There are many people well suited to traveling alone while others wouldn’t dream of leaving home without a companion. It’s best not to think first about whom to travel with, but whether to travel with anyone. Think carefully before selecting a companion as making a decision too quickly might result in a disastrous trip and memories you may want to forget.
Should I travel alone?
To travel alone provides you with the ultimate freedom. You are your own boss, setting your schedule and making each and every decision. There are no arguments, no compromises and no second guessing.
Traveling alone is a confidence builder as you discover you’ve learnt new skills to solve problems travelers encounter.
People who travel alone often find others more willing to strike up a conversation and in turn you may feel much more inclined to do the same. Local people may feel more obliged to offer a meal or a place to stay at their home to those traveling on their own. This may not always be the case however, as my wife and her friend were invited to dinner by a local when they traveled through India. In contrast some people keep themselves distanced from couples, romantic or otherwise.
You are giving yourself an enormous amount of time to reflect, contemplate or anything else you care to do. It’s rare these days to be in a position to control so much for yourself so this can be very rewarding for the spirit.
You stand a better chance to learn foreign languages because you have to.
Romance might appear easier for some people if you travel alone, but in my case I met my now wife whilst she traveled with her friend. I suppose it just depends on the circumstances.
Personality could well be the deciding factor as someone who is extremely independent and possesses little tolerance for others may well enjoy traveling alone far more than with others.
Traveling alone can be wonderful and something I’ve done in the past, but there are certainly many benefits from traveling with a companion. If you have a willing spouse, very good friend or close relative then the question of whether to travel alone or not might not even be considered.
Why travel with a companion
You are probably safer if you travel with someone. Having a partner is especially useful to women for reducing unwanted advances.
A travel partner keeps the lonesome homesick blues away so if one person is having a low day the other can pick them up and vice versa.
Traveling to countries where your travel companion speaks the local language is very effective at making daily life easier. As an example, while stranded at the rail station in Madrid my wife was able to translate the announment that our train had been cancelled and a coach scheduled instead.
Travel usually costs less when you travel with someone else. For instance the cost of a single room is usually about 80% of the total for a double room. The costs are less therefore if the total is split fifty-fifty between you. The same goes for other costs such as guide books and taxis which if split fifty-fifty work out cheaper than if you traveled alone.
If one of you becomes ill on your travels the other person can care for you whereas being alone will mean having to care for yourself and this might be tough if you need to rest in bed.
The best reason for me however is the history of the trip shared together. When the trip is long over you will always have someone with whom to reminisce.
Characteristics of the ideal travel partner
If you’ve already decided the best way to go is alone then really this is as far as you need to read, but if you would rather have experience with someone else then think very carefully about who you choose. It’s certainly worth the effort and the choice is a lot easier if you know what to look for.
The ideal travel partner is:
Someone you like
Someone who visualizes the trip roughly the same way you do. Are you in agreement with the countries you will visit or are you both open to making these decisions as the journey unfolds? Is one of you seeking an adventure based trip with rafting, all day hikes and other adventurous activities whilst the other seeks long lazy days on the beach? Does one of you consider a hair dryer, curling iron and fine clothes essential items to pack whereas the other considers a tent, sleeping bag and camping stove essential. Does one of you like to hike whilst the other would rather catch a bus everywhere? Do you enjoy seeking out new places whereas your companion would rather keep to known areas? It’s not to say that any of these ideas are wrong, but it would certainly be advantageous to reconcile these things before setting off on that once in a lifetime trip
Someone who is comfortable with the amount of risk you like to take. How do you both feel about driving abroad, riding around on scooters, hitch hiking or staying in the homes of people you’ve recently met?
Someone whom shares the same feelings towards the trips budget. The question of money and it being spent can create difficult situations if these aren’t considered. Are you quite happy to spend $12 a night on a hotel in Vietnam, whereas your companion wouldn’t be happy for less than $100? If you sense differences in levels of comfort required for the trip it may be a good indicator as to the view of the whole trip.
Someone who operates on a similar clock to your own. The day/night person scenario has ruined many travel experiences over the years. Whilst on the one hand you have a person who lives for the experiences of the day, on the other hand you have a person who enjoys late night partying and sleeps for most of the day. This can only spell trouble and will result in more of a lone travel experience. Travelers can also fall out over the timing of eating. Perhaps you awake starving hungry, but your partner likes to skip breakfast for a heartier meal at lunchtime after an early morning hike.
Travel with a person whose energy levels are close to your own. Be sure to ascertain you and your partners desired pace of travel. If your levels of fitness are not similar this may be detrimental to the trip and your ability to travel well as a team. An upbeat person that enjoys exercise is a joy whereas someone that complains with every step is not.
Find someone flexible and easy going as there are inevitably going to be times on the journey where you will need these traits. There will be trying times as you work to solve problems and if you travel with someone who blows up at the slightest challenge it will make you unhappy. Try to find someone with a good sense of humor, who doesn’t take life too seriously. That way you can understand most frustrations are a result of cultural differences which make the places worth visiting in the first place.
Someone with personal habits compatible to your own. Do you or your companion snore louder than a jumbo jet or perhaps your views of illegal drugs are more tolerant? It’s not a question of judging the other person just something that might be worth understanding before checking in at the airport.
Understanding the need for personal space. Everyone enjoys someone who has lots to talk about, but generally anyone that doesn’t get some quiet time or time alone to keep in balance will become cranky. It’s not easy to start to spend twenty-four hours a day with someone. Unless you plan on talking constantly the whole time it might also be worth ensuring you are comfortable with silence. When you need quiet time make sure you ask for it as not doing so will make the relationship suffer. It’s useful to establish ahead of the trip that the need for some time alone periodically is not a form of rejection of the other person.
Someone with the same ideas about intimacy. Are you both ok with sharing a room or a bed? Don’t assume these things and remember this can make a considerable impact on travel expenses for accommodation.
Someone willing to communicate openly and to problem solve. Sometimes what might seem like a small problem can turn into a nightmare very quickly. Agree not to let resentments build up, but instead talk about the issue whether it is the direction of the trip, companion behavior towards something in particular or whatever else the issue might be. Mutually addressing problems in creative ways is essential. If there are occasions when an agreement can’t be met, then consider a trade off. Perhaps your companion gets their way this time and you get your way next time.
Someone you like. This is the first consideration and the last consideration on the list as nothing else is more important.
Take careful consideration of whether you travel alone or with a companion. If you think the journey would be more fun and make you happier with a companion then select that person with care remembering that you can’t expect someone to change just because they are traveling. If you’re thinking about traveling with someone who’s a non stop talker who likes to find fault, criticizes often and complains, complains, complains then perhaps you should either boil your head in a bucket of pig swill or just go on your own!
Some of the information contained within this article has been gathered from “Traveler’s Toolkit” by Rob Sangster
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