When it comes to travelling, the possibilities of things going wrong are endless.

Losing luggage, food poisoning, missing your flight..

But nothing is worse than having to spend every second with unfavorable travel companions.

Now, I consider myself someone who has travelled a sufficient amount and with a decent assortment of people.

Complete strangers? Check

Significant Others? Check

Family? Check

Best friends..Frenemies..Friends with Bennies?? Check, Check and absolutely Check!

From my own personal experiences and surveying those around me, I can confirm,  finding the right travel companions is a universal struggle for EVERYONE.

Though all the below might not apply to everyone, certainly some will hit pretty darn close to home.

Here are the top 11 things to consider and questions to ask with yourself before committing to your potential travel mates.

1. Tolerance

Ordinarily, people do not have a crazy amount of issues with most other people..well,  unless you are an ass hole. But when it comes to travelling, keeping in mind how much you can tolerate the people around you is vital if you are going to have any chance in hell of a great trip. Do you really get along? Can you spend days on end with them and still enjoy their company?  OR do they normally get on your nerves within hours? Do you usually have to hang out with them in moderation? Do their weird smells or obnoxious laughs make your hair curl?

Make sure you can genuinely be around these person for long periods of time without wanting to push them off a cliff, because you most likely will.

Getting arrested for murder is probably not something you wish to include in your travel itinerary.

2. Objective

If you are trying to go on an awesome adventure trip, but your travel buddy wants to do nothing but lay on the beach and count the sand, you will be in for some trouble. Having similar travel objectives and common interests are important so everyone can get what they want out of the trip. Is your objective snowboarding but everyone else will just be in the lodge drinking? Is your intent action with skydiving and zip-lining but everyone else will just be by the pool? I am not saying you have to do everything together..please don’t, actually.  But the overall purpose of the trip needs to be in agreement for everyone to be happy.

Otherwise I’d say screw it! Your’e better off travelling alone.

3. Travel Experience

Something to keep in mind is the amount of travel experience your potential partners have.  Do they travel often? Have they ever left the country? Can they live for 2 weeks without seeing their dog?

Being able to travel at ease and comfort is usually a skill developed after travelling frequently.  Plane rides get easier, culture shock decreases, fears of getting kidnapped rationalize AND you get more adventurous with the things you put in your mouth!

For newbies that all might be a bit much, causing stress between the new and veterans travellers. It is better to confront this, in the beginning, to see if travelling together would really suit.

4. Budgets Are Important When Picking a Travel Buddy

When travelling, believe it or not, money matters! Shocked, I know.

Travelling with people with extremely higher budgets than others can cause a lot of tension even with the smallest situations.  Do you want to stay somewhere nice? Eat fine dining? Or is your budget hostels and fast food?

Those with the extra cash will either have to help pay for the others throughout the entire trip in order to do what they want, or they will have to comprise what they want to do down to what the others can afford.

Nobody wants the quality of their trip reduced by other financial restrictions .. and nobody wants to be that broke ass burden holding others back.

Talk Budgets!

5. Open-Mindedness

How open or how closed the minds are around you will impact everyone’s attitude. Make sure your partners are just as open-minded or as closed-minded as you are to help reduce argument and increase all the amazing opportunities out there to enjoy.  Do they think they are always right? Will they give you attitude when you want to try something new?

Make sure to pack an open-mind inside your carry on to ensure you and your buddies get the most out of the experience.

And for those who prefer to leave it at home, just make sure you remind everyone else to do the same.

6. Moods and Maintenance

This one can be a killer when travelling, especially if you find out too late. Travelling with moody people just might be the worst way to directly affect your mood. Misery loves company, but if you can choose your company before you travel, don’t take anyone miserable!

 High maintenance individuals are more likely to carry this moody gene when things aren’t up to par to what they want. And when things don’t go their way… Holy Moly, let the tantrums begin!

 It can be a challenge for both high maintenance people and the low maintenance people to travel together so consider how much maintenance you require and pair up accordingly.

7. Obligations

Keeping in mind relationships and obligations people will be forced to leave at home is important. Will they be on the phone calling their partner every 5 minutes? Do they need permission to do things? Do you want to go out and party all night?  Possibly bring someone back for some hanky panky?

Consider if it is small nights in you are after or long with no memory nights out you want. Depending on what people have waiting for them back home, everyone will have different priorities in this department.

 It is better to be singing from the same song sheet with this one to be able to avoid OR invite random people to be dancing in your bed sheets.

8. Food Restrictions

One of the best things about travelling is FOOD! But everyone nowadays seems to have some type of food issue. Do you love eating everything and anything? OR are you Gluten lactose intolerant with a side of vegan?

People are naturally the most grumpy when hungry and trying to decide on a place to eat in its self is already a challenge- don’t make life harder on yourself! Knowing if you will be able to eat what you want or what you can without pissing off who you’re travelling with would be.. you know, nice?

Just some food for thought…

9.  Cultural Tolerance

Understanding how the individuals you are travelling with view cultures will impact the amount of pleasure everyone can get out of the place. Do they view different as bad? Are they extremely judgmental?

In the world today,  many many racial intolerant people exist and travelling with someone who isn’t a fan of other cultures will hinder the appreciation and zest of what all the country might have to offer.

10.Qualifications

Life is always easier when travelling if everyone has the right qualifications. And no, I am not talking about being a “qualified” party animal, though that could be relevant depending on your #2.

Did you want scuba dive? Is there a lot of driving involved? How about pippin out on a boat?

“Whoopsieee sorry Bob, I don’t have a license.. looks like you will need to do all 15 hours of driving today”

Check to see if everyone has what they need to participate in all the fun. These may seem like smalls ideas but can turn in to big problems if not considered beforehand.

You DON’T want to be Bob.

11. When Picking Your Travel Buddy Think of Love

The most important thing to think about is how much love and admiration you actually have towards those people you pick. Ideally, you want to travel with people that you wholeheartedly want to share these incredible experiences with. Someone where you can be like “OH MY GOD – look at that tree” and they will be like “OH MY GOD” back…. and you will share that phenomenal moment forever.

But if you do not know anyone like that,  that’s okay.

Because you see,  here is the best thing about travelling…

It doesn’t matter who you travel, holiday, or a vacation with, you and them now hold that unique connection.

And if you pick the right travel companions, you have now formed a new meaningful bond and relationship that will last a lifetime.

<3 Michelle

Did I miss some of your concerns with travel partners?

Do you have any horror stories from bad travel buddies? I would love to hear them 🙂

Please comment below or email me at: hotmessgoestoozblog@gmail.com

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