A random MeFite is better than a random person from the hostel, right? Right???

November 19, 2011 7:58 PM

Metafilter travel buddy matchup?

There are a number of travel questions on the green coming from solo travelers, this being a very recent and typical example. I often see people asking for advice on how to meet other people while they are traveling. Is there any interest in starting a way for MeFites planning solo travel to certain areas or on certain dates to connect better?

This would be different than IRL as it currently seems to function because it would happen before the travel is definitely planned. So rather than "I will be in Iceland March 1st-7th. Will anyone be there to meet up?" it would be more like "I'd like to travel to East Asia in February or March. Is anyone up for coordinating part of a trip together?" or "I'd like to go to Machu Picchu sometime this year. Is anyone interested in joining me?" (And then of course people could take it to other mediums if they wanted to get to know each other better and to make specific plans.) Or is it permissible to use the existing IRL in this way? Thoughts?

posted by unannihilated to Feature Requests at 7:58 PM (76 comments total)

Very cool idea. I admit to secretly hoping to meet some Mefites on recent Intrepid trip to China and Hong Kong.
posted by bearwife at 8:09 PM on November 19, 2011 [1 favorite]

No, I don't think this would work very well at IRL. The Proposed category is really about proposing a public meetup in a specific location. There have been meetups with only a couple people present, but it sounds like you're looking for something beyond a meetup.

I don't know what the demand for something like this would be, but the bar is very, very high for adding another subsite. We're not likely to add an official travel meetup site.
posted by pb (staff) at 8:09 PM on November 19, 2011

"I'm going for a drive into the woods. Would anyone like to ride in the trunk?"
posted by Sys Rq at 8:10 PM on November 19, 2011 [23 favorites]

I think the Thorn Tree Lonely Planet site is all about that. Check it out, it might meet your needs. You could even shout out there for Metafilterites!
posted by bquarters at 9:02 PM on November 19, 2011

I like this pony. I'm traveling soon and would be interested in being able to post in IRL (no need for a subsite) about looking for temporary travel mefite-buddies abroad. I understand that this probably wouldn't be a possibility although I wish it was! Until next 11/11/11..
posted by Bron-Y-Aur at 9:44 PM on November 19, 2011

This is the opening premise for the next "Hostel" movie.
posted by Burhanistan at 10:01 PM on November 19, 2011 [1 favorite]

I often see people asking for advice on how to meet other people while they are traveling.

Huh? I often never see that.
posted by hal_c_on at 10:01 PM on November 19, 2011

I like the pony but maybe it could be a tag in AskMe or permitted (like in the preIRL days) on the grey? I'd certainly like to go see Macchu Picchu
posted by infini at 10:21 PM on November 19, 2011

I often see people asking for advice on how to meet other people while they are traveling.

Huh? I often never see that.
posted by hal_c_on




its a filtered site
posted by infini at 10:22 PM on November 19, 2011

If you do that subsite, could you add a ride share board?
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:26 PM on November 19, 2011

If you do that subsite, could you add a ride share board?
I think many mefites would benefit from booty.metafilter.com.


And then cat.metafilter.com is just logical.
posted by hal_c_on at 10:54 PM on November 19, 2011 [4 favorites]

I was going to suggest adding a Lonely Planet dropdown to our list of social sites as the compromise here. Thorn Tree really is the best place on the 'net to find conscientious, interesting, and intelligent travel partners - it's like the MeFi of globetrotting in so many ways.
posted by mykescipark at 11:11 PM on November 19, 2011 [5 favorites]

The Thorn Tree is great for travel info generally, and the information can be was-just-there (or am still there) recent. As far as matchups go, though, there's no replacement for checking someone out in person. I hooked up with someone via Thorn Tree a good decade back and it was not a good thing. Then immediately met heaps of wonderful people on the road and wondered why I'd ever bothered.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 11:47 PM on November 19, 2011 [1 favorite]

I am looking for a travel companion for my trip across the continent in a simple carriage, to hold my cat-basket, to provide simple joy and distraction and follow as I seek the mysterious island with the single tower where all answers will be found, bound forever in the cold and the mist.

