22 Feb 7 Tips for Being a Good Travel Companion
Traveling with friends and family members can lead to some of the best experiences and memories imaginable. However, without these 7 helpful tips for being a good travel companion, your travel friend could turn into a frenemy.
1. Share your own opinions
If your travel companion wanted complete indifference or compliance, they would have traveled by themselves. Part of the fun of traveling with a friend or family member is learning from them. Don’t use the phrase “whatever you want to do” when making plans. This puts too much pressure on your travel companion to constantly come up with things you will both enjoy.
2. Adjust to your companion’s traveling style
When you are traveling with another person, your rhythms may not match up 100 percent of the time. Some people are constantly on the go on vacation, while others are more content relaxing at a cafe or on the beach. If you and your companion have different travel styles, be upfront about what you are looking for in the trip, and insist that they are truthful as well. You will have to do some compromising to make it work.
3. Go with the flow
The purpose of traveling is to get outside your comfort zone and the explore the world outside of your limited experience. The best travel companions are willing to be flexible with travel plans. Overplanning, then being too strict with the plan, can really sour a vacation. A good travel companion is cool with surprises and last-minute decisions.
4. Pay your fair share, but avoid money drama
Arguments about money are the absolute worst. It is up to you to make sure you are paying your dues, and that your travel companion is too. However, don’t overreact if your travel companion isn’t as polite as you about money. The goal of a trip is to enjoy the destination, not to count your money or talk about money. A good travel companion will have the mentality that in the end, both of you will come out around even. If at the end of the trip you truly feel short-changed, do some calculating and talk to your travel companion after your trip.
5. Don’t use stuff that is not yours without asking
This everyday policy goes double when traveling. Keep in mind that is often the little things that matter the most when you are away from home such as missing toothpaste or lost razors. If you forget something you need while away, get it in destination or ask your travel companion nicely before helping yourself to their belongings.
6. Give your travel companion some space
There is no need to experience every single thing together. Make sure you separate from your partner every so often, such as enjoying a quiet breakfast by yourself or taking an evening walk alone before bed. If your travel companion is constantly by your side and you need some space, be open to them about it. Being honest is better than ending up completely fed up with your travel companion by the time you get home.
7. Get it together and be on time
On a day with set times and schedules, especially travel days, be on time and make sure you don’t drag your travel companion down. Avoid unnecessary stress and possible arguments by being on time.
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