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What comes to mind when you think about traveling with other people? Fun, connection, and great experiences, I hope!
Or maybe not.
We once went on a road trip with another couple, who critiqued my husband Sean’s driving so much that he wasn’t talking to anyone by the end. Another time we were staying in condos with another couple…we assumed we’d be stocking up on breakfast & lunch items to save money, but they assumed we’d be eating out for every meal.
I’m sure if you’ve traveled with other people, you’ve probably had similar experiences!
So, how do you make traveling with other people better? I’ve put together a small checklist of things to consider.
Do you want to be relaxed or rushed?
This is a good question to know about yourself and also those you’re thinking about traveling with. What is your expectation of your travel experience? Are you excited to see and experience everything? Or is your goal to spend time without an agenda and just relax in your destination? Discuss this before you go, and everyone will be on the same page. When we traveled with young kids, we sometimes had one parent stay with the baby or child who needed the slower itinerary, and the other one entertained the more active ones.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Knowing this can make a huge difference in how you travel! If you’re traveling with other people, be sure to know this ahead of time. It doesn’t mean you can’t travel together, but it helps manage everyone’s expectations. The early birds can find other activities or excursions to enjoy while the night owls are sleeping, and the night owls can stay up and enjoy the evening activities while the early birds return to their rooms.
To shop or not to shop?
Some people LIVE for the shopping experiences they’ll have on vacation, while others prefer to return home with pictures and memories but not souvenirs. Make sure you think about what you want to do while on your upcoming trip, and find out how your travel companions feel about it. That doesn’t mean you have to give up your shopping trip, but it might mean that you’ll be a solo shopper sometimes. And if you’re the non-shopper and everyone else is looking forward to shopping till they drop, you can always ditch them for some relaxation and alone time.
What type of budget does everyone have?
Of course, this probably will come up in the planning stages of your trip, but you should also think about it while traveling. If you’re eating out for every meal, what types of restaurants are you envisioning? If some of the group is fine with fast food and the others prefer gourmet dining, you could split up, of course. If you don’t talk about the types of things you envision splurging for, everyone might be frustrated with the options that are being chosen for them by the rest of the group.
How much time do you want to spend together vs. alone?
If you don’t think about this prior to the trip, I can guarantee you’ll be wishing you had! Some people envision spending every minute of your upcoming vacation together—after all, isn’t that why you’re going in the first place? Others prefer a healthy dose of time apart doing their own thing. If you have a conversation about this prior to your trip, you won’t be angry or frustrated when your expectations aren’t met, and everyone you travel with will be happy with how it works out.
Hopefully these tips help you think about who you’re traveling with in 2023 and how to manage everyone’s expectations.
Would you consider traveling with me? Come on a French river cruise Oct. 14-21!
Before you start worrying about traveling with a bunch of people you don’t know, let me say this. Even though I’m inviting you to sail on the same river cruise that I’m going on, we don’t have to be besties. I’m not expecting us to hang out the whole time, or plan our excursions together, or even eat together. I want it to be YOUR cruise. YOUR vacation. YOUR experience. I’m great with us hardly ever interacting onboard, if you prefer to just have an amazing French river cruise getaway on your own.
On the other hand, if you have wanted to go on a European river cruise but feel like you’d rather go with someone who’s done it before and can guide you through the experience, I GOT YOU! That’s what I can do for you! And if you want to eat, excursion, and hang out together, I’m good with that too.
Come with me! Or, if a river cruise isn’t in your cards this year, do you know someone who has river cruising on their bucket list? Do you know someone who loves World War II history, and wants to experience the Beaches of Normandy? Someone who loves art and would love to see Monet’s Gardens in person? Someone who wants to experience Europe in a wonderful, intimate, personal way? This might be for them. Send them my info, and I'll be happy to give them all the details!
The best deals on this river cruise are only available for two more days, till the end of December. The cruise will be available, but all of the offers won’t be as of Jan. 1.
Whether you’re wanting to go with me, or whoever you travel with, I hope that 2023 is full of anticipation and true travel joy!