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  • Hello, fellow travelers. Welcome.

  • Recently I talked about traveling alone and how absolutely fulfilling, exciting, and amazing it can be.

  • But today, I thought I would take that topic a step further.

  • Because traveling alone, yes, it's about being alone, but paradoxically, it is also a great way to meet new people.

  • The first thing you have to do is turn on that very elusive 6th sense, and the 7th, and the 8th.

  • Because if you want to meet new people or strike up a conversation with a stranger, you are going to have to be sensitive to what's around you.

  • So you can read the signs and send out the right signals.

  • So here are some Dos and Don'ts.

  • Meeting new people is easier than you think, I promise.

  • First of all, you gotta choose the right location.

  • Bars are great, but the early hours. None of those 4 am senseless conversations.

  • Coffee houses, any restaurant that has a communal table is fantastic.

  • Basically, wherever you have a sense of community.

  • If you see people sharing benches or tables, bingo.

  • If they are sitting alone, quiet, with their heads in a book, with headphones, not so much.

  • So respect the space, just read the signs.

  • Asking questions that require more than a yes or no answer is the best way to start up a conversation.

  • But you have to ease into it.

  • So first, you start off with something very simple, a classic, something like, "It's a beautiful day, right?"

  • And then, if they answer very quickly and move right on to texting, you move on.

  • If you get a little bit more of a hefty answer, then you wham them with your next question, which is more in-depth.

  • So it could be something like, "You know, I'm visiting, do you have any favorite spots around here that you can recommend?"

  • And then, you take it up from there.

  • You'll be surprised that how easy this is.

  • What I have learned is that people, in general, like to talk.

  • So as long as you're not threatening, and you're friendly, and you're willing to listen, you're in a great position to start with.

  • The golden rule here is to not do this with the sole purpose of finding a lifelong friend every time you go out.

  • That will not happen.

  • You have to be absolutely OK with going out there and having no one want to talk to you.

  • And believe me, if that happens, there's nothing wrong with you.

  • You're absolutely friendly, and wonderful, and amazing, and lovely.

  • You just didn't run into anyone that wanted to strike up a chat.

  • So, totally OK.

  • But, let me tell you.

  • I have made lifelong friends because of this, and it's absolutely wonderful, very rare, and maybe you'll just have a short little conversation on a bench that you'll remember forever.

  • Bottom line is this: You have to be open and try it out.

  • And the next time that somebody sits next to you and strikes up a conversation with you, remember those moments when they let you down, and talk it up.

  • Alright guys. So, try it out, go out there, meet some people, talk to strangers, make it happen, and let me know how it went below in the comments.

  • It's super scary at first, but it gets so much easier with time.

  • Come back next Thursday, ciao!

Hello, fellow travelers. Welcome.

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