No smokers.
posted by The Whelk at 12:49 AM on November 20, 2011 [12 favorites]

Has the cat been declawed?
posted by arcticseal at 1:14 AM on November 20, 2011 [2 favorites]

I am looking for an adventure-partner, but I probably wouldn't use ask.me to do it.
posted by fake at 7:29 AM on November 20, 2011

or IRL
posted by fake at 7:30 AM on November 20, 2011

there's a metafilter group over at couchsurfing.com - doesn't seem to get much use though
posted by mannequito at 7:33 AM on November 20, 2011

I'm actually co-founding a startup that does exactly this. If anyone's interested in working on it, lemme know via MeMail.

(not joking)
posted by Afroblanco at 12:16 PM on November 20, 2011 [4 favorites]

This would be seriously awesome. Often one of the biggest impediments to travel are cost and safety, and pairing or tripling up mitigates a huge portion of those factors.
posted by lazaruslong at 2:48 PM on November 20, 2011

This would be seriously awesome. Often one of the biggest impediments to travel are cost and safety, and pairing or tripling up mitigates a huge portion of those factors.

Umm...just because someone paid $5 to get onto metafilter.com doesn't mean they are safe to travel with.
posted by hal_c_on at 3:43 PM on November 20, 2011

I, for one, complain almost non-stop, snore, and have a tendency to vanish for hours at a time.
posted by The Whelk at 3:45 PM on November 20, 2011 [2 favorites]

All this time and I didn't realize The Whelk was my roommate.
posted by mannequito at 4:12 PM on November 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

Umm...just because someone paid $5 to get onto metafilter.com doesn't mean they are safe to travel with.

The people from Couchsurfing, Thorn Tree, or random people you meet at the hostel aren't necessarily safe to travel with either. The advantage I think MetaFilter might have over these other sites is that you have a history and community already built in. The thing I don't like about Couchsurfing is that it's so easy to make yourself look good by getting good recommendations from people in a tit-for-tat exchange of good recommendations. People rarely have bad reviews which makes me doubt the authenticity of the whole thing. With Metafilter you can check out someone's posting history to get a sense of who they are. You can meet up with them or talk to them in advance repeatedly, which is something you can't do with people you meet on the spot at hostels.

Anyway, hal_c, if you don't like the idea then simply don't use it. There's no need to continually visit the thread to downplay the need or usefulness.
posted by unannihilated at 4:43 PM on November 20, 2011 [3 favorites]

I actually got murdered in the woods by The Whelk.
posted by shakespeherian at 8:53 PM on November 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

zombie or ghost?
posted by infini at 8:59 PM on November 20, 2011

Shut up about owl creek shakes that was an accident
posted by The Whelk at 9:17 PM on November 20, 2011 [2 favorites]

Spoiler.
posted by SpiffyRob at 4:00 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'd love to see something that was ABSOLUTELY NOT Metafilter package tours, but, instead, people picking a place, say a particular hotel in a city, showing up, and then doing multiple excursions from there.

The thing is that this would have to be rare enough so that you'd achieve critical mass each time and common enough that it felt like a thing.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 5:54 AM on November 21, 2011

A random MeFite is better than a random person from the hostel, right? Right???

I doubt it.

And it's a lot easier to dump the person from the hostel.
posted by smackfu at 8:43 AM on November 21, 2011 [2 favorites]

(But then, I've never had much luck with pre-arranged travel companions anyway. You get safety and convenience and some cost savings, which is nice, but you need to somehow find a match in destination / time frame / budget / temperament / interests. Usually you end up compromising on one of those to find a match, and the overall travel isn't as good as it could be. And that's assuming you don't hate the companion one week into a two week trip.)
posted by smackfu at 8:54 AM on November 21, 2011

I actually got murdered in the woods by The Whelk.

