How travel turns strangers into friends

Hindustan Times

a day ago

Friends just get you! Some grow up with you, others find their way to you on a road trip, a trek, or while waiting for hostel check-in. Think of Rani (played by Kangana Ranaut) in the movie Queen (2013), who stumbles into a friendship with Vijaylakshmi (Lisa Haydon) while wandering through Paris. Or the trio in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) (played by Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, and Farhan Akhtar), who set off for an adventurous escape and return with deeper bonds and lighter hearts. On Friendship Day today, we speak to people who made lifelong friends through travel — because nothing forges bonds like an adventure away from home. Lisa Haydon and Kangana Ranaut in a still from the film Queen, in which their characters developed an unexpected friendship
From trail mates to soul sisters
Sharanya Munsi met Dilshad during a snow trek to Brahmatal in 2019. Dilshad, a fashion designer from Goa, was travelling with friends, while Sharanya—a seasoned solo trekker—was used to going it alone.
Sharanya Munsi and Dilshad
'We instantly connected and stayed in touch through Instagram,' Sharanya recalls. A trail-side chat sparked a lasting friendship, deepened by shared pets, K-dramas, and long talks across cities. During COVID, Dilshad even designed Sharanya's bridal face masks. 'She's one of the first people I call when I need help with trip logistics,' Sharanya says. 'We may live far apart, but she's become a comfort and constant outside of my usual circles.'
Travel companions for life
In May 2019, Kanika Yadav from Faridabad travelled to Ladakh with childhood friend Shubham Dhupar, joined by his friend Rahul Grover and colleague Gagandeep Kaur, strangers to her then.
The group calls themselves 'travel companions for life.'
'We were all at crossroads in our lives, and I had never met the other two before,' she recalls. But the mountains had plans of their own. On the trip, Kanika and Rahul bonded and stayed in touch abroad, turning friendship into love; they married in 2023. Meanwhile, Gagandeep and Shubham also grew close and tied the knot this February. 'Despite all the distance and change, one trip gave me my husband, brought my best friend his partner, and made us all each other's chosen people,' says Kanika. Today, the group calls themselves 'travel companions for life.'
A birthday changed everything
Shivani Relia (28), from Delhi, never expected her solo birthday trip to Udaipur in 2021 to lead to a lifelong friendship.
Shivani Relia and Shruti Sharma
She had checked into Zostel early and was waiting in the café when she struck up a conversation with Shruti Sharma (34) from Bangalore, who was also travelling solo. 'We just started talking, and everything clicked,' says Shivani. Four years later, they're still in touch and now planning a trip to the Rann of Kutch. 'Some friendships just feel easy from the start,' Shivani adds.
Work trip turned to family
Pamela Gupta (25) and Tejashee Kashyap (27), both from Delhi, worked in the same industry, but their paths only crossed during a work trip to Egypt. 'It started as the usual work dynamic, but it felt like we had known each other for years. We clicked instantly and began travelling together soon after,' recalls Pamela. Four countries later, their bond has only grown stronger. They've found a rhythm despite their contrasting personalities. 'We may not agree on everything, but that's the beauty of this friendship; we hold space for each other,' Pamela reflects. Today, even their mothers are close friends. She adds, We can't go a day without checking in. We're practically family now.'