Would you ever go to Europe with a stranger?
Jul 31st, 2002, 07:38 PM
#1
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Would you ever go to Europe with a stranger?
Just taking a personal poll...would you ever go to Europe with someone you buddied-up with on the internet? I have also said no way but so many people are doing it because they have trouble finding travel buddies with similar interests...what do you guys think?
Jul 31st, 2002, 08:22 PM
#7
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Hmm. Me a wacko!! I pass for normal at home. (I think.) But how do you folks know I am a real person?<BR>Like one of the Federal Credit Union guidelines: "Accounts not belonging to natural persons ....."<BR>I presume then that some accounts belong to unnatural persons.<BR><BR>
Aug 1st, 2002, 12:57 AM
#8
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Yes, there are a few people I would travel with based on an internet friendship. But it would have to be a long-term friendship, like over 1 year, for example. And it would most likely be someone that my other internet buddies knew as well.<BR><BR>I'm a very cautious person and I'm a good judge of character, so it would be someone that I knew REALLY well, someone I've e-mailed quite a bit, IMd with a lot, interacted with on a message board and observed his/her interaction with others, someone I've written to and received letters from, someone I've spoken to on the phone, maybe met once or twice in person, etc., etc..
Aug 1st, 2002, 06:31 AM
#9
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Beware. Hiho may be a little bit too eager to join you on your trip.<BR><BR>Author: Paige ([email protected])<BR>Date: 07/26/2001, 07:25 am<BR><BR>Message: Hello! I'm just starting to think about a trip for October and am looking for opinions. We want to go someplace that isn't cold and is relatively inexpensive. We're not into lying on the beach but prefer hiking, wandering around, an occassional church or museum and relaxing some. I'd love to hear your opinions on Malta vs. Crete or any other place. Thanks!<BR><BR>---------------------------------------<BR> <BR>Author: Hiho ([email protected])<BR>Date: 07/26/2001, 07:41 am<BR><BR>Message: I am jealous of your choice! I have been to neither place, so I probably can't help you decide, but I have a desire to go to Malta - just haven't made it yet. One difference is that Crete is much larger, so the things to see/do will be more varied. On the other hand, if you go to Malta, you will be able to hit all of the highlights in one stay. To me, the small town of Mdina sounds fascinating, as does old town Valleta. October would be a great time to go to any Med. island, as the tourist hordes will be gone, but the weather will still be pleasant. <BR><BR>Other islands to think about are the Balearics (Spain), and though not in the Med. - Madeira, where the hiking is suppose to be really good, if you are into that. <BR><BR>Maybe you want some company on the trip!?!?<BR> <BR>
Aug 1st, 2002, 06:39 AM
#10
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Yes, I second BeatChick's thoughts. I'd be cautious as well, but finding the right person, and trusting my intuition, I'd take the plunge and travel with an internet contact. Actually, it would be interesting to put together a small group of 5-10 to visit Paris or Veince for a few days. I've listened to several on here, and I'd certainly be willing to take a risk and travel with them. It's relatively easy to sort of the good from the bad.
Aug 1st, 2002, 06:47 AM
#12
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And if anyone ever considers a group, please post. I don't think that would violate Fodors' rules. It would be interesting to see whether we could build up enough trust to actually bring it off. If it's been done before, lets please hear about it. Thanks.
Aug 1st, 2002, 07:10 AM
#14
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I've done it once. I posted re anyone interested in Poland and Romania in Jan 2001. Had 3 interested parties. Two ended up having conflicts but one Linda joined up with me. We did a lot of e-mailing and spoke on the phone several times. We did get to meet at the San Francisco fodorite GTG. She turned out to be a very flexible traveler as I am and we did discuss and change out itinerary a couple of times during the trip. She was also a very good navigator and driver during out trip. Good sense of humor and we had a very nice trip. I usually travel by myself but I have met about 45 fodorites without a bad one in the lot, so I guess it could happen again.
Aug 1st, 2002, 10:18 AM
#16
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I think you do need to be careful. But with that being said, I am doing this very same thing next month. I am taking an European tour and started corresponding with someone in San Diego, so her and I decided to room together for the trip (I live in Detroit). I think you can usually get a pretty good sense of what someone may be like if you take enough time to correspond with them. I met my ex-boyfriend online and it turned out fine. We talked for over a year before we met, but it was fine when we met and now we still remain friends. In fact, Im meeting up with an internet friend in Dublin one night. Good looking and great job, sounds wonderful and we've spoken many times on the phone. So as long as your careful there shouldn't be too much to be concerned about. I'll let you all know what happens with my travels when I return.
Aug 1st, 2002, 11:30 AM
#18
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I have met about 10 Fodorites after initially corresponding with them on this board. (I am not including the SF GTG when I met a lot of Fodorites, most of whom I "knew" only from their posts on this board).<BR><BR>Usually a conversation about travel is taken off board (onto email) and we correspond for a while and get to know one another a little better before the suggestion to meet is made. <BR><BR>These meetings are of a shorter duration (typically a meal or a day touring a market local to me) rather than extended travelling arrangements.<BR><BR>On a smaller board I use daily (which allows more privacy and intimacy) I have got to know some internet friends very well. There are certainly a number amongst this group whom I would have litte hesitation in travelling with. <BR><BR>Certainly some of the group have already vacationed together and a number met for short get togethers, like our Fodorite GTGs.<BR><BR>Though it is easier for someone to hide the truth over the internet it can also be easier for many to share the truth - to talk more openly about themselves on first contact than they would when first meeting a stranger in the flesh. <BR><BR>With experience comes the ability to get a feel for how genuine your internet friend really is, though of course there is no guarantee. But then again, there is no guarantee with friends met in the flesh either. Just read all the horror stories on travel companions from hell, shared on this board, where most of the travel companions are well-known. "real life" friends before travelling.
Aug 1st, 2002, 11:47 AM
#20
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I find it odd how some of you consider an exception to the no-stranger rule, just because she is clever. She is still a stranger. Although some of you claim to have met her, "she" could be a 300 lb., hairy, male biker, with a record. Granted, I suspect she is a she, and that she exists and is relatively harmless, but I would submit she is no less anonymous (unless you really have met her). Dangerous people who use the internet to pursue their evil goals probably wouldn't be very successful, unless they, too, were somewhat clever or charismatic.
