Learning to travel with others can be as hard as learning German. In the past, I’ve traveled alone because my friends were quite flaky. Then the reason changed. I traveled alone because it was easier to do what I wanted, go where I wanted, see who I wanted to see without the opposing forces. When dealing with others, you have to worry about attitudes and outside forces ruining your trip. At least when it’s just you, you get the opportunity to learn more about yourself, and if anything goes wrong you can only be mad at yourself, and that never lasts too long. Being mad at others for ruining my perfect trip has lasted much longer, some grudges I still hold on to. And if you know me, you know there are FEW things I get upset over.

So I’m learning on this trip. My travel partner, like me, is a more go-with-the-flow kinda guy, and that’s excellent. The outside forces affecting our trip are beyond his control, so I’m also learning patience, and learning not to be upset at him when I see him trying to fix those things.

Perhaps I’ll create a screening process for the next major trips. Learning who you can trip with is important. Too many horror stories from folks I know about going on vacation with the WRONG PEOPLE. Fights, arguments, people coming with little to no money. I want to write something about which of my friends I would have taken to what country why. Should be fun and interesting.

But I’m learning to bring others along, but as it stands, I still LOVE to go places alone. There’s a peace in that. A calmness I deeply enjoy. Being forced to make friends, talk to strangers and such. And I’m finding a joy in that.