Choosing The Perfect Travel Buddy

As kids, we usually traveled with our families, travel issues were usually the same as at-home issues. Now that we’re going on our own trips with our friends, or maybe even boyfriends or girlfriends, it’s important to evaluate a number of very important factors before choosing a travel buddy. Whether its for a day trip or a Europe trip, these tips will help you consider all the factors before a vacation turns into a nightmare.

Budget: Make sure that you and your travel companion(s) have the same budget- for everything. From choosing your destination to deciding how often you’ll be eating at restaurants, knowing each other’s limits on spending is the easiest way to avoid tension and fights. If everyone has a different budget, make sure that the group is OK with splitting up some days. One sure fire way to avoid this issue is to choose a vacation with an all-inclusive option- that way, the price tag is up front and there are no unexpected empty wallets half way through.

Travel Interests: It’s probably not a great idea to take your friend who is afraid of heights on a rock-climbing trip. It’s also probably not smart to take your mountain-biking boyfriend to a spa retreat. Make sure that your interests align- are you going on a vacation to relax by the pool and snooze, or a sightseeing-filled trip around Paris? While it never hurts to try new things- maybe your boyfriend will love being pampered- it’s better to decide ahead of time what type of trip you’re embarking on.

Personal Schedule: There’s no worse feeling than being the only person in a group who wants to stay out later than everyone else…or being up first thing in the morning, waiting around for everyone to wake up. Make sure that you all have similar personal schedules to avoid resentment when one sleepyhead makes everyone late for your bike rentals.

Reliability: Travel is expensive and takes a lot of planning, even if it’s just for a day trip to the beach. You want to make sure that your travel companion will actually show up. Usually, if they’ve paid their part of the trip they’ll show, but you never know. Unless it’s an emergency, make sure you know they’ll be there.

Safety: This is KEY. You need to know that you can rely on your travel buddy in any situation you might encounter. Especially when in an unfamiliar place, being able to keep each other safe is the most important part of an enjoyable vacation. Have a signal with each other so you know when one of you is being pushed just a little too far- and respect each other when you feel uneasy.

Communication: If any of these, or something else, goes wrong on your trip, communication is key. Lack of communication will lead to built-up frustrations and resentment, and maybe even a blowout that could affect your relationship permanently. If something is out of place or making you uncomfortable, address it during the trip rather than after. It might work out and make the rest of the trip the best vacation ever!

Now that you have all of these tips, where is the next trip you’re planning to take?

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