Best and Worst of Travel Companions

[bluehenfan]

I got to talking to a co worker about how much we wanted to go to London. By fate, that same day I got an email ad for a great deal for two on a week in London including air. The two of us were casual friends I guess, but we'd never even gone to lunch together. We signed up for that trip and we had a blast. We had a room smaller then a cabin on a cruise ship and no a/c. We have remained travel buddies and I talked her into going on her 1st cruise in Sept.

[Texas Cruising]

Best to travel with: my husband becasuse he knows me so well and will put up with me take 1000 pics of random things (including food!) He even enjoys shopping and is very laid back. Loves to try new foods and new things.

 

My best friend because she lets me do my own thing when I need/want to. And likes to be in the 1000 plus photos I take.. Goes with the flow and doesn't mind when we get lost... we just call it making memories! :D

 

WORST: former best friend. Went on a cruise and complained about everything... food, ports, ship, etc.. Nothing could please her. She even complained that none of the wait staff was from the USA! And hated the towel animals! Complained that I took pictures of everything and slowed her down on her fast tour of ports (spent 1 hr in port going a 100 miles a minute and then rushed back to the boat to say she was bored). :mad:

[bplazo]

My worst traveling companion is my mom. The first trip I took her on was to HA and just every thing she did set my nails to the chalkboard. I thought maybe it was a fluke so I took her with me last yr on our first cruise.

 

She just annoys me to no end. She can not sit still and asks the most retarded questions. She behaves as though she has never been out in public before. You just want to bury your head and die. And no she is 59 yrs young.....no dementia or other issues.

 

My best travel mate is another mom from son's soccer team. She and I have traveled for soccer together over 5 years now and are just totally in-sync with each others wants/needs are. We have a really good time together. Hate it when her husband decides to come....

 

Your post sounds like something my daughter would write. I had to check the screen name to make sure it wasn't my dd.

[bonniemari]

I enjoy traveling with our friends. We have gone with as many as 10 couples before. When we travel with friends its kind of a given that we do what we want during the day, sometimes alone and sometimes with others, but we always have dinner as a group. After dinner some of us go to the casino while others head for the bars or the shows.

[willandjonsmom]

Thank You, bring on the kleenex June 7th his is High School Graduation I think if you make them a part of the vacation and make certain things become a tradition, it makes them so much easier to travel with. Congrats on Kindergarten Graduation.

 

 

quote=MamaParrotHead;19627164]This is so sweet...you must have done one heck of a job in raising him. My son is 5, and I can only hope he'll grow up to be as sweet and considerate as yours. He's well on his way...he's my best little buddy and I just love his company (and the same with my 9 year old DD). I have to tell you that between this post and my DS's Kindergarten year almost over, I'm getting a bit misty-eyed. :o

[Tbay-eh]

I love to travel with any one who knows how to relax and have a good time.

Someone who doesn't sweat the little things and can roll with the punches.

 

My family is like this - we have had the air to and from cruises that were trips from hell but the cruises were awesome. My son after one air that went from bad to worse smoozed with the agent and managed to get us free rooms and $75.00 worth of food vouchers. My worst experience was with my Sister in law - she is a chronic complainer - her husband and I would go for coffee at 7:00AM and hang out together because that was the only peace he got. I will never go on vacation with her again - one time she asked me why we didn't go more often - I was honest with her and she really did not see how bad she was and put the blame on her husband saying that he was selfish and left her alone a lot of the times - I wonder why. To this day, I will not ask, when I call her, how she is doing because an hour later I am still sitting on the phone. As far as my Mother went, we had some great trips, and yeah - she was a royal pain at times but I would give my eye teeth to have her back with me and travelling - I miss her dearly.

[GlendaleCruiser]

Have only had my kids with me twice on cruises, never the grandkids yet (too young). But on sea or on land, they are a dream to vacation with. We all have the goal of just having a good time and going with the flow. I can't wait until the g-kids are old enough to go cruise.

 

I hate that I never got to take my mom on a cruise. She would love it. My dad wouldn't fly or cruise and she wouldn't leave him. He's been dead for over a year but she is in assisted living now and not mentally or physically able to go. So sad.

[teacherme]

Best: My family (husband and kids)

 

Worst: MIL -everything needs to be her way.

 

I also don't like to travel with my dad. Everybody in the whole family needs to do everything together all day long and his way or gets his feeling hurt. I do enjoy spending most of the time with everyone but sometimes I just like to do my own thing and not with 10 other people. I do however travel with the family at least once a year.

[marybeth200]

Fun questions...I'm glad you asked.

 

Best- I have two BFF's that I love to travel with. They are both laid back, which is awesome. I travel with one more just because she is closes and we have similar schedules. One weekend we were doing a little get away and when we got to the hotel room she said "what do you want to do?" I replied, "honestly, I'd love a little nap." she said, "I was thinking the same thing!" We slept a couple hours and then went to dinner. Perfect start to vacation!

 

Worst- I went on a cruise a couple years ago with one of my favorite travle BFF's (stayed in my cabin) and a couple that was in the other cabin. The couple fought all week (got divorced within 6 months). We were late getting into port so I wanted to get lunch, but she was freaking out because we were supposed to meet for our *Carnival booked* shore excursion right then. I reminded her we were still in the ocean so I think I had time to eat a slice of pizza becasue we weren't going to be on the pier anytime soon anyway. In the morning I wanted to sleep in and they were pissed because they wanted to get to the island. I kept telling them to do what they wanted and leave me behind, I didn't mind...really I DIDN"T MIND! I didn't want to hear them argue all the time anyway. We even had the discussion and understanding that we wouldn't spend every waking moment together. needless to say I haven't traveled with either of them since then...

