Travel is incredible and traveling with friends makes the experience even more awesome – most of the time. It’s easy for relations to become strained away from your home environment, spending more time than usual in each other’s company.
But don’t despair — here are some top tips to help maintain the peace.
Hiking the Quilotoa Loop (Ecuador) with Matt & Clo from outoftheoffice and Julie
1. Decide what type of vacation you want
People go on vacation for a variety of reasons — for adventure, to relax, or to experience a new culture. So sit down and discuss what each person wants from the getaway and try to find a compromise.
With something to satisfy everyone, there’s more chance of harmony from the start.
For advice on choosing a travel destination, check out this article from The Travel Hack blog.
2. Communication is key
Communication is key to a healthy group dynamic, so don’t be afraid to voice your opinions or discuss any tricky issues with your friends. Whether it’s your pal’s snoring or messy ways, or the stress of being in a strange country, talk about it. A trouble shared is a trouble halved and friends will probably appreciate you talking tactfully but transparently.
Enjoying the beach in Tamarindo (Costa Rica) with Jose & Sole
3. Money matters
Money can be a major source of conflict, so work out how much money people are prepared to spend on holiday activities so that you can plan activities that are suitable for all. It’s fine if people have different budgets, but agreeing the fairest way to split bills and pool resources in advance should prevent resentment emerging further down the line. This WikiHow article covers creating a travel budget — if you’re unfamiliar with the concept, now’s the time to learn and also check out our 8 ways to keep travelling on a low budget.
4. Don’t be too passive
It’s easy to become passive when traveling as part of a group and say that you’re down for doing whatever.
Maybe you’re doing it to maintain group harmony, or perhaps you genuinely don’t care what you do or where you go, so long as you’re with your friends. However, this perceived indecisiveness might frustrate your friends and stall decision making, so make sure you play an active role in the group – it’s your holiday too.
Exploring the Uyuni Salt Flats (Bolivia) with Philip & Hannes
5. Give each other some alone time
Perhaps your friends want to go explore the city but you’d prefer some time to relax and read a book in the sun — if so, don’t be afraid to suggest going separate ways for a few hours. Some alone time will do you a world of good and you’ll all have different experiences to chat about when you reunite later on.
6. Drive to the airport
Get off to a good start by driving to the airport — a car is a comfortable space where you and your friends are free to be yourselves, crank up the tunes and really let loose. You can use airport parking comparison site Looking4.com to book parking at airports from San Francisco to Seattle (and many more destinations), then you’ll fly off with complete confidence.
Sipping mojitos with Jose Manuel & Michael on a cuban beach
Traveling with friends is a tricky business. But follow these tips and you’re sure to have an amazing group getaway.
What tips do you have for traveling with friends? Share them in the comments section!
*Written by Robbie Handy*
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