Do's and Don'ts: Picking the Right Travel Partner
How to Travel with the Right People
Picking the right travel partner is like picking the right roommate, it gets messy when things go wrong and it's wonderful when things go right. After all, you will be rooming with your travel partner quite a bit, so whatever you learned in college about roommates applies. Some people could be the best of friends and just not travel well together, and that's ok. And sometimes it's the unlikely ones that make great travel partners. So here is a guide to picking the right partner.Don't
Don't assume that just because you're besties or bros that everything is going to be great. Maybe they have annoying habits that after week two make you want to rip your hair out. Maybe you have different preferences or schedules that means that you're constantly waking each other up or arguing about what to see. |
| Watching those Polish break dancers Krakow Poland |
Do
Pick someone that wants to see the same things as you. I love all things history, and throw in some really depressing history and I got to see it. Most of the people that I've met in France don't want to see that stuff, so I don't travel with them so that they're not forced to go to museums that they don't want to see and I'm not forced to abandon that museum. I choose to travel with people that don't mind going to those museums.Don't
Don't take everything personally. A key to finding a good travel partner is being a good travel partner. If they don't want to see something, it's not because they don't like you, it's because they don't want to see it. If they're short with you, it's not because they're mad at you, it's probably because they're hungry or tired. Remember that friction with people is natural and will happen, so it's best to not take it personally and move on.Do
Pick someone with a similar routine. If they like to stay up late and party and you like to wake up early to sightsee, you might not make good travel partners. Sure it's fine to separate and do your own thin every once in a while, but you need to be able to be together for long periods of time. So choose someone with similar interests and schedules so that you're not constantly waking each other up. |
| Travel with your mom because she lets you eat her birthday cake! Warsaw PolandDon't |
Don't
Don't overlook traveling with your mom or dad. Moms are the ones that can give you one look and understand that you're about to have a meltdown if you don't eat or take a break. So they stop for some ice cream, or in my case sausages, and make everything better. They also will just ignore you when you get cranky and indulge you in that weird specialty museum. Some people may think it's not cool to travel with your parents, but I say why not? My mom gets my sense of humor so she makes a great travel partner.Do
Think about traveling with someone that can handle your mood swings. No ones perfect, so you're bound to become irritable after a certain amount of time together. You want to pick someone that understands that it's not them, that it's you, and won't abandon your friendship if you have an outburst. My cousin and I, for example, understand each other's moods and know when someone needs to eat or nap and forgive each other when the cranky comes out. Because at the end of the trip we're still going to be family and love each other.
