>>2731985
The latter as a lesser evil.

Even if you're with people you've known for your entire life, they can find ways to disappoint you when they travel with you. When you travel with some random hostel bum, if he disappoints you, at least he will still meet your expectations (most hostel people are scum, so being a disappointing travel partner is well within parameters).

>travel with your girlfriend
She's a vapid Instagram/TikTok cunt and you might even break up with her after she treats you like a free photographer.

>travel with your family
They are incredibly out of touch with reality and make your experience more frustrating.

>travel with your friends
They were already fucking idiots, but they're even bigger idiots when they have a passport in their hand.

>travel with hostel rando
You have no emotional attachment to him. Worst comes to worst, you drop that motherfucker and move on. Your mental health is minimally damaged.

>>2731985
The truth is, most people don't want any lasting disruption in their travel life, i.e. a "friend" who insists on tagging along with them everywhere they go like a puppy.

In nearly three weeks in Thailand, I haven't seen any white males traveling with their male friends, much less randos they met along the way. Several were with their white girlfriends, others were with their Thai girlfriends, and the rest were alone. Solo travelers meet people along the way, of course, but those people have their own lives, they aren't going to drop everything to follow me around the country.

>>2732068
You just sound like you have issues at home.