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 look at what to do should you and your travel buddy be less compatible than you both hoped.
We’ve all heard travel companion horror stories – and many of us have one or two of our own to tell. Whether they’re about the ‘best friend’ who somehow managed to misplace her credit card each time she went out for drinks with you, or the brother-in-law’s new partner who turned out to be a secret drinker – they all have a familiar ring to them – the element of surprise. Because, no matter how well you think you know someone, once you experience travelling together, things can change.
Even if you do know your travel buddy inside out, there are other reasons why plans can fall apart. One or other of you may suddenly be called home due to a family illness or death; either of you may have an accident or fall ill, or you may simply have strongly differing opinions on how a tour is panning out – such that one of you wants to pull out of it. It’s for reasons such as these, it’s absolutely essential you and your travel buddy have an opt-out plan – one you’ve drawn up together (in writing, is best) well before you jump on the plane. Details you’ll want to highlight, include (but are not limited to) the following:
- A plan for discussing concerns and communicating decisions (one companion suddenly disappearing or leaving a ‘goodbye note’ is not an option).
- The period of warning are you obliged to give each other should one of you wish to opt-out of the travel arrangements.
- Who is to bear the cost of changed flights should one buddy opt out of travelling and the other wants to return home rather than carry on touring alone.
- Who is to bear the cost of booking cancellations and any single supplement a tour company requires if one buddy cancels?
- How you plan to respect each other’s privacy on your respective returns home (no one wants their travel problems shared with the world!).
- What happens if one of you is incapacitated (for example: is it expected the other cancels their trip, or do you agree to part so the buddy who is able to, can carry on?).
Although it is not specifically part of an opt-out plan, it is also important travels buddies have travel insurance policies which align. This is so if one buddy is incapacitated for any reason, the other is financially supported to accompany their companion home or to stay with them until arrangements for the return home are made.
While it’s not possible to cover every contingency, an opt-out plan at least guarantees you both have the best chance to behave amicably towards one another in the event of a split. More importantly, a plan means any decisions you make won’t happen in a hurry. Because of this, there may even be time to work through difficulties together so you can accommodate each other’s needs and don’t necessarily have to abandon your journey together, entirely. It may be, for example, you make arrangements to take separate rooms, or to spend a few days apart to cool off. Or you agree plans aren’t going as well as you’d hoped, but actually, you can both adapt your expectations of each other.
Travel is demanding as well as enjoyable, and travelling together is a serious undertaking, especially when you’re doing so with a specially chosen travel buddy for the first time. So, don’t leave the experience to chance, and if there is to be a break-up, make sure it’s an amicable one!
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