Meaningful travel experiences are on the rise around the world as more people seek to pair their break from home life with personal growth or helping others. Many of us think of travel in this way as a personal experience, which is why solo travel is also on the up. But holidaying with a close friend should not be dismissed right away as there are many benefits to having a travel buddy along for the ride.
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If you pick the wrong person as your travel buddy, it could be a nightmare! If you clash and argue, it won’t just cause an uncomfortable rift between you both, but it could ruin the whole holiday. It might even damage your friendship beyond the trip itself!
Generally, if you know and like someone, you’ll have a good sense for how well you two (or more) will travel together. However, we have a few checkpoints to hit to help you avoid disaster:
Perhaps you now have a good idea who of your friends would make the perfect travel companion. But why take one at all? Isn’t travel meant to be about exploring the self as well as the world? How can you separate yourself from your home life if you take some of it with you?
Allow us to convince you with these 6 reasons to go on holiday with a travel buddy!
Usually, the more people in a party, the cheaper a holiday is for each person: sharing the cost of a taxi; splitting the cost of a double or twin bedroom is cheaper than a single room; private tours, food shopping, and renting a car. They are all more affordable with a friend.
The knock-on effect is that you have more money in your pocket. So, you can either travel further or for longer, spend more extravagantly, or save that extra cash.
When you are exploring somewhere new, it can feel intimidating when you’re on your own. While travelling should largely be a positive experience for everyone, bad things can happen. However, with a travel buddy, you will greatly reduce the risk of falling victim to a scammer, thief, or any other criminal.
Furthermore, we tend to feel more secure and bolder when we have familiar company. So, you may find that you push yourself to visit places and try new things you would have avoided alone.
A major drawback of solo travel is that you have to do (almost) everything alone. Maybe you need to run to the toilet but you’re worried about leaving your bags unattended. Perhaps you are trying to squeeze so much in a day that you forget to do something important, like checking in with friends and family to let them know you’re okay.
When you go on holiday with a travel buddy, you can divide and conquer. Suddenly, you need not worry about moving about as much because someone can watch your luggage. Your travel buddy can keep an eye out for you if someone suspicious approaches you. You can even save time by doing two things at once. For example, one of you buys tour tickets while the other grabs supplies.
A great travel buddy isn’t just there for physical support, but emotional support, too.
Culture shock and homesickness are incredibly common. It’s easy to feel lost, alone, and overwhelmed in a new place, especially when travelling for an extended period (but it can happen even on short trips).
Not only can you and your travel buddy be there to lift each other’s spirits if one of you feels down. You can keep those spirits high even in boring moments by making each other laugh during the less glamorous moments (waiting at the airport, taking a long bus ride, etc.).
Something many holidaymakers worry about regarding travelling with a friend is that you might feel less inclined to interact with other people. Why speak to a person by the hotel pool if you’re already with someone? Why accept an invitation to do a local tour with a new group if your companion has said they want to do something else?
Unless you pick a bad travel buddy, this simply won’t happen. In the same way friends don’t stop you meeting new people back home, neither will that happen on the trip. On the contrary, you’ll likely meet more people as your buddy will also encounter new people and learn about exciting adventures.
Finally, if you pick a good travel buddy—one who supports your decisions, keeps your spirits up, doesn’t pressure you to do things you don’t want to do, and who shares your travel desires and goals—then you will only grow closer as friends. Travelling is a deeply personal experience where the soul grows as it relaxes and encounters new adventures, cultures, and experiences. If you travel with a close friend and share these unique moments together, your relationship will strengthen, too.
Has our list inspired you? Do you know who would make your perfect travel buddy? Then start your adventure together today and explore My Late Deals for amazing holiday bargains.