Relying to another post made me think it would be a good idea if people contributed to a kind of checklist topic - a list of things that could be discussed before travelling with someone else. Maybe they should be different lists depending on if the other person (or people) are already known to you or not. I'll start. Topic 1: Do you expect to share a room or prefer (need?) to be alone/private?
That's a great idea, Bayleaf. Even traveling with a significant other means you need to have a plan on what and when you do things. Topic 2: Rent a car or public transportation at your destinations?
Topic 3: Do you plan to eat out a lot or try to save money by making our own meals? I know a friend of mine has had a lot of issues with some of these things.
Topic 4: What will be your destinations? Will you travel together through all destinations or have some destinations or activities done separately?
Is it possible to rent scuba or snorkeling gear if we want to scuba drive or snorkel? I think there is a lot to do and to take so many things with us would be difficult. If we could lessen the amount of baggage it might make it easier for us to travel around.
Topic 6: How will you split things? Are you going to go 50-50 with all costs, meals and so forth, or will you go back and forth between splitting the bill?
What type of a hotel do you want to stay at. Would you consider to stay with a family and rent a room? What type of a budget do you have for meals, sightseeing, and transportation?
How about these: Sleep schedule - wake up early or stay out late? Meals - 3 squares a day, or snack and graze? Veggie, vegan, carnivore? I know two people who went to Italy as best friends and came back not speaking to each other because of their sleeping and eating schedules.
It's great to see all these crucial questions and topics being raised. A lot of differences can be worked around if all sides are willing, and honest.
One other thing I thought about is asking your travel partner if they've ever had any issues traveling with others before. Are there certain things that really drive them up the wall and pushes their buttons? If they got into an argument/disagreement with a travel buddy before, how was it resolved? I think it's important to know these things to try and minimize conflict and give you a cohesive trip!
Topic 11: Do they sleep with the lights on or lights off? I, for one, sleep in the dark. But I know some people can't sleep without ceiling light or at least a night light. It can lead to a fight when the travel partners cannot get enough sleep because they have opposing choices.
Oh yes! Hadn't even thought of that, but the sleeping condition is a good one. I like silence and darkness when I sleep, but once I travelled with a friend who liked to have music on while they slept...it was frustrating! So that's a great question to ask, about the way they set up their sleeping environment.
When you're making travel plans with someone else or a group, I think the following should be of prime consideration: travel budget style of travel (i.e. highend, backpacking) travel itinerary (i.e. where you want to go, what you want to do) travel insurance (i.e. type of coverage, price of getting one) accommodation travel rule you both agree to adhere to (i.e. dos and don'ts)
Yes, sleeping environment, that's the word! I also slept over in a friend's house a couple of times and she loves having music on to get to sleep. I don't like noise as well when I'm sleeping, aside from the light issue. So I had to turn off the music when she's asleep already since I can't really sleep with the music on. Lol.
Also make a list of every tourists spots you want to see, you might differ in preferences, so make sure you've made your final decisions before starting your journey, especially if your time is limited. For me it's really important if I'm travelling with someone who's as much of a traveler that i am, otherwise, they might not appreciate the experience fully which i think will be a complete waste of time.
It really depends on the person you are traveling with. You should also consider the gender of your traveling partner. If you are both males or females, there's no issue at all when it comes to sharing the same room in a hotel or lodge. But if you are a male and your traveling partner is a female or vice-versa, then it's best that you ask him or her directly if he or she would be comfortable sharing the same room to save on costs. It's all about taking the initiative to talk with your traveling partner before you both board the plane or bus.
It is kind of funny how things like this often go unmentioned or remain a mystery until the last minute, and I know that I have been there before. It may seem like a simple thing, but it is something that you need to settle before the trip, or else it could make for an awkward moment. Of course it depends on who you are with, and it if it is anyone that you know well than you should be fine.
One thing I think is necessary before traveling is to know exactly what places you really want to go. Write down the addresses because they might be close and you don't have to waste a drive to go somewhere you were close to. Don't go around figuring out where you want to go, search online and make a list!
Important thing to talk about #2: If you're going travelling with a boyfriend or girlfriend then make sure you start out light first like backpacking somewhere or going on a weekend trip first. Long-term trips will take a strain on your relationship if you don't know them well in a stressful environment like going to a new country for vacation. It takes a lot of planning itinerary and money-wise but there are really some things you don't plan and they just happen and people really react differently in a new country I swear. Make sure you really know the person you're travelling with.
Some important things that you want to talk about before going on a trip to India with you mate is what type of clothes to wear and what the temperature will be and places and cities that you all would like to tour and what restaurant to indulge at! Being in India is being in a different culture that it will take to get some use to, before you want get to overwhelmed!
My question is how familiar the food items in a grocery store would be to an American. Obviously, I'd prefer to have the whole experience, and eat like a local, but unless I've done some research to prepare my own Indian food, I may be left in a difficult situation while shopping for groceries.
