One of the best ways to choose traveling companions is to decide what you can live with and what will be a deal breaker during the trip. For example, nearly everyone will irritate you in some way, especially if you’re tired or have just spent hours waiting for a bus in the scorching heat. You’ll have to put up with a travel companion’s annoying habits, but you shouldn’t be forced to overlook major issues when choosing compatible traveling companions.
It’s reasonable to expect that if you’re a nonsmoker, you won’t want to share a room with a smoker. The key to successful partner travel is to be able to agree on what each traveler wants to get out of the trip prior to departure. It’s unlikely to be a good travel companion match if one traveler wants to party while the other wants to cycle and hike. If the trip’s goals are mostly the same, the chances of the traveling companions getting along are much higher. The next step should be to create a travel itinerary that everyone can agree on; if this proves difficult, the trip may not work out.
Traveling with friends can be beneficial because you’re likely already familiar with their habits, personality quirks, and preferred activities. One issue is that, unlike choosing travel companions from a different source, if one friend needs to lend money to another for travel expenses and is unable or unwilling to repay the loan, the friendship may be jeopardized. Traveling with friends may work out well as long as the financial aspect of the trip is worked out. Other potential traveling companions include roommates and family members, as long as money issues are addressed ahead of time and expectations and desired activities are similar.
If you’re planning to travel with people you don’t know well, it’s a good idea to have at least a few conversations about the trip before committing to anything. This will allow everyone to express their expectations as well as any deal breakers that might make them reconsider taking the trip. If a commitment is made, a shorter trip to begin with may be the best option.