How to Pick the *Right* Travel Partner
Some details are often overlooked when traveling, like the choice of a travel partner which really is one of the most important decisions. You already know that traveling will pose some level of discomfort- the travel process, airport procedures, language barriers, etc. Why complicate it even further by choosing the wrong travel partner? Here are a few things to keep in mind:
PICK SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS YOU
Most people will typically travel with their best friends or significant other or family as a relationship already exists and it is a lot easier to get along well with these people but what happens when none of them are available and you have to pick someone to travel with? It is important to pick someone who gets you. They don’t have to know your deepest secrets or what pre-school you attended, they just need to understand you enough to be able to spend a good amount of their time in a foreign land with you. Simply put, the vibe has to be right.
SOMEONE WITH SHARED INTEREST
Traveling means so many different things to different people. Some people want to travel to relax, lay by the beach and bury themselves in a good book or just sleep in their hotel rooms and some want to travel and explore or be adventurous; there is no one right way to do it. It is however very important to be on the same page with your travel partner. Trash out your plans and expectations together prior to departure. If you are seeking adventure and your travel partner just want to be a coach potato, that will be extremely annoying to you so make sure you like the same things or at least be on the same page to avoid any disappointments.
SOMEONE WHO MIRRORS YOUR BUDGET
Only a few things are worse than traveling with someone who does not have the same budget as you do, high or low. Not to say you have to be in the same social class but it definitely helps. If you are traveling with someone who constantly wants to eat in a 5- star hotel or a 1-star hotel, and you are the direct opposite, how does that work out? Pick wisely, friends.
YOUR ENERGY MUST MATCH
Your energy has to match too! You have to be compatible and maybe have very similar personalities. Are you traveling with that friend who after a long day just wants to get a warm bath and go straight to bed or that one who wants to get a warm bath just to get ready for a night out? You have to know these things before hand to avoid any form of buzz-kill.
SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE THEIR RESEARCH
First, you must do your research. Where to take the train, what bus to take, how to get to your hotel from the airport, and so on. However, your travel partner must do the same. It is okay to baby someone for a day and tell them every single thing to do but after a while, that gets very exhausting. Very high possibility that you are both going there for the first time so it is best to compliment each others’ knowledge of the new city. Don’t travel with a clueless person, you will not like it. (Gonna stop here before I get emotional. This one hits home!)
BONUS: SOMEONE WHO TAKES GOOD PICTURES
Isn’t it nice to have a travel partner who also has good photography skills and can take candid, spontaneous and beautiful pictures while on the trip so you can relive the memories of the city when you are back home? No? Okay.
So, before you agree to traveling with someone, be sure you are making the right decision because you don’t want to be stuck somewhere with the wrong person. Travel should be nothing less than a memorable experience.
I’d like to hear from you; what is your idea of the perfect travel partner and have you found one yet? Let me know in the comments.
Have a great weekend,
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Love this
Thanks Nkem
The budget part is sooo true as this is a personal story of mine. I traveled with a friend who had a higher budget and just wanted to go to the high end restaurants that I could not afford. at first I was still trying to keep up but oh boi when I saw how broke I was becoming no one told me to stop. We ended up going to different places to eat, what’s the point could have just traveled alone. Safe to say I wouldn’t be traveling with her again it’s nothing personal sha but I know my level now lol. (sorry for the long epistle loll)
Hahaha! This definitely cracked me up! I can imagine how awful that would have been! Well, now you have learnt from that experience and isn’t that the whole point anyway? Lol! And we should be friends! Lol. Thanks Wemimo!
Really glad I found your blog through facebook. Interesting range of topics and lovely writing style. you’ve earned yourself a new subscriber
Happy to hear that. Thanks Emmanuel and welcome to the small family 🙂