Traveling with friends can have two end results- you cement your friendship for life or the trip destroys your friendship down to the foundations. Traveling can be tiring, draining, and expensive but it doesn't always have to be! I have been all across the world with some of my best friends and have had the best of times and the worst of times. It takes a lot of work to make a healthy and strong relationship thrive and with these hard earned tips you are sure to wind up having the best trip of your life!

Communication is Key

Traveling takes planning and communication to go off without a hitch. Talk about what you want to see, how much you think you can fit in per day, and your budget. Get on the same page if you have even the smallest hope of pulling this trip off. Communicating can be tricky when you feel happy and in a good place but it gets even harder when one of you is upset. Your friend seem down? Did they just turn into a horrible travel companion? Ask them why (in a nice way)! Are they hungry or tired... because that is usually the culprit… or are they just stressed? Traveling can really wear you down and people are bound to get a shorter fuse. Patience is the virtue to call upon and trust that no problem has to last long if you feel comfortable enough to talk to one another about what the problem actually is.

Give Each Other Space

You might love each other to death but traveling can be really draining and everyone needs time to themselves. Take some time apart to recuperate away from each other. You might not need that much time apart, or to even be physically separate. Maybe you each wanted to see something different and you take an afternoon off to explore solo. Read books by yourselves even if you're in the same room or explore a nearby cafe while someone takes a nap. You can get so caught up in traveling with your best friend that you forget you might have different needs. Take the time to listen to yourself and do something you need to do by yourself. Trust me you will come back rejuvenated and maybe have some new stories to tell each other!

Everyone Has a 'Must Do'

People rarely have the 100% same bucket list. You might want to see something your friend has no interest in, and vice versa. Some of those activities you can do alone but some wouldn't be the same by yourself. A 'Must Do' is the one activity that you have to do even if you aren't thrilled about it. Nobody gets as many Must Do's as they want, they are a finite resource. They can't be crazy time consuming or expensive either, because they can't take over the whole trip's schedule or budget. Decide how many are right for you based on your traveling style. They could be small like, we have to go to this museum or we have to try this food! The point is you don't whine, grumble, or ditch because while you might not wanna do this specific activity your friend will have your back for your 'Must Do'.

Giphy

And hey… don't freak out! These are great lessons but the number one tip is to have fun. Things will go wrong and you might have a low point where you are tired and hungry but respect each other's limits and desires and you're sure to succeed. If you treat each other with kindness, understanding, and empathy while you roll with the punches you will walk away with your friendship even stronger than before.