(Travel) – When family and friends do not have the travel bug as you do, how do you handle it? Do you concede to their staying in or going to the usual places while feeling bored and leaving your Marco-Polo-self in the closet? Whether it is a long vacation or a weekend getaway…
The key to the most fun and adventurous travel, aside from simply going traveling alone, is finding people who will make the trip more enjoyable and easy. After a few mistakes and lots of observation, I have discovered certain truths that may be of value for you.
- You don’t have to always travel with family or certain friends or your significant other; especially when the trip becomes a responsibility and a liability. Responsibility because you are somehow responsible for everybody else to have fun, and liability because if you don’t provide that, you are a bad person and you’ll pay for it. It is difficult to be immune to the “looks” people give you in the car when they are bored. Find your best travel buddies.
- If you have to beg, persuade or drag someone to go on a vacation, a trip, or a weekend outdoor activity, they are not your travel buddies.
- Some people think of traveling as going from point A to point B. These are not candidates to super fun, adventurous travel.
- Opposite to the above, some people love impromptu trips and impromptu stops along the way. Caught a great sight of the mountain and want to stop to take a picture? Sure! Saw a charmingly dilapidated barn while passing by and want to make a “U” turn to see it again? Hey, let’s do that! Want to try a drink or food at that seemingly old and odd cafe on the left side of the road? Go ahead! –Those are your best travel buddies.
- Good travel buddies share resources: the car, food, money for gas, whatever is needed. The idea is for everybody to be at ease. Everybody pitching in but also being generous sets a good vibe.
- What is also key to having fun traveling with others, is to agree on matters of time. Be specific about what time you are leaving and what time you’ll be returning, and what are the terms of engagement, time-wise.
- If you are planning a trip with others ask questions related to the issues mentioned above, so that everybody has a clear idea of what to expect. Ask for input, so that everybody feels included in the decisions made.
Travel buddies do not substitute friendships or family but on the other hand, wonderful friendships are born while sharing fun trips.
Last but certainly not least, leave a lot of room for spontaneity. Great adventures come out of unplanned, out of the blue trips. Granted, that happens when you have the best travel buddies!
Content by Lupita Peimbert. Photos by LP, Shirley Heckard, and Marty.
About the writer: Lupita Peimbert is a media & communications professional with a day job she loves. She also is a bilingual freelancer who writes and does multimedia reporting about travel, culture, arts and life. You may contact her at editor@lupitanews.com
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