the team. Recognize the brand of their camera or the movie on their t-shirt? Start with that.
Once you’ve established a connection, ask them where they are planning to go tomorrow, and maybe if you are heading the same direction you can join in.
The beautiful Patricia and I on Kuata Island in early 2011
Travellers are adventurous by nature and that generally extends to social situations as well, so more often than not you’ll get a chat. After all, who will say no to a glass of beer or a dinner recommendation for a great cheap place that you found during the day?
Don’t beat yourself up if you strike out. If someone refuses your offer of chocolate or advice, they’re probably just having a bad day. There’s an old saying in sales, “Every no brings you one step closer to a yes”. Rather than get disheartened, you can always start talking to someone else.
But you don’t need to do all of the legwork. Just be accessible to the people around you. Wear a smile, make eye contact from time to time, and do your best not to look like a budding sociopath.
Couples can be a slightly harder sell if you’re a single traveller. Being the third wheel is awkward for you, and it generally makes couples a little awkward if they need to make an extra effort to make you feel included. But if you’re in a couple of your own, I dare say you’ll have more luck meeting couples than finding a solo traveller looking to hang out. It’s just the nature of the beast.
Hanging with some of the crazy cool people I met on Mantaray Island
Hostels are one of the best ways to forge great new friendships. Most of these people aren’t the kinds of people you’ll see again. You might spend one or two fantastic days exploring a new city with them and then part ways. Sure, you’ll exchange Facebook information and stay in touch for a while – but eventually that will fade and you’ll be left with some great memories of good times.
And sometimes you’ll meet some fantastic people with whom you’ll stay in contact for the rest of your lives. The key is that you won’t find any of the above if you’re not open to it. Smile and be friendly, and if you’re on your own, don’t be afraid to strike out and start up a conversation with a friendly face. You’ll be grateful for it in the long run.
Your Say
What are your secret tips and tricks for making friends on the road?
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