Making Friends in NYC

I truly encourage solo travel. More than ever now – especially after just spending some of the best 10 days of my life travelling solo in New York City.

The reason for this is one answer. Couchsurfing. I decided to delve right in to this huge online travel community, something I had only dipped my toes in to previously. After posting on the NYC page asking if anyone wanted to join me explore the sights and nightlife, the response I received was wonderfully open and kind. Sure, a lot of messages from men who i’m sure are using the site for potential romance, but also a lot of girls and guys, just like me, open for company and friendship while discovering this amazing city.

photo courtesy: starlinkaviation

I love to travel solo because I can be on my own time schedule, see and do whatever I feel that day and just truly relax in my own company. There’s something thrilling and peaceful about wandering in a city alone, people watching and knowing you can do whatever you want with no judgement. But at the same time you can meet as many people as you want being by yourself, there’ll never be a time when you’re more approachable. It’s the ultimate freedom.

This trip I decided I didn’t want to be by myself for a second. I wanted to meet as many people as possible and create stories that i’d remember forever. NYC didn’t disappoint.

It’s a strange concept meeting up with strangers. Waiting to meet someone without knowing what they really look like, only perhaps by the small blurred photos from various social media sites. Having to text and ask “What colour top do you have on?” in order to find your new potential travel companion. Of course as long as you meet safely at the right time and place, there’s no reason to fear what may happen when you eventually meet. And anyhow, a little bit of fear to fuel that adrenaline-rush of the unknown, is surely never a bad thing.

The first time I decided to meet a couchsurfer I asked him to meet me outside Forever 21 at Times Square. It’s refreshing that some people genuinely have a passion and love for the city they grew up in, choosing to go out of there way to show travellers around their city. I was a bit nervous having never met anyone over the internet before. I had no clue what he looked like. Although a bit like a harmless puppy on speed, he was lovely and very friendly. I appreciated his eagerness to show me some interesting sights, useful information like free wifi spots and leaflets of top things to do. He apparantly does this almost every day.

photo courtesy: weheartit.com

I have a new-found addiction for that thrill of sitting in a bar on my own. That not knowing who you’ll meet, if you’ll meet anyone at all or where your night will lead to. I’m talking about connecting with a stranger, enjoying a night of talking and dancing in a new persons company.

I caught myself and stopped doing the look down at phone act – start scrolling through every text message ever received in the last year. By looking up, smiling at the bar staff and trying to exude the friendliest, confident vibes I could (without looking creepy), soon a group of friends nearby asked me to join them for there after-work drinks.

A few hours later, joined by an Australian couple, they all came with me to a bar across the city where I had arranged to meet more people from couchsurfers. The familiar question of what colour top we had on, led to 8 strangers, each of different nationalities, all meeting at a stunning rooftop bar in Manhattan.

We all spent the following week together, one of the best weeks of my life.

Everything about the trip was unexpected, from free limo rides through Manhattan at 6 in the morning, to meeting Harry Styles at a dive bar, getting in to some of the most exclusive clubs in the city, stumbling in to/joining in on a spectacular gay-parade show, being on NBC morning news, experiencing the cutest date i’ve been on, meeting the coolest girl i’ve ever met and forming some beautiful friendships.

My advice is never fear to explore a new place by yourself. Use couchsurfers to meet up with people, there are seriously more people than you may think who want to meet you and are seeking the exact same thing as you are. Be safe, be open to all people and personalities, be brave and don’t let being by yourself ever stop you from doing what you want. Atleast you’ll get a good story out of it :).