Traveling With Friends: All You Need To Know Before You Hit the Road
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Traveling is a great activity in itself. How about traveling with friends? This is a completely different experience. Sometimes traveling with friends is very enjoyable, but unfortunately, sometimes it can end with regrets. We hope it doesn’t happen to you, but you may find yourself wishing you were traveling alone.
Despite some of the negativities that may be experienced, the travel you make with your friends can also remain an unforgettable memory for the rest of your life. On the other hand, one thing is for sure, traveling with friends is a great way to get to know your friends better.
In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of traveling with friends. Then, we’ll give you tips to have a great trip with friends.
Without further ado, let’s start by looking at the advantages of travel with friends!
Benefits of Traveling with Friends
Experiencing Together
One of the points where traveling with friends is more advantageous than traveling alone is the exchange of ideas. Things that you can’t think of while traveling alone may come to your friends’ minds. For example, you may find yourself in a parachute!
Remember things you wouldn’t have done if your friend hadn’t suggested it!
Enhancing Your Relations
We hear that you’re even starting to plan the next trip just because your friendship has become so strong during your trip! You’ve had great times together and learned new things. You’ve struggled with the challenges you’ve encountered throughout your journey. Is there a better way to strengthen friendships? After this trip, you may decide that your friendship will last a lifetime.
No Loneliness
Part of traveling is always being on the go. And, imagine how boring it would be to be alone... Yet, you’re lucky because you’ve friends by your side and you’ll never feel alone. You can always find something to talk about because you’re constantly experiencing new things. You can always find something to enjoy together.
Budget-Friendly
Traveling with friends is much more budget-friendly than traveling alone. It’s often cheaper to rent a house than a single hotel room. Many of the activities you’ll do will also be cheaper because almost many places have group discounts. You can also rent a car together and make traveling much more comfortable. It’s always better to share something! This is called friendship!
Safety
Traveling with friends is much safer than traveling alone. Especially if you want to visit an area with high crime rates, it would be wiser to go with your friends! Knowing that you always have friends with you, even when you go to a relatively safe place, makes you feel safe. Good friends protect each other!
There’ll always be someone by your side in the face of all challenges. It’s very good to be with friends in order to cope both morally and financially with difficulties.
Disadvantages of Traveling with Friends
We know it’s difficult to accept this, however, there are some downsides to traveling with friends.
Tension
After all, you’re on a trip and you’ll be together for a long time. There’ll be no such thing as spending time apart. Being together with friends can be stressful at times as you may not be on the same page. This tension can get worse if there’s no mediator on the team. This is why it’s important to keep your cool and don’t get angry or offensive.
Differences
It’s obvious that every person is different and has different interests. Just because you’re friends doesn’t mean you’re all the same. Different demands on travel can also cause problems. You may disagree on what to do. For example, your friend may want to go for a nature walk while you want to visit a museum. Or, your friend may still be very energetic and want to keep doing something when you’re too tired.
Missed Opportunities
Yes, it’s great to be on vacation with friends, but that means you’ll be spending the whole holiday with your friends. So, you won’t have many opportunities to meet other people. However, one of the best parts of traveling is meeting new people. Unfortunately, you won’t get that chance. Even if you try, you’ll eventually find yourself going back to your friends.
Feeling Like a Third Wheel
In a group of friends, unfortunately, there’s always a high probability that someone will feel left out. Someone in the group always wants to do things you don’t enjoy. You can put on the headset and step aside, but that too can be annoying. You’ll be on your own while everyone else is having fun, a little bad, right? It’s even worse if there’s an introvert on the team. Especially if it’s you! In this case, you’ll most likely avoid opposition. However, people may have different interests, try to accept that.
Different Budgets
Having rich friends is great, yes, but it can sometimes be stressful. Especially if this friend likes to do luxury travel. For example, if your friends force you to go to expensive restaurants when you don’t have money, or if they want to stay in five-star hotels, it can be difficult for you. Cheap alternatives may not be pleasant for them. Therefore, if everyone in the friend group doesn’t have the same income level, some problems may arise.
So, as you can see, traveling with friends has pros and cons. So, what can we do to eliminate these cons?
Mistakes to Avoid When Traveling with Friends
No One Should Be the Scapegoat
It’s cruel to expect everything from one person in a group of friends. We guess that there’s that person in your group of friends, maybe even you. Someone who plans everything…Arranging the hotels, looking for tickets, researching expenses… They enjoy the trip less because it’s as if all the responsibility is on them. Furthermore, when things don’t go as planned, that person is blamed. But that isn’t their responsibility. This kind of task should be done collaboratively. Don’t expect a single person to set up everything.
Not Talking About Your Budget
Unless everyone in the group is a millionaire, it’s important to talk about the budget before you go on vacation. For example, if you have a low budget, you can stay in hostels. A daily spending limit can be set. At this point, choosing accommodation should not be left to a single person because it may not fit everyone’s budget. This should be decided jointly. Transportation is the same. For instance, not everyone can afford to buy plane tickets and might prefer to travel by low-cost buses. For this reason, you need to communicate well with your friends before you go on vacation. So, there’ll be no discussion on this subject during the holiday.