 

I'm still not sure how my DF and I will travel together. We went on one cruise and it was fun. The only frustrating part was that he didn't want to be in on the planning and he didn't care to listen when I was explaining what to expect, etc. Then two days before the cruise he was freaking out that he "didn't know what was going on..." becasue he didn't want to hear any of it. After about a day on the ship, he knew what to expect and we fell into a fun groove after that. I'm thinking the honeymoon will go off without a hitch (at least I hope...)

[cwiggy]

My boyfriend and I are taking our first cruise together. I've been on a few, this will be his first one. I have a feeling this is going to be the best one yet :) We travel so well together, and that got me thinking...

 

1. Who do you travel best with? Friends, significant others, parents.

2. Who is the most difficult to travel with? Although my mom is tons of fun, she panicks about everything.. i.e. "do you have your passport? x10000), "we're not gonna make it to the boat!", "what if it rains?!" It can be amusing at first, but then it gets old and we have to tell her to stop :) Luckily, 3 days into the vacation she usually calms down.

3. Have you ever been in a situation where you thought a travel companion would be a bad/good fit, and you were proved wrong?

 

Let's hear those experiences, people!!

 

My hubby and I travel best with my brother and his wife - the four of us are great friends.

I have to say my guy is difficult to travel with -it seems that he gets this psych going before travel and he has to always use the washroom way too frequently, and at the most inopportune times like when they call your section to board to the plane, etc.

As for number 3, not yet, but we do have friends who are in a time share that ask us to go away with them. They always say, on this day we will do this and on that day we will do that, not my kind of vacation - I like to relax and so something if I feel like it and not book activities for every single day...

 

Great post!!

[cristaljoy]

My worst traveling companion is my mom. The first trip I took her on was to HA and just every thing she did set my nails to the chalkboard. I thought maybe it was a fluke so I took her with me last yr on our first cruise.

 

She just annoys me to no end. She can not sit still and asks the most retarded questions. She behaves as though she has never been out in public before. You just want to bury your head and die. And no she is 59 yrs young.....no dementia or other issues.

 

My best travel mate is another mom from son's soccer team. She and I have traveled for soccer together over 5 years now and are just totally in-sync with each others wants/needs are. We have a really good time together. Hate it when her husband decides to come....

 

 

No! that's MY mother you're talking about! she is just the same way. my sisters & I took her to ireland a few years ago and she just squints at people when they talk and says "what, i can't understand you" over and over. she never wanted to get another round when it was her turn to buy, and she almost ran a poor man over because she was freaking out about driving on the left side of the street.

 

we actually snuck out one night without her cause she was asleep, and the next day she CRIED.

 

never, never again.

 

i love her and respect her, but i will NOT travel with her.

 

she wants to go back to hawaaii, but my dad doesnt want to take her, and offered to pick up my fare if i went with her. i pray that i dont get tempted because i know i will regret it.

 

oh, but the WORST is my husband, i won't get into why.

 

BEST is my sisters, they don't get offended if i want to go off on my own... and they save their cash up before we go, so theres no stinginess to worry about, which embarrasses me so much

[Luckysll]

I'd have to say my best travel companion is.....ME! :D I travel solo, and even if there are friends or family on the cruise with me, I get to enjoy "by myself" time.

 

I used to travel to Reno by bus a couple of times a year and, after my Uncle died, my Aunt and I used to travel together. She passed away 3 years ago from dementia and for the last few trips we did together, her dementia was evident, so it was pretty hard on me.

 

I had to remember almost everything.....the bus number, our hotel room number, what time we were leaving/arriving, etc., because she would forget it all. I also couldn't leave her alone while we gambled because she might not remember where I was or what time we were supposed to meet up, so I got very little alone time and often felt more like a babysitter. Plus, with her dementia, you never knew what kind of things she would say or do (think Sofia from Golden Girls, but add in a touch of a five year old). But there were, of course, some fun times, too, and I miss her terribly now that she's not here. I'm glad we had those trips together.

[sewer]

Best...My son, wife and grandkids.....

Worst...My husband..he takes to long to get ready.....:rolleyes:

[GlendaleCruiser]

I'd have to say my best travel companion is.....ME! :D I travel solo, and even if there are friends or family on the cruise with me, I get to enjoy "by myself" time.

 

I used to travel to Reno by bus a couple of times a year and, after my Uncle died, my Aunt and I used to travel together. She passed away 3 years ago from dementia and for the last few trips we did together, her dementia was evident, so it was pretty hard on me.

 

I had to remember almost everything.....the bus number, our hotel room number, what time we were leaving/arriving, etc., because she would forget it all. I also couldn't leave her alone while we gambled because she might not remember where I was or what time we were supposed to meet up, so I got very little alone time and often felt more like a babysitter. Plus, with her dementia, you never knew what kind of things she would say or do (think Sofia from Golden Girls, but add in a touch of a five year old). But there were, of course, some fun times, too, and I miss her terribly now that she's not here. I'm glad we had those trips together.

 

God Bless you! I'm going through that right now with my mom. Even a trip to Walmart with her wears me out. Unfortunately, I never got to take her on a cruise. She wouldn't leave my grouchy old dad who wouldn't go on a ship or a plane. Now, she is not mentally or physically able to do it.