Man, gay scene slang is way over my head these days.
posted by griphus at 8:58 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

ROAD TRIP!
posted by gomichild at 10:39 AM on November 21, 2011

Man, gay scene slang is way over my head these days.

omigod you guys he said it's 'over his head' you know what that means
posted by shakespeherian at 10:55 AM on November 21, 2011 [2 favorites]

Omigod you guys shakes said "you know what that means" which is an anagram of "A tomahawk hews Tony Nut." You know what that means!
posted by SpiffyRob at 11:24 AM on November 21, 2011

You can hew my Tony Nut with your tomahawk anytime, Spiffy.
posted by shakespeherian at 11:26 AM on November 21, 2011

Man, when they find out that's just code for "allow me to tousle your hair", they're gonna be really disappointed.
posted by SpiffyRob at 12:06 PM on November 21, 2011

You left out how I want to call you 'sport.'
posted by shakespeherian at 12:09 PM on November 21, 2011

Anagram: A foolishly wooly turnout tow putt ace.
posted by SpiffyRob at 12:19 PM on November 21, 2011

Omigod you guys shakes said "you know what that means" which is an anagram of "A tomahawk hews Tony Nut." You know what that means!

Also, it's an anagram of "Mount Tony Hawk. Sweat. Ah."
posted by griphus at 12:24 PM on November 21, 2011 [3 favorites]

GET OUT OF MY HEAD GRIPHUS
posted by The Whelk at 12:26 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

*chucks bucket of water*
posted by infini at 12:31 PM on November 21, 2011

I didn't know you were into that.
posted by The Whelk at 12:32 PM on November 21, 2011

Chucks bucket of water.

Anagram: Chuck's... bucket of water.

Well that's very good for a beginner.
posted by SpiffyRob at 12:55 PM on November 21, 2011 [3 favorites]

I don't really remember how I got into this thread but I'm glad I did.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:00 PM on November 21, 2011

GET OUT OF MY HEAD GRIPHUS

(Staccatto reading from a thick, suspiciously well-thumbed book.)

I... would like you... to... see my... Rob Halford album... collection... upstairs.

(The blank smile of a tourist who has no idea if what he said made any sense.)
posted by griphus at 2:10 PM on November 21, 2011 [3 favorites]

groooooouppppppppp hugggggggggg?



;p
posted by infini at 2:26 PM on November 21, 2011

going to housesit the overlook hotel... plowing co stops servicing the road thursday... anyone want in on thls
posted by crapmatic at 4:58 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

"You can hew my Tony Nut with your tomahawk anytime, Spiffy."

Wait, what's the hanky code for that again?
posted by klangklangston at 4:59 PM on November 21, 2011 [2 favorites]

shakes, good to see you're alright. About three weeks ago we stopped in Amsterdam, and I found you in the cafe under the hostel polishing off an entire loaf of that THC-extract chocolate banana bread. The next day we caught that boat to Morocco, remember? I lost track of you on board, whucha been up to?
posted by mannequito at 5:09 PM on November 21, 2011

Scrotal bifurcation?
posted by Burhanistan at 5:11 PM on November 21, 2011

Wait, what's the hanky code for that again?

The color out of space, left side.
posted by The Whelk at 5:23 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

I lost track of you on board, whucha been up to?

Man I don't even know. Everything is like brief phrases of memory-- there's a lumberjack singing Wagner, then I remember like a pink light and someone eating three boxes of Triscuits. Somewhere there's a deep voice intoning 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' in like a sinister way... and I remember I was riding an ox.
posted by shakespeherian at 5:31 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

thats the last time I let you do shots with Gaiman.
posted by The Whelk at 5:42 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

Shakespeherian is Paul Bunyan in disguise?
posted by infini at 5:57 PM on November 21, 2011

Disguise?
posted by shakespeherian at 6:02 PM on November 21, 2011

For when the MeFi Magic bus comes rolling towards your town, just check the CB bands, the Sunday Supplements, and the stack of mimeographs near the checkout register. We'll be sporting two colors of towering exhaust plumes, and a jaunty syncopation of popping backfires.
posted by StickyCarpet at 6:52 PM on November 21, 2011

Breaker breaker 21226 gotta get a motion ocean potion for Cee Dubya McCalls rolling through the blue and the gray on our way to Cincinnatay. WKRP if you follow me, shake your boots loose and your goose poop on the way to FPP
posted by klangklangston at 7:55 PM on November 21, 2011

The people from Couchsurfing, Thorn Tree, or random people you meet at the hostel aren't necessarily safe to travel with either.

