Meeting Travel Companions
 

Hey guys, just counting down the days and i was curious if any of you have had any nightmare stories regarding meeting various travelers that you have met through forums such as Fodors? I have emailed back and forth several other travlers my age (24) that will be visiting the same cities as me during my travels. I figured it would be really cool to make plans to meet with these people, but thats just me being optimistic as always.

So, to all that wish to share, tell me your amazing stories of horror and joy while meeting other travelers.


Thanks,

Adam

Adam
Do you play the lotteries? If you believe that you're going to win, go for the meetings during your travels.

Blackduff

Check out replies to a simlar question here. It pertained to traveling together with an almost stranger.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34756843

I'm assuming you're talking about meeting up, kind of like the Fodor's GTGs (get togethers). I've never met up with people I "met" online, so I can't tell you my experiences.

It does seem that the GTGs listed here are quite successful, so I don't see why your little GTGs can't be as well.

I met a few Fodorites, just one at a time, in NY and here in Portland..we joke about being "online ax murderers" :)
But I am lucky, most of the people I have met, remain my friends and we go out to lunch and shop together and send cards when we travel..of course, there are some I met online that I was spared meeting in person, as I found out later that they were a big lapse in judgement.
I guess you just have to go with your gut feeling and be sure you know what you are doing... or at least, be sure someone knows where you went if you don't show up LOL

I've heard, yeah, they're all crazy ax-murderers. (just kidding).

You don't really have much to lose meeting up with online friends--you'll be in public places and generally traveling people are laidback, friendly, adventurous types. There'll be bunches of other travelers about for you to meet and do things with, so don't think you'll be "stuck" with your online friends if they suck and you don't want to continue hanging out with them... (god forbid)

If you wanted to be overly cautious, you can always exchange pics just to ensure that they don't have horns or a third eye, etc.

adam - Go for it and meet up with the others. On my first trip to Italy last October, I met up with people I met here and through SlowTrav in both Rome and Florence.

One was a lunch GTG at a locals house up on thier terrace that overlooked the Colosseum! Just an amazing view. There were about 15 of us and later that night there was group of 8 that got together for dinner.

What ever you do, just have a good time.

Tom

Well, that travelling with an almost-stranger is a totally different thing than meeting up with people for dinner or a drink. Last Sept in Italy, I met Fodorites for dinner twice, once in Florence and once in Rome, and it was a lot of fun, we had a great time. Go for it!

IM for sure going to attempt to meet w/ as many other travelers i meet online or onlong my trip as well. I was just curious if anyone had any good stories or bad ones

I have met several people I got to know through IgoUgo.com, the travel site where I post my amateur travel writing and photos. The site hosts a get-together once a year. I went a couple years ago, shared a room with a someone I had met through the site for four days, and had a wonderful time. I also met up with another IgoUgo-er in Paris last fall for five days (we spent most of our time together, although we didn't share a room). Both experiences were terrific, and I'd do it again. But in these cases, I had spent significant time e-mailing and phoning these people before the trip and felt comfortable with them. That particular site makes it really easy for travelers to interact on a more personal level, so it is probably easier to get to that stage with someone.

I am fairly new here on Fodors, but there are some folks here I would definitely be interested in meeting, if our paths should cross some day.