[dropcap]T[/dropcap]ravel is awesome. Travelling with friends is even more awesome…sometimes. Friends can either make your adventure exhilarating, or they can ruin it, making you wish you’d gone alone. Whatever the case may be, Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency shares a list of dos and don’ts to make a trip with friends as easy and argument-free as possible.
Research on the destination
You need to prepare a list of things to do, where to eat, cheap and free activities to do for the group. No one really likes to do it but someone needs to and it’s probably going to be you because you know it matters. Here, Google is your best friend.
Create an Itinerary
Be the person that goes the extra mile and make a day to day itinerary, it doesn’t need to be hour by hour but a rough idea of what to do each day will do wonder when travelling with friends. You can do this after researching your destination.
Don’t be afraid to stand your ground
If the group agreed to be ready to go by 10 am and it’s 10:15 and you know that one person still needs another 30 mins of getting ready time, leave them. Honestly, if they were a good friend they would tell you to go ahead.
Keep people accountable
It’s everyone’s vacation but no one should have to wait forever for everyone and no one should be expected to hang out with people that spend all day on their phone and not engaging with you. So, do not be afraid to call people out because you deserve better.
Talk openly about budgets
Be real with everyone going. Let people know what you can afford and what you can’t, and be respectful about it and open. If you can’t afford certain activities, tell the group but don’t try and persuade the group not to do the said activity. Just because you can’t afford something doesn’t me you should stop others from doing it.
Don’t be afraid to split up
If all your friend(s) wants to do is shop all day and you don’t, don’t be afraid to say you want to do something different. If your friend has separation issues or doesn’t think each of you should be exploring the city alone then each of you should promise to check in with each other.
Adeniyi Ogunfowoke is a PR associate at Jumia Travels.
