Traveling with friends sounds like a lot of fun! Unlike our family members, we get along very well with our friends. However, travel can prove to be a serious test of your friendship.
Here are a few things to make sure you get back to a friendship that is intact - or perhaps stronger:
1. Talking about money:
Statistics show that finances are one of three reasons. leading to divorce! So don't think your friendship won't fall prey! Discuss money thoroughly before the trip. You may assume that you both have the same budget, but that's often not the case. If your friend's budget is lower than yours, she'll resent you for spending "more" and if hers is higher, you'll feel the same way. Sit down together and discuss the things you want to spend money on and the things that are not a priority. One of you
may want to invest in food, but the other may think it is better to buy cheap food and save money for other things. Remember that things can go bad very quickly if you don't talk about money in advance.
2. Complete the route:
Just because you want to go to the same place doesn't mean you'll want to do the same things there. If you're staying at a beach resort, you might want to spend the day reading a book on the beach, but your friend might want to go snorkeling. She wants you to go with her, but you won't. This will anger both of you and leave your friend with nothing to do. So talk about your expectations and plans in advance. Decide what you will do each day. Some things you can do yourself instead of counting
for the whole group. Going alone can also be fun, and it also takes the pressure off of pampering yourself.
3. Shared responsibility:
Indicate who will do what. One should be in charge of all hotel and flight bookings, one should research local culture and attractions while keeping budget in mind. Assigning responsibilities reduces confusion and wasted time. Everyone knows who has to do what to get the job done efficiently. Bonus: If something goes wrong, you'll know exactly who is to blame. Imagine fighting and how much less time it would take to find out whose fault it was!
4. Know Yourself:
When at home, we ignore and tolerate the odd habits of our friends. In fact, these things make us love our friends even more. However, be aware that your friend will remain a person even while you travel. These rather odd habits can quickly start to annoy you! If your friend is used to constantly using social media, she will do the same during the trip, leaving you with no one to talk to. Therefore, it is very important to choose your
companion wisely.