By Amber Jesson

So, your flight is booked, your visa is granted and your bag is (finally) packed. You’ve said goodbye to your friends and your family and you’ve taken that first step onto the plane. Whether you plan to visit Australia for a week, a month or a year, not many of us acknowledge how much courage it truly takes to make the decision to travel solo. But the good news is, the hard part is over. 

Your time in Australia is going to be SO exciting, full of new adventures, places, and people, as you begin to tick off all of those bucket list moments you’ve been dreaming about for so long! 

I have been travelling Australia solo for the last 11 months, so I hope you can trust me when I say, I have been where you are right now. Solo travelling is an exhilarating feeling. It builds confidence, pushes you out of the realms of your comfort zone and improves your communication skills BUT…it also comes with its setbacks, and loneliness can sometimes creep in. That is a completely normal emotion and the simple reality of travelling solo.

In these moments, connecting with fellow travellers is so important and there are numerous top tips you can follow that will help finding those travel friends just that little bit easier and make your time here even more special.  

Join Hostel Activities

Many hostels you may visit whilst travelling Australia host their own daily activities, giving you a perfect opportunity to meet other fellow travellers who, most often than not, are in a similar situation to you. These activities are designed to help people bond in a fun, interactive environment ranging from day trips such as City Walks to Beach Visits as well as evening events like Karaoke, Trivia Nights and one of my personal favourites – Wine & Cheese nights.

WakeUp! Sydney Central for example has a weekly activity schedule that I highly recommend you make the most of when you stay. I remember being super anxious my first night as I was in a big city – there was so much to see and it was quite overwhelming. I had to keep reminding myself that I’d already completed the hardest part and now this was the fun bit! So, I went to the hostels $5 Pizza Night and Musical Bingo thinking I’d only stay for an hour. 4 hours later, I had made some amazing friends who I spent the rest of my time in Sydney with and we even spontaneously went to a Tom Grennan concert after getting tickets last minute! After 3 days in Sydney, I already felt on top of the world.

Dorm Room Chats

Ok, I know the feeling you have as soon as you hear the words ‘dorm room chats’. You walk in and see someone sitting on their bed or maybe doing their make-up. Your tummy goes a little funny and your brain just goes…blank. 

What do I say? How do I start a conversation? What if it’s awkward?

Take a breath! Trust me, they are probably thinking and feeling the exact same way as you are.

The good thing about most dorm rooms is how open they are. Dorm layouts are designed to encourage interaction with a large central open space and shared bunk-beds. They remove the awkwardness of trying to approach someone to start a conversation, as the shared space feels friendly and invites communication. Nobody likes a silent dorm room, so I encourage you to be bold and start the conversation if you find you are in one!    

The best way to tackle those first initial dorm room chats is to have a couple of easy conversation starter prompts that helps breaks the silence and will make you feel more comfortable. Here are some of my tried and tested conversation starters:

”Where are you from? I’ve just arrived from [destination]”

“How long have you been staying at the hostel? Are you travelling anywhere after here?”

”Are you travelling solo? Me too.”

”What are your plans for today?“

“Do you have any good recommendations on [things to do / places to see / food spots]?”

What’s great is that these conversation starters are not limited to just your dorm room. By hanging out in the common areas of your hostel, such as the kitchen, lounge room or dining area, you’ll meet an abundance of travellers that you can get to know and interact with.

Once you have opened up the conversation and started to get to know your fellow hostel mates, it becomes a lot easier. Keep up the conversations, extend an invitation to the hostel activities, your day plans, or even to cook a meal together in the kitchen!

The one thing you should ALWAYS carry around

One of my favourite aspects of travelling is the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. Although I am originally from the UK, some of my closest friends are Canadian, French, Dutch and Australian which brings a wonderful blend of different cultures and languages to our friendship groups. 

That’s why I am going to share with you a little secret and the most important item that should be found in your backpack…a pack of playing cards.

You can buy them ANYWHERE. I picked my trusty ones up from Paddy’s Market in Sydney for only $2.  

Playing cards is a universal language. They are easy to carry and easy to teach – which is handy, especially if English isn’t your first language. Drinking games? Play cards. Hanging out in the common area? Play cards. Wholesome beach day? Play cards. Stuck for something to do on those rainy days (and yes, Australia does have rain too). Play cards! 

Simply asking, “does anyone want to play cards?” will open up a window for travellers all over the world to join you and get socialising!

Share Your Plans

If you are travelling the East Coast, most often than not other travellers are either going one of two ways – from Sydney up to Cairns or down to Melbourne via The Great Ocean Road. Typically, they will be travelling through all of those popular destinations that you too may be visiting; Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, Fraser Island, Brisbane, Airlie Beach or Magnetic Island! 

Casually sharing your travel plans with other travellers you meet may seem simple, but it’s such a good way to make friends as you never know who might have similar plans to you – maybe even on the same dates! Add each other on your socials, keep in touch and I promise, it immediately makes you feel less alone. Remember to be bold and reach out to them once you are there.

Even just being able to recognise one person you can say ‘hey’ to in the common room of your hostel can bring a lot of reassurance.

Get to know your community!

Like me, you may decide to stay in a place longer than your usual traveller! After a few weeks in Sydney, I knew this was where I wanted to lay my roots and make my home. If you are on a Working Holiday Visa (WHV) this may even be for work purposes. Just because you’ve settled in one place, doesn’t mean you can’t still make connections with new friends, fellow travellers or other Working Holiday Makers. If anything – it’s more important now than ever!  

Get to know your local community through local run clubs, community yoga classes, organised meet and greets, party nights and even Facebook Groups. I’ve listed some great links to get you started: 

Sydney Based

Australia-wide

Connecting with fellow travellers can be daunting but it doesn’t need to be. This is the fun part where you really get to begin enjoying this new adventure you have embarked upon! 

By staying at hostels that focus on creating the perfect environment for connecting with other travellers such as WakeUp! Sydney, joining hostel activities, sharing your travel plans and remembering to carry around that pack of playing cards – you’ll have all the right tools and tips to make your Australia experience memorable, with meaningful connections and new friends.

Be brave, put yourself out there and embrace this time and the travel community you will find in abundance in beautiful Australia. I know I have. 


About Amber Jesson

@amberjesson

Amber is a 26 year old creative from Warwickshire, England. Arriving in Australia in January 2024, Amber has spent the past year travelling the East Coast on a Working Holiday Visa. During her time in Australia, she has lived in Noosa and Sydney and taken groups of travellers up the East Coast hitting all the best spots through her work as a tour guide. She is passionate about art, photography and travel and loves sharing her travel stories with other fellow travellers!