So I started thinking a couple of days ago on what would be the best way to meet local people in each of the areas I'm traveling. First I thought I'd just show up and meet up with other travelers in the hotels/hostels I'm staying at. But then I thought, "They're probably just as green as me and won't know anything else other than what's inside the local guide books".
Then I started thinking how've I've met friends over the last couple of years. It used to be I would meet friends at school, work, and through other friends. Over the last year or so, most of my friends I've met have been through social websites such as Meetup.com. I've even tried online dating and suprisingly met quite a few nice people there too. The thought occurred to me, why not try contacting people using these mediums and see if anyone would be willing to show me around their cities. Afterall, this is the way people communicate now right? It's made billionaires out of people who were able to captitalize on the idea early on. Imagine trying to do this 5 or 6 years ago. It would have been virtually impossible. So I've messaged people all over Asia and have received quite a few responses back from people willing to meet and show me around. The response level is a lot higher that I ever imagined! I can't wait to try some of the local foods and check out some of the sites that tourists don't know about. I've always been open to making friends all over and making new friends in Asia is going to be exciting!
I just love the internet!!!
There are sites that support your activity without having to try using indirect means. Look for social networking sites specifically for single travelers. For example - http://www.travbuddy.com/ . The basic premise of this site and others like it is to connect travelers to the same area and hosts in that area.
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