Travelling with a companion or a small group of friends can be very exciting, but choosing the right person to travel with is surely a daunting task. Who you choose literally affects everything and if not managed well, this person could possibly ruin your entire trip. Before you choose a travel buddy, ask yourself these six questions:
1. How much do you have in common?
He or she doesn’t have to be your soulmate, but you should have some interests in common. The both of you should have some activities you’d want to actually do together, like exploring museums, trying out new food or taking part in outdoor activities. It doesn’t matter if your interests don’t completely overlap because you can always spend a few hours alone doing what you want to do. Make sure to find a balance.
2. Do you both have a similar travel budget?
Before you even start planning, be clear about your travel budgets. This may affect your decisions when it comes to accommodation, the excursions and activities you’d like to participate in, and the lavishness of the trip in general. Your travel buddy may want to experience staying in a private villa, whereas you may only have the budget for a backpackers inn. By agreeing on a rough budget, your trip will be harmonious and you wouldn’t have different expectations on expenses.
3. Is he/she neurotic or a moaning minnie?
Think twice about reserving your flight tickets if he or she is extremely talkative, obsessive and neurotic about little things, or just complains about everything at all times. It may not be a big deal when you’re out together for a few hours, but take these habits along on your trip and they’ll soon drive you insane. When travelling, you should be able to tough it out and adapt to the given situation as you cruise along your trip, so you definitely do not want to be dealing with such nonsense.
4. Is your relationship issue-free?
If you have deep-rooted grudges, resentments or unresolved emotional issues between yourself and your potential travel buddy, sort them out before you go, or to play it safe, just go with someone else. Travelling can sometimes be stressful, and when you’re faced with issues, the slightest bit of impatience can trigger a squabble, or even worse, a fallout. Imagine having to deal with that in a foreign environment! Save yourself from these risks.
5. Have you discussed everything thoroughly?
Do your research, plan ahead and put everything out there before you embark on an adventure together. Will you cram everything in your itinerary or will this be a relaxing trip? How long do you want to spend at each tourist attraction? Are the both of you flexible when it comes to the schedule? How are you going to handle the expenses? Talk about all the what ifs and how you’re going to deal with these issues. Try not to give your travel buddy any surprises throughout the trip.
