Travel Buddy 101: What Makes a Great Travel Buddy

‘Can I be your travel buddy?’ is a question I’ve gotten a lot. Having travelled solo, in small groups, in large groups, with old friends, and with new friends. I’ve travelled with more than 20 different people over the years and the experiences have varied!

“I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.” —Mark Twain

The word ‘hate’ is strong but clearly Mark Twain had something to say about travel buddies too! It’s fair to say that there are different types of travel buddies and I’m sharing six things that make a great travel buddy to help you be one or find one!

 

1. openNesS to new thingS

No one wants to travel with that one person that doesn’t want to try anything new while on vacation, especially without reason.   Whether its food, drinks, or activities, why leave the comfort of your home if all you want is to do the exact same things. Eliminate those people from your travel buddy list, Stat! A great travel buddy is there for adventure and loves to try new things!

2. a travel buddy that travels light (get it?)

I have travel buddies that are amazing at packing light and looking fabulous. Others pack their existence into suitcases. To each their own so long as everyone can handle what they pack. While travelling light for sure comes in handy, I’m less focused on the literal translation here. One of the lessons I’ve picked up from my travels is that things will go wrong every now and then. Sometimes it’s beyond one’s control, and other times we mess up. While we all need a moment or two to be in our feelings when we miss a flight, or a train, or lose luggage, having someone who chooses to sulk and not move on is the WORST! A great travel buddy is willing to let things go, roll with the punches, focus on solving the problem, or just laughing at the situation.

3. i-n-d-e-p-e-n-d-e-n-c-e

When on group trips, or girls getaways, it’s definitely possible to spend most of the time with one’s travel buddies. However, having a travel buddy that feels more like a travel baby than a partner/co-adventurer can get frustrating. This is especially true if travel buddies have different interests or preferences. It’s okay to make a decision to do different things for a few hours and meet up somewhere later in the day. A travel buddy that needs to be with someone at ALL times is a no-no. If a potential travel buddy comes off as needy, read the signs, and either voice concerns/set expectations or EXIT left!

4. good energy/positive outlook

This doesn’t mean that people are delusional and happy all the time, but it does make a difference to have a buddy or two that say YES to adventure, are flexible with plans, and look at the positive side of things. If you encounter a travel buddy that uses more ‘can’ts’ than ‘can’ or is a Debbie downer in general, don’t expect that to change suddenly while on a trip. Everyone wants a travel buddy that has good energy, positive vibes and is just down for a good time.

5. being on the same page financially

Everyone has different things going on financially – earnings, source of funds for travel, bills, debt, family obligations etc. In my opinion, you don’t have to have the same amount of disposable income as your travel buddy, but it is important to be on the same page as far as budget expectations for the trip. Someone with a $10 per meal budget travelling with someone who only dines at Michelin star restaurants…it won’t work! Have the conversation early so one doesn’t feel bad for not spending more or on the flip side, to avoid travelling with someone who complains about every expense.

6. The ‘All Talk, No Action’ Travel Buddy

Every travel lover has a few of these ‘travel buddies’! Those that’ll say they want to travel 1 million times but don’t come through. Some have valid reasons and for others, it simply isn’t a priority at the time and that’s okay. I keep these travel buddies abreast of my plans but I wouldn’t put a trip on hold for them because they may never come through. Keep them on what I call the ‘travel buddy bench’ but don’t wait on them. The thing is, a few of these buddies actually come through when you least expect them to! On the flip side, there are those that say yes, and then come through, keep those people around!

7. Bonus: good eye and patience for photos:

This is not a requirement of course, but as a travel blogger, it’s the icing on the cake to have a travel buddy with an eye for good angles, or those that simply see the ‘vision’ once you show/tell them what you want! Shout out to those people in our lives, because the struggle is real J.

 

What else would you add to this list? What’s the most interesting way you’ve met a travel buddy? Who is on your travel buddy bench? Are you a good travel buddy yourself? 

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Till next time, 

Dee (Ms. Heels)