Have you ever been so excited to travel to a new destination only for it to be ruined by the person you are traveling with?! Haven’t we all… Now all my friends are family are probably reading this post wondering if this is about them, which, sorry guys! If you think it’s about you, it probably is ha! Still love you though…
1. When they have NO input on what to do and what to see!
The “I don’t care, whatever you want,” seems considerate at first but after getting that response to everything, can be so aggravating! If you are anything like me, I spend weeks, sometimes months planning the perfect vacation. I try to make it perfect not only for me, but also try to tailor it to the person I’m traveling with. If I have a friend whose a total history buff, I try to incorporate a lot of guided tours. If I have a friend who likes a relaxing / slow-paced vacation, I’m not going to jam pack a whole country into a 48 hour trip! So when I put so much planning into making the trip perfect for everyone, and you say you don’t care what we do… THAT IRKS ME. Have some input, care (or at least pretend to care) about the experience as much as your travel buddy! Do some research before you go so you can share some input.
2. Doesn’t want to try any local restaurants or food.
I’m not saying go to Thailand and start eating bugs or anything, but don’t expect to only eat at big international chains when you are in a different country! I am not the biggest foodie in the world but one of the best ways to dive into a country’s culture is trying some of the local food. Just try it, at least once! I promise you won’t regret it – Unless you get food poisoning.. then it wasn’t me who told you to do it, ha!
3. Sticks so strictly to the itinerary that no one else’s input can be heard!
Is anyone else’s mom like this or is it just mine…? Even though I’m a twenty-something your old I still get told to hush up on family vacations, ha! I love researching, planning and formulating the perfect itinerary (hence the blog name) just as much as the next gal but some of the best experiences are the ones that are spontaneous. I always try to incorporate a few “free days” into my itineraries (especially towards the end of the trip), that way we can ask locals and fellow travelers what their favorite experience was and go do it on our free day!
4. Doesn’t want to spend any money!
Look, I’m no baller but if you are going to spend money + days off on a trip, don’t be cheap! If you can’t afford to travel someplace, you should probably wait until you can so you don’t ruin someone else’s trip who saved and planned for it. I’m not saying blow all your money and live luxuriously when you shouldn’t, but don’t make your travel buddy miss out on amazing excursions because you didn’t budget properly.
5. Wants to stay in the hotel half the trip.
I did not spend hundreds thousands of dollars and all my PTO to sit in a hotel room the whole time! Lets explore!
6. Sits on their phone the whole time.
The time to sit on your phone is on the plane ride home! I am all for posting an Instagram post of my favorite picture for the day or letting my mamma know I’m alright, but no one wants to travel with someone whose eyes are glued to their social media 24/7. I can guarantee what you are seeing in front of you is a whole lot better than whats going on Twitter!
7. Wants to start the day at 11am
And no, I’m not referring to if you are at an all-inclusive resort where your main goal is to relax and unwind. I’m talking about when you have limited time in a different country where there are sites and culture to explore.
8. People who have no respect for the local culture
Try the local food, dress appropriately (especially in Asia or the Middle East), pay in local currency, learn some of the language, and meet & interact with some locals! Have you ever learned a couple of phrases in a different language and tried using them (even if you royally screw them up, ha)? They are so impressed and brings the biggest smile to their face! Showing effort goes a long way and earns you a lot of respect right from the get-go.
9. People who can’t sleep on planes / entertain themselves on a long flight.
Ok… to be completely honest, I am one of these people… to a T. I can’t sleep on planes and I get soooo bored!! If there’s no free movies then I will be chatting your ear off pretty much the entire time. The only reason I am putting this on the list is because my boyfriend dreads flying with me because he can fall asleep in a blink of an eye and I wake him up every 5 minutes to entertain me.. ha sorry babe!
10. COMPLAINERS
Seriously, I get it. When hungry, tired and jet-lagged all get mixed together it’s not a fun site! I can get just as grumpy as the next person but when you are spending loads of money to experience something you may never get to experience again, SUCK IT UP! The people you are traveling with are just as dependent on your good mood as you are. If you are tired, grab an extra-large coffee. If you know you get super grumpy when you’re hungry, pack some light snacks with you. Make it work.
Are you re-thinking how you travel? Good.
Thanks so much for stopping by! ?
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2 comments
I love this but 1 and (sometimes) 4 are totally me though ??. I don’t usually plan stuff so when I’m with planners I’m so confused! Like… I don’t care, I feel like we’ll find fun stuff to do there ?. But I see your point that planners are putting a lot of effort into making things perfect, so trying to help them out totally makes sense!
I’m totally guilty sometimes too – sometimes I just get really deep into that “vacation” mindset, ha! Thanks for stopping by!