5 Questions To Ask To Find The Right Travel Partner
Are you one of those solo travelers who wish to have a travel companion in some of your holidays? It’s important that you get to choose the right one because he or she makes half of your entire traveling experience!
To help you decide, ready the following questions:
How much do you have in mind?
Unless you’re ultra rich or you’re ready to shoulder all expenses, you want to share the responsibilities, especially finances, with your travel companion. But how much is he or she willing to set aside for the trip? Usually, both divides all expenses equally, though sometimes you can just pledge. For example, you may take care of the food while the other handles the gas or transport costs. It doesn’t matter how such duties or costs are divided. What’s essential is both of you agree to such division.
What interests do you have?
Almost always you travel because of your interests. You prefer to go to Australia because you like to snorkel or dive. You go backpacking in Europe, since you’re very much interested in history and their icy mountains. That’s why it’s difficult to have a travel companion who doesn’t share any interest with you, unless you’re willing to compromise or try out something new.
Have you been to the place before?
It helps a great deal if your travel partner has already been in your preferred destination. That means there’s less stress and adjustment for you since someone can already brief you on where to go, what to do, and what to expect. This is also handy when you’re on a tight schedule and you don’t have the time to be spontaneous and end up getting lost or stranded in an area you don’t want to be in, in the first place.
Are you looking to spend the entire trip with me?
One of the quirks about perennial solo travelers is they’re going to find a way when they can be alone in the trip, even if they already have a travel partner. If this is you, then you have to look for a travel companion who doesn’t feel bad or insulted if you happen to leave for a while, exploring the place, on your own. In fact, it’s better to go for someone who thinks and feels the way you do. When you are both done with your solo traveling, you can then compare notes and enrich each other’s lives more with a lot of great stories.
Are you comfortable sharing accommodation with somebody else?
Again, unless you both have the money, you may have no other choice but to share rooms in order to reduce accommodation expense, which usually constitutes a good portion of your budget. Some are okay with a room with twin beds while avoid dorms where there are more than 3 people sharing the same space. If you’re a very private person, then it’s best to find a travel partner who is willing to spend for his or her own room.
Raivis Binde is founder of SoloTurist – social networking site. He writes a travel blog for people who don’t want to travel alone.
