Find a Travel Companion

Today's travel industry is geared primarily to those who travel, like the animals on Noah's Ark, two by two. Single travellers are generally faced with paying single supplements for hotel rooms, tours and cruises, and these supplements may double the cost of a room or trip. Some enlightened countries, primarily those in the German-speaking region, still have hotels where it is possible to get a single room, and there are a few travel companies that do not charge single supplements.

However, travel is a lot easier and usually cheaper if you can find a compatible companion. It is safer to travel in a pair rather than alone, and sometimes more fun. While it may be harder to meet locals, you will never lack for someone to talk with.

There are several online organisations that offer to match you up with a suitable travel mate. The longest established is www.travelcompanionexchange.com, the online version of a company established by Jens Jurgen back in the 1980s. I remember writing a column about it for The Globe and Mail (www.globeandmail.com) back then, and fortunately the organisation still exists. Jurgen is no longer actively involved.

This exchange offers three categories of membership--bronze which is free, silver for $12 for six months, and gold for $25 for six months. The paid categories offer more perks such as more detailed profiles. While it is not a dating site, some of the testimonials state that the individual found his or her mate that way.

Travbuddy.com is a similar group, and membership is free, as it is at www.travelchum.net. It wasn't possible to learn very much about these sites without registering. Travbuddy seemed to be a more active site, with a feature where you could input a country or activity and find potential travel mates. Travelchum had some articles on travel but the latest seemed to be from October, 2015.

Still another possibility is the site www2.wayn.com. Wayn stands for where are you now, it has been around for quite some time, and membership is free. However, I couldn't get much information about it without registering.

Keep in mind that travelling even with the most compatible companion will probably involve a lot of compromise. If you're not willing to compromise, you may be better off going alone. (This is what I do most of the time.)