Backpack travelling is an amazing experience, but it also comes with certain things backpackers may worry about. Of course, running out of money or getting completely lost in a foreign city are among the most poignant ones. But sometimes, even the most sociable people worry that they will not make friends during their travels and that this will make them miss out on one of the greatest things about travelling in general. If you want to make sure that you find people whom you will befriend in your next backpacking trip, remember to follow these backpacker tips.
Stop Worrying
Really, there is little to worry about when it comes to making friends during your travels. If you think of it, there is a very high chance that most of the people you will encounter along the way are travelers just as you are, which consequently means that they are in the same kind of situation as you are. Generally speaking, this makes people friendlier and more sociable and this brings us back to the fact that you should not worry about not making friends when you travel.
Stay in a Hostel
If you can afford it, travelling in high style can be a good experience. But sometimes, backpacking and low-budget travelling are much, much better, and for a good number of reasons. Travelling on a budget usually means that you will have to find cheap accommodation and one of the cheapest means of accommodating yourself while you travel is by staying in a hostel.
Leaving aside the obvious financial benefits of doing so, there is something more to it: you get to actually meet like-minded people. Most of the people who stay in hostels will be just like you: curious to discover the world, somewhat anxious and most likely running on the same budget as you are. All these similarities will help you befriend a lot of people.
Even more than that, hostels with dining areas make for even more opportunities to meet people. If you are staying in the hostel for a longer period of time, you get the chance to befriend people from various cultures, to throw amazing parties and to eat foods specific to their countries as well.
Volunteer
If you plan on travelling for an extended period of time, then one of the best things you can do both for yourself and for those around you is to volunteer. There are many organizations out there permanently looking out for volunteers to help with various causes. This comes with many benefits. First and foremost, you will get the chance to make a difference for someone out there, which is a great thing on its own and which should be the very first and most important reason you are volunteering in the first place.
Even more than that, depending on the organization and on the location, many volunteers receive food and sometimes even accommodation as well. Also, this makes for a great opportunity to make many friends with whom you will probably maintain a relationship for a very long time from now on.