Commit to the cohort
I've been travelling around South East Asia for the past two months. Most of it in Thailand, more recently Singapore and Indonesia.
It's been good.
My best bits of travelling, where I've made friendships which last, are from times I've committed to a cohort.
Two examples:
- Trekking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. Waking and walking all day with the same people for 3 weeks. This was in 2016.
- Training as a yoga teacher in Koh Samui. Learning and eating with the same people all day every day for 2 and half weeks.
I'm very glad I did both.
Crucially for me, the above examples weren't only stated commitments. It would have been very inconvenient to bail midway. Particularly in the Nepali mountains.
Committing to the cohort is a risk. You forgo options and independence in exchange for depth of experience and knowing the people better. I committed to a week-long surf camp in Gran Canaria and wished I could leave early, but overall I think such commitments are good bets to make.
I increasingly believe this is the way to spend the bulk of solo travel time. To go all-in with a group doing something you're into.
Why is this the way? Because time spent with the same people, assuming you like them, has increasing returns.
Other cohorts I may commit to soon:
- Startup incubation scheme
- Language learning intensive
- More yoga teacher training
- Martial art bootcamp
- Writers and artists retreat
- Motorbike tour of Vietnam