I have the good fortune of a few great travel buddies. Here are the 3 essentials I’ve learned about the perfect traveling partner:
1. Flexibility: A mutually easygoing attitude creates room for spontaneity and exploration, two essential components of great travel. For instance, if either person tends to get uptight when the schedule shifts, it can limit the sense of freedom. Like that one time when one of my travel buddies lost their you know what, when the hotel shuttle was running late so the hotel manager actually had to drive us himself. The levity of freedom, after all, is the love story that traveling is all about so lose yourself in the romance, don’t turn it into a drama flick.
2. Engaging: an eagerness to share opinions and perspectives will help each other expand the experience. Traveling is about exploration, about helping each other see what may be missed is a gift to each other. Packing snacks for the road, mentioning the sound of the wind through the trees, or sharing an emotion that is evoked by the surroundings can elevate the conversation and cognizance.
3. Shared Contributions: For some it may work to have a partner who’s just along for the ride. However, an uneasiness and even resentment can develop if one partner always calls the shots. It is essential to have an open and trusting dialogue, where both people are willing to continue to co-create the experience. This means working towards outcomes in which both people’s needs are considered. Once, I was traveling with a friend who was quick to suggest a number of options and then I’d narrow it down. This worked perfectly because they only suggested what they were already into; I loved not putting my energy into research and they were glad I lightened the burden of making the final call. It worked great for us both!
So if you seek an amazing travel partner, or want to help your travel buddy understand how to rock your traveling world, share these 3 tips with them 🙂
