Photo by Mohau Mannathoko on Unsplash

Currently everyone is worried about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) you can use this time wisely by scouring the internet for really cheap flights and assembling a travel crew.

My girls and I officially started catching flights as a team in 2013, It was an idea that evolved into us visiting multiple destinations. We have learned a lot over the years about each other and about ourselves through travel. My goal is to be able to explain to my children, and possibly even grandchildren the advantages of experiencing other cultures.

Whether you choose to travel with friends, family or solo the journey is still as important as the destination and each type of travel is equally important. If you have caught the travel bug later in life, there is no need to feel confused or be embarrassed, later in life is ok as you may be more prepared to get the best travel experience available, for example, you will be more appreciative and excited than someone who has the“been there done that” attitude. You will also hopefully be more aware of your finances which will help to ease any extra travel anxiety. If you have decided that solo travel is not for you, here’s how you can find the right travel buddy or crew to fly out with.

Think about who you are.

What are your interests? what are your pet peeves? Once you have determined the things you like, it will be easy to create a basic idea of where you want to travel and what shenanigans you would like to get into once you arrive at your destination.

Chat up your close friends and family with common interests!

The great thing about the people I travel with is that we are all connected in multiple ways, most of us are actually related, we are a group of sisters, cousins and best friends, we love the beach, we love fashion and all enjoy a good excursion - and while these connections are not all 100% necessary for you to find a travel buddy or crew, it definitely helps.

If you are a resort body (someone who likes to lounge around the pool and take frequent naps inside your room) then you may not want a buddy or crew who wants to party all the time. You don’t really want to travel thousands of miles only to be left by your lonesome, since its not a solo trip.

Observe

A little observation of your potential team or buddy is needed. Grab a few drinks with potential candidates, ask questions like “what would the perfect vacation be like for you?” listen carefully to their responses. After a few drinks, observe how they are conducting themselves. Are they drunk? are they acting out of the ordinary? the last thing you want is to be on babysitting duties on vacation.

Vet your buddy or crew

Spending time to find out if someone is an angry or out of control drunk or if they wander off randomly in strange places is good vetting. The last thing you want is to have to bail someone out of a foreign jail or lose your buddy or buddies because they wandered off alone to experience the “local culture”. Spending enough time talking and ask relevant questions such as how do you feel about going off the resort, if they respond yes, they like excursions or group activities - That’s great. If they love roaming and wandering off without updating friends then that may not be the buddy for you.

Safety

If your buddy or crew is not concerned about safety in general then you may need different candidates. There is actually nothing wrong with enjoying yourself to the fullest while on vacation however, safety comes first. safety is as simple as checking to make sure your hotel room door is properly closed, or not leaving your boozy drink unattended by the pool. Someone who loses things easily and frequently is not a great candidate for your travel buddy or crew, I don’t think I have to explain how someone losing a wallet or passport could ruin a nice trip. Your buddy/buddies need to be aware of their surroundings.

How did you find the right travel buddy or travel crew? comment below.