When the Australian university I was studying abroad at announced a two-week fall break, three expat friends and I rushed to plan a road trip up the east coast of Oz. Before we departed, we fantasized about Sydney nightlife and tested how many bathing suits we could fit in our backpacks. While the trip did include great nights out and beautiful scuba diving, the day-to-day enjoyment was disrupted by disagreements about who paid for what, who had to drive on the “other side” of the road, and trips to hospitals with one of our companions, the extent of whose alcoholism was unknown to the rest of us. Had we had more discussions about splitting responsibilities and what we each wanted to get out of the trip, more of us might still be in touch now.
Clearly, there are more than a few headaches that can arise from going to new places with good friends, but they can usually be nipped in the bud or downplayed with a few honest discussions and planning.
Discuss what’s most important to you on the trip.
It’s imperative that you talk about what you’re each looking to get out of travelling. Do you want a relaxing vacation or do you want to travel adventurously? Do you want a volunteer component to your trip? Do you want to shop and explore museums in cities or would you prefer to hike in rural areas?
Plan a budget.
There’s a huge difference between the traveler who updates a written budget every time she opens her wallet and the one with a trust fund, but that alone doesn’t disqualify them from traveling together. Having an honest dialogue about the duration and total daily amount each person is able to spend before booking anything is imperative.
When it comes to accommodations, talk about the type and cost of places you’re interested in staying at before you land at your destination. Like crashing on a friend of a friend’s couch, hostels are less expensive than staying in hotels, but not everyone prefers to skimp on overnight stays if it means sharing showers and space.
Take a trial trip.
A short-term practice round such as a weekend road trip might help you recognize whether you’ll be compatible travel partners. Spending time together without your everyday concerns and comforts will give you a chance to see how patient and compatible you are with each other. You may discover whether or not your prospective partner is able to get through trip delays and brief misunderstandings without getting distressed. Though temporarily stressful, those are the situations that can usually make the best stories.
