What’s the best way to meet new people while traveling?

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I never really caught the bug to go travelling.

While gap years seem to be common now, it was not even a thing when I was young. We went straight from university into a job, if we could find one.

I’ve travelled as an adult, but the prospect of going someplace far away never particularly enthused me. I would go somewhere, and if I liked it, I’d go back. Simple as that. Generally not to the exact same place, but somewhere in the area. But it was never particularly a requirement that those places be faraway.

I travelled for work, early on. When I was in my twenties, I worked in the USA and looking back, one of the things I remember most was how badly air passengers were treated. And it seems to have become worse, not better. At least three times this summer, the UK’s Air Traffic Control system has gone down. Most flights for the day cancelled. No notice, no compensation. And the agency palms the public off.

The problem was due to a glitch.

Well, obviously. I can’t think of any other business where a paying customer is treated so badly. For that reason alone, I’m happy to vote with my feet.

The other thing was that travel to the US took so long. Even to the east coast, which is the coast nearest to me, it was an eight-hour flight. That’s a long time to sit in a cramped airplane. I know, that’s an entirely subjective opinion, but it put me off intercontinental travel. And especially now we know how carbon-expensive flying is, that’s another reason to stay on the ground.

So I confined myself to Europe after that. Had it written into work contracts that any travel would be with my agreement, Which I hardly ever gave. Only ever flew again on business a couple of times, both within the British Isles. Refused, even, short hops to Europe.

But I did travel for leisure. Within Europe, especially the North Sea rim, which was driveable. I visited many wonderful places, but I was that much older, and meeting new people was less important to me.

Looking back, there was a sweet-spot around the age of twenty when I was pretty gregarious. I guess at that age, so much is new to us and we have to meet people just to fit in.

But all my travel, pretty much anywhere, has happened since then.

So, now nearing sixty, I tend to keep myself to myself. Remember that meeting people is a very short step from bugging them, so I’m quite happy to keep myself to myself nowadays.