Staying at Hostels: A Guide for Beginners
Not Doing Enough Research
It’s very important to do research before you set off. For example, does everyone have a visa? How should you dress there? How will you get from the airport to the hotel? You always have to research them. For example, why did you choose this region for your holiday? You need to discuss this with your friends. If you and your friends don’t do research about the resort, you’re more likely to experience surprises when you go. This can cause chaos among you.
These are the basic things you should avoid. Now, let’s look at the tips on traveling with friends.
Tips for Traveling with Friends
#1
Everyone’s Demand Is Important
Just because you like different things with your best friend doesn’t mean you can’t have a vacation together. Considering everyone’s demands is one of the most important things to consider when planning a vacation with friends. While planning the trip, you’ll see that some of your friends just want to party, while some of your friends just want to relax. Maybe you’ll want something totally different. Talk about this beforehand. Try to create a plan that’ll meet everyone’s vacation needs.
#2
Work with Professionals
We’ve mentioned that it’s a mistake to plan the whole holiday for one person. Arranging travel for the group is already a difficult task. As a solution to this, working with a travel advisor would be wiser. You can ask them all the questions you want and they’ll help you if you have any problems. Consultants can save your vacation! They’re experts on this.
#3
You Don’t Have to Be Together All the Time
Don’t make this mistake. This is one of the biggest mistakes people make when going on vacation with friends. You don’t have to do everything together just because you’re traveling together. From time to time, everyone should have a chance to go to their room and rest. Or, to go alone to a place where one wants to travel. For example, spend a day apart and meet for dinner. That'll do you good.
#4
But…Make Time for Your Friends
First of all, a vacation with friends is a wonderful thing. Know the value of it. You go on this holiday to spend time together. So work can wait. After all, you’re on vacation and you don’t have to return to your e-mails immediately. Spend a little less time on social media. Know the value of being together. You never know when this holiday opportunity will come your way again. Trust me, having a best friend is way better than having virtual followers.
#5
Be Assertive
Yes, it’s not right to leave everything to one person. However, this is not the same thing. At times the team is undecided and one person needs to step up. You don’t have to remain silent. Feel free to come up with suggestions on what to do. They’ll really like this.
#6
Be Flexible
You’re not alone, so you need to be a little more patient and flexible in the face of possible situations. Know that you won’t be able to do everything you want to do on your list. Maybe you want to do an activity a lot, but you can’t do it and your friends even don’t notice it. Try not to get too attached to such things. Be accommodating.
#7
Be Open to Dialogue
Of course, there’ll be problems. However, it’s very important to discuss them openly. Even if no one brings it up, you bring it up. If someone doesn’t do that, that problem could only get bigger. Afterward, it’ll be worse. After all, you’re always with friends and problems are inevitable. Try to be a good friend. Try to lead people to good things. Remember, you’ll not be the only unhappy person there. So, open communication is very important.
#8
Don’t Make Decisions When You’re Stressed
This is one of the golden rules not only on holiday but also in daily life. For example, if you’re a person who gets angry when hungry, you should not make a decision at that moment. It’s necessary to pay attention to this during the holiday. Never make decisions when you’re hungry and stressed. And don’t tease anyone! If a friend makes this mistake, stay calm. Bring them something to eat and wait for them to calm down. You talk later.
Travel With Friends: The Bottom Line
Remember, your friends are very valuable to you. This holiday opportunity is also very valuable. Of course, downsides are inevitable. But every problem has a solution because you love each other. Don’t let this holiday spoil your friendship. On the contrary, take a vacation that’ll strengthen your friendship.
We’ve given tips to make this travel as good as possible. We hope it’ll be the use of use to you and your best friend. Have a nice holiday with your friends in advance!
FAQ
Why should you travel with friends?
Because traveling with friends is very enjoyable. Having a travel companion is an amazing experience and strengthens your friendship. You’ll share very special moments together and you’ll learn new things at every moment. Maybe you’ll discover a strange place. It’ll be an experience you can talk about for years.
Why traveling with friends is better than traveling alone?
Because when you travel with your friends, you have someone you can trust with you. Having someone with you when you travel means more fun! Many things are shared together. At the same time, it’s safer.
However, this is only valid if you have compatible travel partners and reliable close friends. Otherwise, with crazy friends, your travel might turn into a nightmare.
How do you survive a trip with a friend?
It’s actually not that difficult. Have open communication with your travel buddies. Try to focus on the positive side of things rather than the negative side. If there’s a moment when you’re very depressed, go for a walk and calm down.
Be an honest friend and tell them how you feel. Everyone will understand.
How do you travel with friends without fighting?
First of all, we hope you’ll not face such a situation. But if it happens, try not to escalate any further. Calm everyone down. Sit down and try to communicate calmly. Close friends listen to each other. If you take such an attitude, after all, everyone is a friend, everyone will calm down slowly.
Also, don’t put too much pressure on one person. Make sure everyone has responsibilities, not just you.
Is solo travel better than traveling with friends?
There is no right answer to this question. This depends on your individual preferences. If you’re a very social and outgoing person, having a few good friends with you will be very fun. A good friend listens and you can have quality time together. But if you like your own space and want to stay alone most of the time, solo travel could be the right choice for you. You can find ways to beat solo travel loneliness and you’ll have a great time even without any traveling companions.