Travelling with friends can seem like a fantastic idea at first, but has the potential to turn into the biggest nightmare – great friends don’t always make the best travel companions!

A few years ago, my best friend from Unviersity and I decided to go travelling together for a month. A few friends asked me if I was worried: how could we possibly travel together for a full month without arguing?! Luckily, I had lived with my friend for the past few years and knew she would make the perfect travel companion. Here’s a few things to consider when choosing the Dora to your Explorer…

Holiday Expectations

Before deciding to travel together, it might be an idea to share your expectations for travelling; for example, my friends know to expect an action-packed itinerary (fitting perfectly with the teacher stereotype) with endless coffee stops if they travel with me – if you like to be up and out the door by 9am, it’s probably not best to go travelling with a friend that is never up in time for the free breakfast buffet!

Living Space

This is a must for anyone travelling for a longer period of time if you want to avoid driving each other insane! It’s one thing meeting up with friends for a meal and drinks, but a complete different ball game when you live in each other’s pockets for a month…sharing accommodation can be make or break for some travel pals. I was fortunate enough to live with my friend first, so we both knew we could cope with sharing the same space. My advice would be to know each other’s quirks and signs that they need a little space…it’s the little things that make a huge difference!

Budget bickers

A simple one but often overlooked: if you’re looking for a budget backpacker adventure where the hostels you end up in are an adventure of their own, then don’t agree to go travelling with a friend that expects a hotel with room service and swans sculpted from fresh linen towels…agree on a budget beforehand so there are no surprises along the way.

Travel goals

For me, there would be nothing worse than returning from a holiday without a single tick on the bucket list. Even for a slightly obsessed planner like me, I think it’s always important that you know what your partner also wants to see and do when travelling, so both of you can feel a sense of fulfillment! During our travels, my friend and I looked ahead to the next destination and decided on what we we wanted to do…by agreeing pre-arrival, we saved loads of time and had many adventures, from climbing the Great Wall of China, to a crocodile cruise in Cairns!

One thing we had both agreed on was that we wanted to do a sky dive: it had been on the bucket list for a while, but I knew I would never go through work it alone. It is quite possibly one of the best experiences of my life and I know I couldn’t have done it with anyone else!

So, pick a companion that you complement well and you know you can live with happily! Choose someone that has the same expectations as you and is happy to spend mornings wandering in search for the most hidden cafes! Most importantly, choose someone that will help you to tick off your travel dreams!

Happy travels with the Ant to your Dec,

K x