Life changing people you meet while travelling

Being an adventurer traveller can be rough sometimes, moments when you feel lonely and defenceless. Facing situations that make you realise how far away you are from all those that you reach when you are in need; whether it is a relative or a friend, all of them are miles away from you.

Have you ever found yourself stuck inside a train across China for 24 hours, travelling by mistake in a carriage that is probably considered like 5^th class, with no seat, surrounded with people that do not speak your language and that are probably wondering what is this crazy foreigner doing here?

Well, I did. But the best part of these stories are not the upside downs or what I went through to endure the trips. What was totally worth it and I’ll always remember are those kind and selfless characters that without knowing me put their time and effort to ease the discomfort, those who changed my life forever.

But this story is one of many. For Travel Blogger Wendy was Catarina and her taxi called Milano 25, the best taxi ride ever.

“It looked like she and her car escaped out of a fairy-tale. She inherited the taxi from her partner who died of cancer and to whom she promised to keep driving the car. Besides her work as a very special cabdriver, she also arranges free rides to the hospital for little cancer patients. She turns the trip into a party and makes them forget the misery for a while (Click here to read more about her story). – Wendy–

People you meet while travelling that make you see life in a different way. Someone once told Travel Vlogger Sian Galbraith from Sians Travel Diary: “While travelling you can meet the most amazing, interesting, inspiring people for one day and never see them again”.

“I always remember the ones that changed my life, especially a man I met in Chiang Mai travelling with his daughter. Full of stories from around the world he truly inspired me to live my life to the fullest. I thought I had been, until I met him and I realised I had so much more to experience. So for that, I thank him from the bottom of my heart”. – Sian Galbraith-

Or like Douk in Cambodia the most memorable face Travel Blogger Daniel James (from Dan Flying Solo) has ever met.

“For many, he would be a beggar quickly dismissed, but to me he was a businessman. Taking time out to enjoy a drink together in Pub Street he told me about his life story and how he tragically lost his arms. The fact he still came to work each day, selling his book collection impressed me. He gifted me a copy of ‘Cambodian for beginners’ so we would be able to understand each other better next time I visited. It’s still in my backpack 18 months on and it’s a gesture I’ll never forget (Click here to read more about this story)”. -Dan-

Travelling sometimes comes with getting the ticket for the wrong destination, delayed flights or loosing your connection, that is when people you’ve met, your Airbnb host, or even the owner from the hostels become those friends you reach when you are in need.

Katie from Creative Travel Guide and her friend had to reach their hostel when they found themselves stuck at Chengdu Airport in China.

“It was super late after a delayed flight and we couldn’t get a taxi for an hour! Rang the hostel and they immediately sent out their driver. Turned out the driver was the hostel owner who was pushing 80 and whose daughters ran the hostel for him. He was the sweetest little man we have ever met! He also drove us to the Leshan Buddha the following day, spoke no word of English but yet we felt like we could really connect with him as the attempted to direct us around the Buddha”. – Katie-

Also some of our ambassadors have experienced some of these issues themselves. Shelley Treadway from The Four Explore had to reach their Airbnb host when they missed their connection train in Naples and later ended up on a train back to their original destination AGAIN!! Lucky for them he offered to pick them up and take them to his second home. What a relief!

“When we first met Marco we immediately knew he would be a lifelong friend. We spend the following days visiting him at his work as curator of the ancient Greek ruins of Paestum and grabbing the best pizza at his favourite local pizza restaurant. He knew EVERYONE and always made sure we knew where to go and how to get there.

When we met Marco I saw Italy in a new light. The friendship we forged will undoubtedly last a lifetime”. – Shelley –

Finally there are those you meet through Social Networks. Which according to Travel Blogger Ana Asanovic despite the fact that they are of different age, sex or occupation they all share the same trait: they are warm, friendly and hospitable people, willing to share everything and asking nothing in return. That is what makes them unique and special.

“I’ve been so lucky to meet great people during my travels. They mostly came through Couchsurfing and with the ones I bonded we still keep in touch even though we live in different corners of the world. Having locals like that in a new country is something priceless. People who cook delicious local food, introduce you to their family and friends, and make room for you in their busy lives”. – Ana-

Local hosts can make your trip flow easier because they know the city and can also speak your language. They make you feel safe and comfortable, and sometimes give you that boost of confidence to keep going to new places knowing that you’ll be able to find someone that will make you feel at home. Brenda Mejía from Traveleira shared with us how she met some of the most amazing people while traveling.

“ While staying in Malmo, Sweden for my first trip I was lucky enough to have a Chilean Couchsurfing hostess that made my first trip abroad a lot more comfortable. Going home and being able to speak on my same language or about things that we were both familiar made my transition to become a real traveller a lot better.

And while in Oslo, Norway I had the chance to be hosted by Daisy through Airbnb, one of the sweetest hostess and persons I’ve ever met in my life. She treated all of us her guests like we were part of her own family and made our stays a lot more comfortable and fun. I’m hoping I can see her again soon!” – Brenda G. Mejía-

That is the beauty of Social Networks for Travellers like Travello, they allow us to reach and connect with different characters around the world, people that could become friends for life or help us through difficult times.

So if you ever need help from locals or others travellers, remember that Travello (Download here) gives you the amazing benefit of connecting with others before you get to your destination or while you are traveling. In our app connecting with others is just a signup away.