When you are traveling alone, it can be nice to meet people and help each other out, but that isn’t always what you’re looking for.

What would you do if you were traveling alone and someone ‘latched on’ to you and you didn’t want to keep hanging out with them?

That is what happened to the traveler in this story, so he lied to him and then got caught, and the guy is now upset.

Check it out.

AITA for making up fake plans to get out of hanging out with a first-time solo traveller?

I (28M) have been solo backpacking through South America for a few months now and generally love hostels.

I’m pretty social — I’ll chat in the kitchen, join group activities, grab drinks if people invite me, and will often even be the person to do the inviting/rallying.

However, I also really value my alone time, especially when I’ve had a long travel day.

Meeting people is half the fun of traveling like this.

A couple days ago at my current hostel I got off the bus and pretty much immediately met a younger dude (maybe 19?) from the US who told me it was his first time traveling alone and who seemed a bit overwhelmed.

He kinda latched onto me after I said hi, asking me where I’d been, what I eat, how I book buses, etc.

Initially I was happy to help, but after 30 mins of constant questions I was a bit over it and made up an excuse to leave & went to go read on the rooftop.

He saw me about 15 mins later and kinda just awkwardly turned around, but I didn’t give it much thought.

No reason to lie, just tell him you already have plans with that girl.

Later that evening, I was in the common area eating dinner and reading again when he sat next to me and started talking — asking if I’d go with him to the market the next day or show him how to use the hostel lockers.

Normally I like these offers, and actually was already planning to go to the market with another girl I’d met, but I just had a vibe from him that he’d be too much and kinda draining to hang out with.

So, I told him I already had plans for the morning.

He pressed me about what they were, so I told him I really fancied a solo beach session (telling him I wanted to go to the market without him felt rude).

He looked pretty disappointed and said something like “I thought solo travelers were supposed to help each other”

Well, he got caught in a lie. That’s always awkward.

The next morning, I saw him at the market alone while I was with my other friend (he definitely saw us too).

I felt bad but like… I was also happy he wasn’t with us.

I later overheard him telling another girl in our dorm that I was cold and “probably only here to flirt with the girls.”

I get that traveling solo can be lonely and scary at first.

I’ve felt that.

But I don’t see how I could’ve let him down much easier and also don’t think it’s particularly fair to expect a stranger to become your tour guide or best friend just because they happen to be a solo traveler in the same dorm.

Plus me hanging out with a girl instead of you automatically means I’m just here for girls??

Well, he definitely came across as rude and unkind.

Still, I’m wondering if I came across as rude or unkind.

I do want to be part of the positive vibe that I love hostels so much for, but I’m also not here to hold anyone’s hand.

So AITA and, if yes, how could I have handled this better?

I mean, he lied and got caught, so that’s not cool, even if his intentions were good.

He could have just been honest about it.

Read on to see if the people in the comments have any advice.

Yeah, he is only ‘social’ with people he likes.

This is a great response.

Just be blunt, no need to be deceptive.

Exactly, there was no need to lie.

Yeah, this would have been much easier.

Traveling on your own can be great, but it can also be intimidating.

There was really no need to lie in this situation since he could have just said that he already had plans with someone else.

Why lie when it isn’t necessary?

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.