You might be old enough to go traveling without your family, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you want to go by yourself. Having friends by your side can make the experience so much more exciting. Plus, you’ll create memories that will tie you all together forever. However, just because it’s great to travel with the people you love, that doesn’t mean it’s all smooth sailing. Various problems you come across will test your friendships while abroad. Luckily, there are ways to prevent you from all coming home hating each other.
Think about who to travel with
You might have a big selection of friends who you all love equally, but chances none of them are the same. You probably share different interests with different people, and as such, some of them are more suited to traveling with than others. It’s no good choosing someone who has annoying habits when you’ve got to spend most of your time with them day after day.
It’s important to think about who would be best suited for what you’re looking for. Are you interested in exploring the culture of a foreign country, or are you more into hiking up some exciting new trails? By knowing what you’re after, you’ll have a better chance of choosing the right people to travel with. It won’t completely prevent fallouts, but you’re more likely to enjoy yourselves together.
Open up communication channels
It might sound unnecessary given you’re traveling with friends, but having open communication channels is vital in these situations. Tensions tend to start up when people can’t be vocal about the issues they’re facing. None of you are mind readers, so you can’t always be expected to know when things aren’t right with someone. If you emphasize the importance of communication and lead by example, then it’s less likely that your friends will keep things to themselves.
Organize yourselves before traveling
Money is a significant factor when it comes to traveling. You’re not going to get very far without it. The chances are, all of you will be in slightly different financial situations, and you might all differ regarding your idea of what’s affordable. When it comes to things like accommodation, you need to ensure that everyone feels comfortable paying a certain price. You’ll avoid conflict while on your vacation if you know what everyone’s limits are.
It might also be worth setting up a joint fund together for expenses that you all plan to cover. If you all put in the same amount of money, you’ll ensure there are never any arguments about someone paying more than others or anything similar. The best way to enjoy traveling with friends is to avoid situations that can cause conflict, so this is definitely worth your while.
Know what’s going on
It’s while you’re packing for this big adventure with your friends that you should check everyone knows what they’re doing. From the clothes people take to the luggage rules at the airport, it’s vital that you’re all on the same page. Just one person being out of the loop can cause unnecessary tension while traveling. For instance, if one of your friend’s bags is too big and it holds you all up, that’s already a bad start to the journey. You want to start how you mean to go on, but not if things end up going that way.
It’s a good idea for everyone to research stuff about your destination and share it with the group. The more you all know, the less likely you are to run into any problems while traveling. You’ll be grateful you all put in the effort once you’re together in a foreign country.
As we’ve seen, the best ways to keep your sanity while traveling with friends is to be heavily prepared beforehand. If you all know what you’re doing before you even set foot on the plane, it’s unlikely that you’ll run into trouble once the traveling begins.
