How To Pick The Perfect Travel Partner

To Solo or not to Solo is sometimes an important question. Nothing wrong with traveling solo but sometimes having a friend or more along for the ride can be much more exhilarating. Like I wish I had at least a friend when I went to Oktoberfest. Don’t get me wrong I had a blast, but if I were with one of my peeps, it would’ve been even better. So it got me to thinking considering my many travels with and without what are some things that are important when picking the perfect travel partner or partners.

Here yah go!

Travel... Me Likey

Do you like to travel? Might sound like a duh but you'd be surprised. Some amateurs like the idea of travel but not really about that travel life. Getting the stamps, taking pics and the Instagram likes may seem like obvi perks, but you miss out on the hidden treasures and history of where you are.

I believe having similar travel desires helps build a better travel bond with your travel partner. Knowing if they are a vacationer, relax on the beach luxury living traveler versus the slumming it in the hostels where adventure feeds their soul is indeed a difference. Pocket-wise and location wise. You might not be traveling for the same reasons or search for the same meanings, but you share an understanding of the travel life.

Dora Not So Much The Explorer

While I was in Copenhagen, I overheard a convo amongst these three grown ass 40 something-year-old ladies talking about their first time traveling abroad from the states. Let me run the convo by you.

Lady 1: oh my gosh Emily! You're sooo lucky your first trip to Europe was to Iceland. I'm so jealous.

Lady 2: Wait... Is Iceland a part of Europe? I thought it was its own country or something.

I never laughed so hard! Her friend tried to save face by correcting her, but it was too late I couldn't stop laughing!

Knowing where you are is essential. It’s like an entertainer getting on stage and acknowledging the wrong city. Rude and quite embarrassing. Besides that riding public transportation means you need to know how to read their maps. You don’t want to end up on the wrong side of the city where no one speaks English, and the trains stop running and now your stuck. Trust. It happened to me in Tokyo. Even riding a taxi, you need to know a sense of direction because some will try to take you out the way or trust try to kidnap you. Trust. I know because an Uber driver tried me (in the States at that).

Relationship Status

Maybe this will change when I find love in a hopeless place but until then Nah fam. I don't care about you and bae nor do I want an update on every call and problem. As your friend, I'll listen for a good 5 minutes, but after that, I zone out. Sorry, I can't relate therefore I honestly don't care. I feel that when you travel with someone in a relationship, their relationship becomes your relationship. I start thinking about what I'd say back in that situation, and there I go falling into a sunken place of hearts and "I love you" oh and the worst part... when the travel partner stops wanting to do several activities because they want to experience it with their significant other. Bruh... why are you even here then? I could've traveled solo.

So moral of this how to find a travel partner point.... No hard feelings and we can still be friends, but if you're in a relationship, it's a no for me fam. Ok ok ok if you have your relationship under control and it doesn’t interrupt our experience then do what you want as long as it doesn’t involve me.

Two Peas in A Pod

I touched on this earlier buuttttt I feel like I need to highlight it more. Sharing the same travel similarities matters. For example, I like the beach, but considering I don’t know how to swim, I really don’t care for the beach that much. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good relaxing vacay from time to time, but it’s not my first choice. I instead explore and interact with people. So if you’re a beach bum, we might not mix well. Knowing your similarities matters because if we have a difference in expectations, then it can become a problem when booking.

One time I booked hostels for a trip and my friend wasn’t a fan. They did one with me, but they boogie self couldn’t hang the rest of the trip. We ended up staying in different places during some part of the journey. That means extra money to meet up and additional steps to coordinate when planning activities. We worked it out, but it’s so much easier when we are on the same wavelength and slumming it together. Don’t get me wrong I have my moments of luxury, but it wasn’t the time for that, but I guess the other traveler didn’t share that same memo.

Money Game Strong

Shit happens... but your financial problems shouldn’t become mines. If you know you’re going on a trip, then you have ample time to prepare. Means make sure you have access to your money, pack your cards, and have cash. No matter what’s the issue make sure you got you. And if you don’t, tell your travel partner in advance to provide them the opportunity to decide to help or not. I hate feeling obligated or forced to spend my money. Even worse if I don’t know you. One time while out with a couple of travelers I met in passing, we made our way to this fancy bar with great views. You would’ve thought we were amongst the rich and famous. It was like a scene out of a movie. Anyways the girl I was with convinced us to get a bottle of wine stating it’s usually cheaper and we get more glasses. Everything in my soul was telling me no, don’t do it, reconsider, but trying to be a team sport I went along. And then the bill came. Bruh! That bottle was like 160 American dollars! One glass was like $15. I was lo key pissed because I was tryna be on a budget and this was definitely blowing it. Then on top of that her card was declined and flagged fraud which forced the other traveler and me to pay for it.

Now she did eventually pay us back but what if I didn’t bring enough or worst she didn’t or couldn’t pay us back? I’d rather everyone take care of self. When you mix money, you turn into a pest trying to make sure you get your money back. Counting what others spend knowing in the back of your head, they owe you. I don’t need that stress.

Well, hopefully, this helps you get on the right track to picking the perfect travel partner. If not, I hope it was at least entertaining and you learn from my little Travel stories. Anywho, what do you look for in a travel partner? Don’t be shy! Share below!

In Search of my travel partner, XOXO