You’re ready to explore that goal on the bucket list, but no one you know is available. Sure, you can go it alone, but if you find a travel buddy to share your adventure, the experience can be even more fun and rewarding. Not every potential travel buddy fits well with how he likes to travel. Make it important for your own comfort and enjoyment to be sure to choose someone who will help make your trip memorable for every reason.
1. Energy for adventurous trips or not
If your goal is to hike, bike, and climb to the top of a volcano, coupled with a buddy who wants to shop, have dinner, and dance during the night, there won’t be much fun. Specify what activities you want to do. Before confirming updates and booking flights, discuss a general itinerary to see if there is enough similar interest.
2. Thrifty or fat wallet travel
It can be just as much fun to travel on a budget to take a more luxurious route. But if one of you has little to spend and the other wants to do things in style, money can hinder the sharing of good times. A useful way to find out if you are financially compatible is to let your prospective traveler know in advance what type of accommodation you want to book. When both are happy with hotel prices in Madrid or boutique hotel prices in Boston, there is a good chance they have found a financially compatible travel friend.
3. Habits, hangs, and happy places
Beyond a shared enthusiasm for a destination or joint activity, you and our travel companion will be much more in each other’s personal space than the habits of the people you just met. Smoke? Snore? Are you both scared of heights, dogs, or darkness? Be honest about your weirdness and don’t be afraid to ask sharp questions. While some habits may not matter unless you share a room, others can make a big difference in how happy your time together is.
4. Female travel preference only
Some women prefer female travel buddies, be it for safety, a comfortable atmosphere, or for girls who just want to have fun. If you are a single woman, a woman who likes to escape but has a partner who doesn’t, or if you want to discover a new face with a fresh face, temporary gal pali may be just the right ticket for your trip. As with any possible travel buddy, you will need to evaluate the compatibility of accommodation choices, finances, and activity levels here, but you will be less likely to have embarrassing moments that can occur when two travelers of different sexes suddenly spend together every day.
5. Drive while driving or slowly
The idea for a great vacation is to lie by the pool, read a novel and have a cocktail before a fabulous dinner. A travel buddy who is at dawn to take advantage of all the tourist attractions, museums, and food trucks in the region may not be the best for you. But don’t dismiss the opportunity without thinking about it. If you have the same taste in accommodations, a similar budget, and chat and laugh in online and phone conversations, you could be exactly the buddies who make your trip more exciting, relaxing, and satisfying.