During my world tour in 2009 which lasted 1 and a half years, I met many people and most of the connections I made were good ones. Why?
Key Takeaway
Good and bad encounters while traveling: the good ones transform you, let you discover a country, and stay with you for life. The bad ones teach you caution and self-reliance. Both are part of the traveler’s experience.
The good and bad moments during a trip.
To be honest with you, it is difficult to distinguish good and bad encounters from the first day. A person can be a bad encounter or a good encounter, it depends on the circumstances, the experience, and many other things. I spoke in another article about places conducive to meetings, this time, I will tell you several of my stories.
- When I was in Tasmania, we were in a caravan park. There were many people looking for work. When no one had work, it was every man for himself. If I had left at that time, I would probably have had a bad memory of Tasmania. When everyone had found work, everything went well. In fact, those same friends drove 300km to come pick me up in a remote town and found me work for two and a half months.
- When I was in Sydney, Australia, I met a German woman leaving a club. She told me she was going to Thailand like me. So I shared a bungalow with her for a week along with a French woman and a Mexican in Koh Phangan.
- On this same island, I then met an Israeli woman with whom I got along well and with whom I then traveled for 2 weeks. It was a nice encounter
Did you know?
According to a study by Cornell University, travel experiences generate more lasting happiness than material purchases, even 10 years later. Encounters during travel contribute to 40% of this satisfaction.
Why and how did I have good encounters?
I think it is related to travel, because people want to meet people. There is also a kind of karma, if you enjoy the place, have a good time, everything falls into place and I was also open to encounters. I could easily communicate with people since I speak several languages.
I think all the conditions were present to have good encounters.
My experience
My best encounter: a Balinese schoolteacher who invited me to sleep in his village after 1 hour of conversation at the temple. My worst: a fake friend in Bangkok who tried to steal my money at the bar. Both left a mark on me.
Bad encounters
| Type of encounter | Opinion |
|---|---|
| Couchsurfing | Very good |
| Backpacker hostel | Good |
| Tour-guide | Variable |
| Street encounter | Risky |
| Locals in temple/market | Excellent |
When I was in Victoria (Cobram), I spotted an office to look for work and I found a job without knowing the place where I was going to work. I then met other French people with whom I discussed their adventure and the town. They told me that at the moment many people were not earning much money and that it was a bit of a mess. I then went to work with people I met at the campsite and I was driven by car to the farm. At the end of the workday, the people who had accompanied me left without me. I had to walk for an hour to find my way back to the campsite, it was really miserable. For example, it was a bad encounter and bad experience, because I did not know the conditions in this town.
Advantages
- Long-term memory of good encounters
- Learning about another culture
- Discovery of off-radar places
- Building a global network
- Vivid memories after years
Weaknesses
- Risk of scams
- Possible disappointment after returning from a trip
- Difficulty maintaining contacts
- Intense emotional investment
- Risk of hasty judgment
Why did I have a bad encounter?
The classic trap to avoid
Never give your phone number, your hotel, or your detailed plans to a stranger met on the street or on the beach, especially in a tourist area. Targeted scams often start with a quick friendship.
The town’s climate did not allow for good terms with everyone, because there was no work. In this kind of climate, it’s every man for himself. You can’t count on anyone. There is mistrust in the air.
In the same vein, the article on choosing the right offers useful insight. Our feedback on meetings while traveling also provides good leads, and the guide dedicated to the luck factor in nicely rounds out the picture.
And you, do you think that bad and good encounters are connected? And that depending on the mindset of the place, it is more conducive to good encounters or bad ones?
How to meet locals while traveling?
Couchsurfing, chat applications (Tandem), family-run restaurants, religious festivals, markets.
How to avoid bad encounters?
Gradual trust, never share personal information at the start, follow your instinct, check profiles.
How to keep in touch after the trip?
WhatsApp, Instagram, exchanging addresses. But most contacts naturally fade after 6-12 months.
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