Whether traveling solo for fun or constantly on the road for work, nothing amplifies loneliness like arriving in unfamiliar territory. Although I love discovering new places, the hours spent alone in hotels, making small talk with Uber drivers, and awkwardly wedging into groups at bars leaves me craving meaningful connection. I’m not looking for dating sites, I want to enjoy the local culture and community, not stare at a half empty glass in the hotel bar whilst eating my evening meal on my own.
My travels are often a short notice and unplanned. It seems, over half my year is spent traveling from client to client. Endless conferences, networking meetups and working groups still don’t break the barriers separating me from each city’s true culture.
Watching vibrant groups enjoying themselves at cafes, parks and concerts, I wonder how fellow travelers break into the real local scene.
Attempts to Google grassroots events often lead me to tourist traps and expensive attractions only, not the genuine local happenings bubbling under each place. The search to kick a football around, or join an evening run, dance classes, or charity litter pick up typically come up empty. These low key, informal grassroots events and activities shaping local life remain invisible behind insider connections I lack access to.
Most organizations promote their own activity to their own existing cohort of followers, as a traveler if you don’t know about the group then chances are you won’t find out about their imminent activities either.
The insider knowledge to facilitate joining these local events, communities, and spaces central to each place remain blocked to outsiders passing through and I’m left to endlessly scroll and click around social media feeling disconnected from each city’s cultural pulse.
During free evenings on business trips and solitary jaunts in new cities, I find myself longing for temporary community. I honestly don’t mind if it’s an activity I regularly enjoy like running, or something I’ve never through of trying before, who knows maybe “lawn bowls” is fun? The only thing that really matters is that it’s happening at short notice, it’s open to anyone to come along and it’s nearby my location!
That’s why at Piliana we built an app that allows us to easily discover and join public events welcoming newcomers. One that offers travelers an authentic window into local life, connectedness beyond hotel gyms and restaurants-for-one. An inside pass to experience each place not as outsider but as accepted guest among vibrant communities meeting right under my nose.
We only show what’s happening around you, in the next 7 days. That’s right we’re not trying to sell tickets for the biggest concert in town!! Also, everything’s on one map. We’ve made it as easy as we can for you to find an activity and then get off the phone and reconnect with those around you.
Now we just need to grow!! Let’s reconnect.
