For all, who are used to travel, you realize how important this question is. Travel can be fun and relaxing, full of memorable adventure and great moments – but not always. Situations occurs, which can be very unpleasant and it is important we have somebody for help and support.
As a
solo traveller you do not have such problems. To everybody else I suggest you make sure you’ll be travelling with a person, who is appropriate, for you will spend some time with that person. Travel can be a great challenge, where you get to better know your partner, friend, college… Within a day, you will share almost everything with that person, from bed, toilet, ride, shower, sometimes also money and you will encounter more or less pleasant situations. Experienced travellers are used to this, less experienced are learning and first time travellers usually don’t know who they are travelling with, for they usually don’t know what they should expect and what trades they should look for in a travel companion. Only after several travels can we get a clear idea about a travel buddy. But here are some tips that can help you along the way – practical also for larger groups.
You should, and this is really important, be with somebody, who has similar wishes and decide upon the travel plan from the beginning on. If you can’t decide where to go, for start, you should not even attempt going together. It’s better to go alone, or find somebody else to go with. When the destination is chosen, you should prepare a travel plan together: how to get there, what to see, what to do, where to sleep. It can easily happen that the more dominant person makes up most of the decisions, which might not be wrong, but both should be included, or at least agree with the choices.
A very important factor is also the travel budget. Unfortunately money turns the world around, and we cannot avoid this. It is important to talk about the budget from the beginning on. Especially how much you can and are prepared to spend. If these expectations are too big, it can happen that problems occur. The one with less money will look for cheaper options, while the one with more will prefer more luxurious options. If there are too many differences you should maybe not try to find a middle way, for it cannot always prepare a solution. The one with the less money will feel there’s too much money spent and the one with more money will not be satisfied with the choice of accommodation and food. It’s all a huge fight waiting to break out.
Even travelling with a loved one does not guarantee a good experience – especially for couples, who are not used to share a common household and are travelling for the first time. In such cases travel can be a great test, of how compatible people really are. It can happen that people can break up, or it can strengthen their common life. It’s up to fate.
A friend! This word can be misleading, for a good friendship might not be a good guarantee for travelling together. I suggest you should think about travelling with a good friend. And if you do not want to ruin the friendship, you will be honest to yourself and if both of you don’t feel the same, you will not travel together.
When you are young and full of energy, your legs can take you around without hitting obstacles. Travel with family takes more patience, preparations and adjustments. This experience can be very rewarding, for there is no greater gift to give your friend, but you need more practice and experience. There are many travellers blogs on the web, with many advice on how to travel with a family. I suggest you read them carefully, consider the described experience and then modify it according to your personal needs.
And don’t forget, regardless if you travel in a pair, with a family or with a group, you should give yourself room. If a person needs some space to be alone – give it. You should also try to get your thoughts together and find your peace and not shift your problems to the other person or a group. Always be patient and considerate to the other person and prepared to help if necessary. Do not do upon the others what you don’t want to be done to yourself.
