(This is a subject that deserves serious thought. Who you decide to travel with affects your trip experience in many large and small ways. Traveling in a group, traveling in a pair and traveling alone, I’ve done all three and will give you my personal advice over the next week. On Sunday I wrote about why traveling in a group might drive you nuts, today I brag about my best travel buddy.)
I may be the only person in the office without a ring on my finger, but I’ve found someone equally important: My Travel Soul Mate.
I met Liz while I was working in London in 2007. Since then we have traveled to five countries together, including a road trip through Iceland this past June. We compliment each other on very practical levels. I love to plan, and she is happy to roll with my ideas. I have zero aptitude with languages but she speaks four and counting. More importantly, we have a certain intangible chemistry. We just click.
Creative Commons License photo credit: jack_spellingbacon
In many ways deciding to travel with someone is like deciding to live with someone. Only more intense. With just the two of you against the world you will be spending the greater part of everyday together and probably sleeping within arm’s reach as well. It’s important to make sure you and your friend (or girlfriend, or brother or whatever) are on the same page before you book a single flight. If it turns out your friend wants to eat ramen at the hostel every night and you nice restaurant meals, there are going to be major issues quickly.
Talk about budget concerns. Talk about your travel style (is Lonely Planet your bible, or do you prefer to wander aimlessly). Talk about the things you like to do on vacation. Think about how you and your friend communicate. Do they speak their mind or stew quietly for hours? How would you resolve a conflict? It’s a pain to go over these things when you are just excited to get moving, but it’s even worse to encounter them unprepared.
Traveling with a friend can be rewarding and fun. Liz and I have had some great adventures and it’s nice to have someone to reminisce with and to plan future trips. As with so much in life, to find your ideal travel soul mate (and they are out there in multiples), it’s important to be honest with yourself about what you are looking for.
On Thursday I will talk about the joys of solo travel…
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I was telling my good friend about my dream trip and she announced that she’d love to go with me. I squirmed. I can’t see her being down with staying a hostel… Besides that, she’s a shopper. I’m not. And I want this to be MY trip.
Egad.
Yeah I could see you running into some problems there. I think you just need to make your expectations very clear. Honesty sucks sometimes but it usually is best.