By Lauren Juliff
Student Travel Expert, about.com
If you're an introvert like me then the thought of traveling with friends -- newfound or old -- can sometimes be all it takes to have you consider canceling your trip. Drastic, yes. But traveling with other people can be an exhausting and stressful experience if you're not adequately prepared. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways
Communication is Key -- Before and During
Make
sure you sit down together and have a conversation before you commit to
traveling together. You'll want to be certain that your travel styles
are similar and you're both agreed on what you want to receive from your
trip. If one of you is thinking about partying the night away on the
beach for two weeks and the other wants to museum-hop their way around a
new city, you might want to rethink becoming travel partners.
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Be
sure to keep up the communication while you travel to make sure both of
you are happy with how the trip is progressing. I aim to have a
friendship audit every few days when traveling, where we discuss what's
been going well, what's been stressful, and how we can improve our
situation going ahead.
It's the best way to air any grievances and ensure everyone's happy.
Plan For Time Apart
No
two people are the same and you won't want to do exactly the same
activities every day. Some space and time apart from each other will
help reduce stress levels and keep you both sane. Maybe one of you could
head to the beach with a good book while the other takes a hike through
a jungle. Having separate adventures to share will keep the
conversation flowing and ensure you don't get sick of each other. If one
or both of you is an introvert, you'll enjoy the peace and quiet.
Share Out the Responsibilities
One
surefire way to irritate your travel partner is by letting them do all
the work. When you travel, you'll want to make sure that you each take
on an equal amount of responsibilities. One of you could book
accommodation while the other researches things to do; one could book the plane tickets while the other negotiates the taxi fares. It's a good idea to have a chat in advance to decide who's going to do what.
Compromise is Necessary
While
it's perfectly acceptable to spend time apart while you're traveling,
you will find you'll need to make compromises every so often. Whether
it's going to a city you're not excited by or eating Italian food when
you feel like Thai, travel is full of compromises when you're traveling
with someone else. Expect it to happen and be open to anything you don't
want to do -- it may end up being one of the highlights of your trip
together.
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Have a Plan B
What happens if it all falls
apart and you can't bear to spend another day traveling together? You'll
want to plan for every eventuality on the road -- whether it's someone getting sick, someone falling in love, or someone getting homesick and heading back home. Make sure you're comfortable with the idea of solo travel -- just in case.
