Save Yourself A Trip From Hell: 5 Keys To Finding The Best Travel Partner

For some of us, solo travel is just way too daunting.

It's great to have someone with whom to travel so you won't be confused on your own. Plus, this way, getting lost will be something to laugh about together, rather than a scary irritation. However, such will only be the case if you find the right travel partner.

Few things are more awful than having to deal with petty conflicts while on the road. So, before you hop onto a 10-hour flight with someone who will make your trip nothing short of a nightmare, consider these few points when looking for a travel partner:

Set expectations

There's a difference between budget traveling and taking a luxury vacation. Before doing anything, you should both agree on what kind of adventure you want to take.

Will it be a thrill-seeking adventure with bungee jumping and rock climbing? Or, will it be a relaxing trip at a beach resort? If one of you wants to hop on and off buses to see multiple cities, but the other wants to sip sangria under a parasol for a week straight, you might want to rethink the plan to travel together.

Agree on a budget

You don't have to have the number down to how much you'd spend on bottles of water each day, but make sure both of you have an understanding of each other's budget.

If one of you wants to stay at hostels and the other couldn't stand sleeping in dorms and sharing a bathroom, it's probably not going to work out.

It's also a good idea to identify your splurge items. Some people would prefer to splurge on meals, while others might prefer to spend more on museums. Discuss these things and compromise prior to your travels in order to avoid conflict on the road.

Open-mindedness is very important

It should be a no-brainer that traveling requires open-mindedness — especially when you're venturing out to a place where the language and culture are completely different from your own.

Try different foods and attempt to communicate, despite the language barrier. It might be slightly exhausting, but at the same time, exhilarating. You want a travel partner who can laugh about cultural miscommunications, rather than one who constantly notes how things are sooo much better back home.

Make sure he or she is knowledgeable

Your travel buddy doesn’t need to know 10 languages or have photographic memory, but make sure the person isn’t clueless about traveling. This is especially important in emergency situations. Make sure you and your buddy know what to do in the event that one of you loses a passport or has any belongings stolen.

Rather than stress and panic with you, your travel partner should be able to calmly help you through the process of filing a police report and contacting your embassy, if necessary. Make sure you're even tempered enough to be capable of doing the same, too!

Honesty and compromise is necessary

Of course, no two individuals are completely identical; you and your travel partner probably have at least slightly different preferences. What matters is the ability to peacefully compromise from time to time. Ultimately, the more open-minded and honest you can remain during your travel time, the better your experience will be.

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