My friend Tatiana Kukanova and I have just returned from the most amazing 3 month tour around Europe and little bit of North Africa and we are both currently suffering from something of a travel hangover. During the last 3 months we have seen and done some of the most amazing things and we have also met some truly incredible people. There were also some tough times on the road of course and I for one couldn’t have gotten through it without my close friend Tatiana, the perfect travel companion. If you are thinking about going traveling with someone then for me, these are the qualities which you need to have.
Leave Me Alone
It may sound slightly harsh but there are some times when you are tired and frustrated and you just want everyone to leave you alone for a little while. My friend Tatiana and I seem to have this sixth sense about this and we can gauge each other’s moods really well. There were even a couple of occasions where we asked the other to leave us alone for a while and there was no drama at all. You must respect each other’s space and understand when to leave the other person alone for a while.
Sensitive
I am very grateful that Tatiana is not one of those sensitive people who is offended by everything because this simply couldn’t work when traveling for such a long time. There were of course times when we would bicker or fight but the key is that once it is done, you move on and don’t bring it up. Carrying ill feelings with you when you need to travel with someone is not good at all. Tatiana and I were both able to speak our minds and then move on to have some fun, and that is exactly how it should be.
Different Strokes
In the main Tatiana and I enjoyed the same things and we had a blast going out for day trips and getting involved in some cool activities. There were however some moments where she wanted to do one thing and I wished to do another, so that is exactly what we did, headed out alone to do our own thing. There were also occasions where Tatiana came with me to see something which she wasn’t interested in, just to give me some company. The point here is that you will have differences but you need to be flexible to what each other wants, and maybe even make some sacrifices along the way.
Laughter
Tatiana is without question one of the funniest people that I know and she always finds the way to crack me up, vital when traveling for such a long time. My advice to you then would be to choose traveling companion who meets all of this criteria, and can always put a smile on your face, you will need it!