The 10 Best Things About Travelling with Friends

I can happily say I have no shortage of friendships, and I’m not talking about 400 some Facebook friends that I never hear from, I’m talking about real, meaningful connections. I’ve even been blessed enough to be able to travel with a few of them. Be it road-trips, international vacations, or just to the corner store, these are some of the things I love about travelling with my friends.

#1: Protection

There’s safety in numbers! Group travel, especially with people you trust, is one of the best ways to keep yourself safe. Whether it’s at a bar, walking at night, or just out and about enjoying yourselves, it feels good knowing that someone has your back, and that you have theirs.

#2: Crying of Laughter

One of the greatest treasures in my life is my cousin, Arrow. She is my cousin bestie, and when I’m travelling with her we end up laughing so hard we cry. Of all the feelings I’ve ever experienced, that one is the best.

#3: Sharing Photos and Pokemon

Most of the people I travel with seem to be better photographers than I am, and fortunately they’ve also been willing to share said photos. Forest and Arrow especially seem to have a gift for it. During my trip to Germany with Forest, we also caught Pokemon while we wandered Munich, and spent our evenings sorting and trading. It was a great way to unwind and rest after a long day of exploration.

#4: Candid Photos

Try asking a stranger to provide the exact right lighting, fix your hair, and get that perfect travel-blog worthy candid shot of you on your latest trip, and see how they react. Not favourably, I imagine. Ask a friend and they’ll make sure you look so fabulous you could be a model. Of course, you’ll do the same for them when the time comes!

#5: Self-Protection

However harsh it can be, I am appreciative that my friends are very much the sort that will tell me when I’m in the wrong. When traveling especially, it’s handy to have someone who isn’t afraid to say that they think you’re going the wrong way on the tube, or that you’ve left your backpack in the restaurant.

#6: Emotional Support

Sometimes things can go terribly wrong during a trip, and it’s good to have at least one cool head in the group to talk the others down from their panic, or give them the emotional boost needed to get through a tricky situation.

#7: Different Skill Sets

It’s great when the people you travel with have skill sets that compliment your own. When Arrow and I went to Paris, I spoke French and got us around while she took amazing photographs, and kept me on a practical schedule and budget.

#8: Splitting Costs

The costs of hotels, and even sometimes meals can be split between two or more people, which is always nice when you’re trying to save a bit of money for other things like tours or souvenirs.

#9: Luggage Help

If your friend doesn’t have enough room for their stuff in their bag, you can always have them put it in yours. Likewise, if you don’t have that much stuff you can put everything in one suitcase and split the cost of the baggage fee. It saves a lot of hassle and worrying.

#10: Sharing Memories

Sharing experiences and creating memories with the people you love is something I will always treasure. It’s one of the best parts of friendship, and it only gets better when it happens during a trip!

There are a lot of great things about taking a trip with friends, but there are some awesome things about traveling by yourself as well, so be sure to check out my next post about solo travel when it’s published! What are the things you enjoy about travelling with friends and loved ones? Let me know in the comments!