I agree. There is no real point there since I never claimed that they were any safer.

Anyway, hal_c, if you don't like the idea then simply don't use it. There's no need to continually visit the thread to downplay the need or usefulness.

Totally.

I'll also leave the "lets make a dark alley" and the "free guns in the courthouse" threads.
posted by hal_c_on at 8:39 PM on November 21, 2011

I was actually thinking of starting a restaurant called "Chuck's Bucket O' Water"... Memail me if you wanna reserve a pail.

(joking)
posted by not_on_display at 10:22 PM on November 21, 2011

I was actually thinking of starting a restaurant called "Chuck's Bucket O' Water"... Memail me if you wanna reserve a pail.

(joking)

Of course there is always dehydrated water. It is much easier to ship. This way Chuck's Bucket could sell all over the world!
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:08 PM on November 21, 2011

C[HUCK]'S BUCKET OF [WATER]

Hey wait a minute, it looks like there are some stickers here. Let me just peel them off...

CORTEX'S BUCKET OF HOLES

!!!
posted by SpiffyRob at 6:20 AM on November 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

!!!

No wonder we couldn't find where that helpful dog took Cortex's bucket. What continent is infini on today, again?
posted by likeso at 8:06 AM on November 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'll also leave the "lets make a dark alley" and the "free guns in the courthouse" threads.

Could someone explain what is meant by those phrases? There's a confused foreigner who can't use the internet and desperately needs to know.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:37 AM on November 22, 2011

Uh, yeah, and I - er, have a friend who'd also like to know.
posted by likeso at 8:41 AM on November 22, 2011

"lets make a dark alley" = defecating on the sidewalk
"free guns in the courthouse" = penis contest
posted by Burhanistan at 8:52 AM on November 22, 2011

Thank you Internet, for giving me such new understanding of cultures different from mine.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:23 AM on November 22, 2011

Mm. Okiedokie. Thanks, Burhanistan.

So, niche market for human poopscoops detected. And what exactly are they contesting? Each others' abilities to wield penises? :P
posted by likeso at 9:37 AM on November 22, 2011

Ain't you ever been to a penis contest? Girth, length, folds, swing, hang are some of the usual objective criteria. The rest is basically a pissing match and a bunch of dick waving.
posted by Burhanistan at 9:46 AM on November 22, 2011

I always choke on the talent portion.


What?
posted by The Whelk at 9:50 AM on November 22, 2011 [5 favorites]

4 minutes? What took ya so long?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:51 AM on November 22, 2011

Heh!

Oh, and Burhanistan, only to strictly bush league events. All resolved when I whip out the miniature measuring tape.
posted by likeso at 9:57 AM on November 22, 2011

snickers
posted by infini at 1:29 PM on November 22, 2011

Kid Charlemagne: "I'd love to see something that was ABSOLUTELY NOT Metafilter package tours, but, instead, people picking a place, say a particular hotel in a city, showing up, and then doing multiple excursions from there.

The thing is that this would have to be rare enough so that you'd achieve critical mass each time and common enough that it felt like a thing"

Why can't this be done under IRL? Plan a city/event, and have a weekend long meetup there.

Example: Hey everyone, I really want to go (protest with OWS | see that cool mummy exhibit | punch Donald Trump in the face). Is anyone up for a weekend meetup in NYC the second weekend in December? It will be epic! The movie will be called "Metafilter Takes Manhattan".
posted by I am the Walrus at 1:58 PM on November 22, 2011

..then we take Berlin.
posted by arcticseal at 6:06 PM on November 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'll take a raincheck
posted by infini at 7:54 PM on November 22, 2011