Buddy-Up and Keep Travelling Part 2

Enriching Experiences

Welcome back to our travel buddy series, where we explore the art of travelling with a specifically chosen other – one who isn’t your partner, or even a close friend, but who loves travel as much as you! In this article we discover why travelling with a buddy is the key to enriching your adventures.

It’s true, if you travel solo, you can learn to enjoy your own company. But it’s also the case when you journey with a buddy – someone you’ve teamed up with specifically for the purpose of travelling – your adventures are likely to take on a whole new dimension.  Let’s take a look at how it happens.

‘Seeing’ more

Have you ever been with a friend, looking at exactly the same scene, and they point out something in it you hadn’t even noticed? Or at a party where your partner asks you what you think of a mutual friend’s new date, and you didn’t even realise they’d come to the gathering together! We all miss things we’d have rather we hadn’t, but when you travel with a buddy, they’ll notice what you miss and vice-versa. From spotting a dog with a diamanté collar on the streets of Rome, to pointing out a Parisian busker you thought was a statue, travel buddies are the extra pair of eyes you wish you had!

Try this

Even if you’ve chosen your travel buddy because they share some of your interests, they’re still bound to have their own. Which is why they’ll lead you into experiences (even those possibly a little out of your comfort zone) you never dreamt of. Whether they persuade you to sign on to a cooking class in Penang, or a fabric dying course in Bangkok, you’ll be experiencing the world as you never would have otherwise – and growing in confidence as you do!

Enjoying a giggle

It’s the little things that make us laugh most, but we laugh more when we share them with another. Your travel buddy won’t have exactly the same sense of humour as you, but you’ll soon come to share it, as they will yours. And when you do, your giggles will be hard to switch off!

Up for a challenge

What doesn’t feel like a challenge to you, may well do so for your travel buddy, and vice-versa. Howvere, go along with them for the ride, and you may find you’re able to extend your comfort zone further than you thought. Whether it’s riding pillion on a motor scooter tour of Ho Chi Minh city, snorkelling in Bali, or taking a hot air balloon ride over the Grand Canyon, trying new adventures is always easier with a travel buddy at your side.

Goodbye awkwardness!

Sometimes, a traveller just wants to have fun – but hopping on to the merry-go-round or dressing up in period clothing for a photo can feel awkward when you’re on your own. With a travel buddy, your confidence grows and you’re more willing to have the sort of fun you never would if you were alone. The same is true of eating out – it can feel awkward sitting at a table for one, but with company, the dynamics change completely!

Going off-piste

Cities are great, but some of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have are to be found in places less-travelled. With a travel buddy, you’ll have the courage to venture on local transport to places off-the- beaten-track, and get to know the locals as they really are.

Travelling with a buddy opens up a whole new world of adventures, and creates memories that last a lifetime.