If you didn’t already know, I travel the world solo 90% of the time. I love the freedom it allows – waking up and eating chocolate for breakfast with no one to tell me off, seeing all the sights I want to see, spending way too long people watching, and never having to spend time doing things I don’t want to do.
But of course, I love travelling with my friends too. Just, in small doses.
A few months ago one of my best friends from Australia came to visit me at my apartment in Berlin. It was the start of winter, I was in need of a quick escape from cold and grey Berlin, so we hopped on a flight to Paris. Yup, you can do that when you live in Europe!
A mere couple of hours later we arrived at Paris Charles De Gaulle, collected our bags, and hopped in an uber to the city (that’s a private driver app I use all the time that is cheaper than taxis – you can even use the code “worldofwanderlust” to get a free ride).
We were in Paris for just two nights. Not long at all, but long enough to spend living in each other’s pockets when you combine it with a few days before and a few days after at my apartment in Berlin. All in all we were together for 10 days.
Now I love my friends, yes I do. But there are certain things that get on all of our nerves when we spend so long in one another’s company.
Luckily, he didn’t snore. He didn’t sleep walk or talk, in fact, he was as quiet as a mouse. Thanking my lucky stars for that! And I’m sure he got tired of my endless requests to stop into lolly stores because I just had to have my sugar fix.
So, here are my few tips for surviving and thriving when you travel with your best friend (aka: how to make sure you don’t kill your friend when you’re on holiday together).
How to Stay Sane when you Travel with your Best Friend
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Book twin beds or two bedrooms if you can
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Be open and honest about the things you really want to do and cannot miss during your visit to each city
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Compromise OR spend time apart and do the things you really want to do, while they do their own thing
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Always finish the day with a nice evening meal where you can reflect on the great day you had and plan the next one
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Laugh it off – if you have an argument or disagree, be sure to get over it quickly. In the grand scheme of things, YOU’RE ON HOLIDAY!
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Be flexible and try to be interested in each other’s interests – who knows, you might end up really liking that obscure teacup museum they just insist you have to accompany them to!
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Remember why you love ‘em. Times can get tough and sometimes you might want to strangle them, but at the end of the day they’re your best friend for a reason. Overlook the trivialities and remember this is a trip you will remember for a lifetime. Just have fun!
By the way, my bestie and I had a great time in Paris and Berlin! We love to debate almost anything, but we’re more alike than we are dissimilar and always end up laughing at each other when we disagree. I couldn’t have had a better few days with him visiting me in Europe – but this post may help some of you to look at the positives when you spend a little too much time in the pocket of your best friend! I’m sure if we extended any further beyond the 10 days this post could have ended quite differently………. Wink!
Brooke Saward founded World of Wanderlust as a place to share inspiration from her travels and to inspire others to see our world. She now divides her time between adventures abroad and adventures in the kitchen, with a particular weakness for French pastries.
