I Am My Own Worst Travel Companion

When I travel alone, and I have been doing that quite often, I find that I have a very closed minded view of things that I want to see or do. Unfortunately, its been difficult to find friends to travel with. Its usually one of several reasons thats the culprit. Finances are always a big issue. One may not always have the funds to do what they like. Time allocation is an obstruction in light of things like family and kids. Many of my friends are married with children an tend to travel mainly during times when their kids are off from school. This intersection of events occurs during the summer, the heaviest travel time of the year. Lastly, the destination is not favorable to everyone. There are a number of places that I would like to visit that are high on my list and then there are places that wouldnt affect me even if I passed on without ever visiting them. We all have our own preferences.

Travelling with another person has alot of benefits to it. First off, it can help to defray some of the costs as those would split amongst the group. Getting a room for two and splitting the cost is almost always cheaper than getting a single room for oneself. Some days I may not feel like going out for one reason or another. Having someone there to motivate you to get off your lazy but can help to maximize the precious little time that you are given for vacations. Another pair of eyes can help to make you a rounder person by giving you a broader perspective. There has been many a time where I have read up on a certain location and not worth enough attention to actually visit. On the other hand, someone else will find something of value. I will frequently follow that dissimilar opinion and join them on their trek. A few times it has turned out much better than what I would expected and was grateful for having taken in someone elses views. Not just a travelling companion but a dining companion boosts the experience. Knowing that I will be dining alone, I tend to find the cheapest, but not the most satisfactory, of meals either at fast food joints or convenience stores. I believe that good food should be a shared experience. Bad food should be isolated to the one. When with another person, I am inclined to be a little more adventurous with meal offerings rather than being safe and sticking to things that I know. While dining, especially at dinner, this gives us a chance to recollect the day over a more leisurely amount of time. Alone, it's in, eat, then out again. My next domestic trip may find me wandering a new city by myself once again. But, the next international excursion will be me amongst a group of friends.