Backpacking alone gives opportunity to meet interesting people
Published: 04/02/2009
DUBLIN, Ireland – There’s nothing like the people you meet while traveling. It could be that couple in the seats next to you on the flight or the girl across from you on the train. It could be hostel roommates or random strangers in pubs. It could even be the guy with a WSU hat on a train in Galway, Ireland.
But whatever chance encounter leads to spontaneous friendships, meeting interesting people from around the globe is one of the most valuable aspects of traveling on a budget. And something that seems to happen all the more when traveling by yourself.
To get the most out of my thin wallet, I’ve stayed in hostels on all my excursions in Europe. Though some may shirk at the idea of sharing a room with total strangers, I’ve found it to be an unrivaled opportunity to meet new people, and certainly no less comfortable than a fraternity sleeping porch.
During the past weekend, I traveled to Ireland. Alone. While I had not planned to make the trip solo, when a friend canceled on me, I thought: “Why not? At least they speak English in Ireland.” I couldn’t be happier that I choose to take the leap and venture into a foreign country unaccompanied. Traveling alone was a unique challenge, a chance to push myself far outside the comfort zone. And it gave me the prospect of meeting fellow travelers from all over Europe.
Like my hostel roommates from France. They introduced themselves with heavy French accents as Antoine, Jacquine, Henri and Antoine Two, and they were wildly entertaining. We talked for hours about Shawn Kemp and the 1990s Seattle Sonics (apparently they were huge in France) and debated the merits of Guinness. I love Ireland’s favorite drink. They argued it’s more like syrup than beer.
Or the Cougar alumnus I met in the seaside town of Galway, located on the Emerald Isle’s Atlantic coast. I first saw the WSU logo during my three-hour train from Dublin to Galway, and couldn’t have been more surprised. As we got off at the station, I walked up to the man and simply said, “Go Cougs." He laughed and replied with an enthusiastic, “Go Cougs." After telling him I went to WSU and talking Cougar sports for a few minutes, we went our separate ways, though it was a chance encounter I’ll not soon forget.
On Saturday night my hostel flooded. I returned from the pubs in Dublin’s historic Temple Bar district to find fire engines and the hostel guests waiting outside. The water hit an electrical line, and no one was allowed in until morning. At first I was disappointed at the grim prospect of spending the night in the bus station next door, but then I met Patrick.
“I think it’s a good thing, this flood,” Patrick said with a thick eastern European accent. “Otherwise, we’d all just be in bed, and that’s not exciting at all.” And he was right.
We passed the night merrily in the bus station, drinking champagne, vodka and cranberry juice with girls from London and discussing how many better types of vodka there are than Smirnoff. Born in Slovakia and now residing in Hungary, Patrick knew and loved his vodka.
At least once in life, I highly recommend everyone simply take off somewhere alone. Don’t worry about what may happen or what could go wrong, just keep your mind open and make the most of the experience. I promise it will be a trip to remember.
And keep your eyes out for the WSU logo. You never know where it will turn up.
http://www.dailyevergreen.com/story/28292
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