Post on 26-Jan-2017
“Broad, wholesome, charitableviews of men and things cannot beacquired by vegetating in one
little corner of the earth all of one’slifetime.”
– Mark Twain
GroupTravel
Back in May, I wrote a quick piece on my website
detailing the pros and cons of traveling alone. And
while I certainly wasn’t wrong to discuss the
benefits of traveling alone–there certainly are quite
a few, and it’s something I’d largely advise that
everyone does at least once in their life– there are
equal benefits to traveling in groups.
However just as traveling solo is very different from
traveling with a friend or spouse, large group travel
comes with an entirely different set of tips and
recommendations.
Bjorn Koch
Know YourCo-Travelers
Have you ever heard the advice that you shouldn’t live
with your best friend? Essentially, the idea that two
people–even two people who are close with one
another–can go crazy when living in the same place for
an extended period.
Take this into account when you’re planning out a
group vacation. While I’d never tell you not to travel
with your best friends (they’re often some of the best
people to travel with), know who you’re planning to
spend a week or more with and make sure you’ll be
compatible. Nothing can ruin a vacation like a fight
amongst travelers.
Splitting CostsIs everyone flying at the same time on the sameairline in the same class? If you’re driving, is thedriver being compensated? How are you splittinggas costs? How are you splitting bills when you goto restaurants, or hotel accommodations? If you’rerolling a cot into a hotel room, are the sleepingarrangements rotating, or is the person stuck withthe cot all trip? Do some people carry cash butothers only carry cards?
These are just some of the things that will inevitablycome up during the trip. The further in advance thatyou’re able to determine how splitting and paymentswill go, the better. Avoiding tension is paramount toenjoying your vacation.
Communicate& Plan
Communication is a huge part of planning out
any vacation. Inevitably not everyone will want
to do the same things at the same times, eat at
the same restaurants or go to bed at the same
time. Planning and fully transparent
conversations about how you’ll handle the
agenda for the trip can help avoid any of this
coming back to bite you.
BeIndependent
Sometimes you just need a break from others.
Spending almost all of your time with the same
group of 6-10 people for a week (or more) can
be exhausting. As I mentioned above, even
very close friends can wind up in strife
spending too much time together.
Plan a least one or two activities throughout
the trip that you can do on your own–perhaps
things that only you enjoy–to “get away” while
you’re on your getaway.