Stress Free Group TravelBy Bjorn Koch

“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.