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But planning a trip with friends can be difficult because of clashing schedules and variance in financial capacities. And you don’t want a strained relationship with your friends afterwards because of some misunderstandings during the trip. There are things you can do to ensure you have fun while travelling with friends. Below are just a few ideas to work with before you book any group tour package:
Know What Everyone’s Ideal Holiday Is
This might affect your choice of holiday destination and tour activities. Some people’s definition of a great vacay could be the cable car ride down the mountain to chill at the poolside at Obudu Mountain Resort and take awesome pictures with magnificent views. Others may prefer trekking down the steps to the grotto to play in the waterfall, biking along the winding road or hiking to the peak of Obudu Mountains to be in clouds, if only for a moment. Forcing either class of people to do all that in one trip can ruin the experience for them. So before booking that getaway with a tour operator, discuss it with your friends. Know what their preferences are and what activities they would be open to doing as a group. Make sure there is something for everyone and find out how far each person will go out of their comfort zones to experience something new. That way everyone shares in the fun and has an awesome time.Split the Budget and Responsibilities Before the Trip
When everyone is on the same page regarding the choice of holiday, destination and tour activities, the next thing is to plan the budget together. Discussing money is a hard conversation, but one that needs to be had. It makes room for realistic expectations. Know each other’s financial strength, what they can handle and contribute to the trip. Don’t plan with futuristic cash to come, but with cash in hand. Know how much extra cash you all will carry with you on the trip and the available backup cash to use if you run into any unexpected challenges. Be willing to make compromises on issues like type of accommodation, food cost range, etc to ensure you stick with your agreed travel budget.Visualise the Trip and Assist Each Other in Packing
Visualise what the trip will be like and assist each other in packing. You can plan colour coded outfits for specific occasions, matching accessories and footwear. If you are hanging out at La Tropicana, you can both decide what swimwear and beach scarf to take along for exotic picture shots at the shore or among the palm trees. If you are engaging in a hike up a hill, you can choose the right footwear and warm clothes to put on during the trip. You can know where each other keeps important documents in case of emergencies. That way, either of you won’t forget to pack anything important.Sign up to the Connect Nigeria daily newsletter
Last but not least, keep the company small and make time for individual alone time. The fewer and more compatible the company you are travelling with, the less likely you are to have friction on the trip. Choose people whose availability match yours to prevent last-minute cancellations after funds have been expended. Also, by creating alone time for all parties involved, they have time to do what they want to too. Travelling together can be a significant bonding experience if managed well from the start. Featured image source: Everything Girl’s Like
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