Traveling the world with a buddy makes the adventure just that more fun. Lucky for me, I entered this world with a designated travel buddy. Meet Jade — my twin sister who has ventured with me to many of my favorite destinations. We’ve kayaked down waterfalls in Croatia, hiked the forests of Ecuador, and even paraglided over the Swiss Alps. We have truly come to know each other on a deeper and more personal level through our love to travel. Together, 30+ countries later, we are excited to share the perks of traveling with a buddy.
Divide and conquer
It is no secret that planning a trip can become time-consuming. One of the biggest benefits of traveling with a buddy is having someone to split the work between. For Jade and me, it’s easy to divide the trip planning process based on tasks that we both enjoy. Usually, I start by researching the cheapest flight, Jade searches for the accommodations, then we finish together with our favorite part, choosing the activities to plan the perfect itinerary.
Safety in numbers
Many times while traveling, you can face a variety of uncertainties. Venturing to a new city, eating foreign food, and meeting new people can be quite challenging. We found it helpful to have someone with us to tackle those unexpected events. More importantly, there is safety in numbers. When walking around late at night, taking transportation in a new country, or simply navigating traveling abroad, it is extremely comforting to have at least one other person to adventure with.
More bang for your buck
For my budget-friendly travelers, it is no surprise that traveling with someone helps to spread the costs. Large expenses such as accommodations, transportation, and excursions can often be split between people in your group. Traveling with more people can help alleviate some of the travel costs and even upgrade your trip experience. For example, while hostels are the budget-friendly option when traveling in Southeast Asia, it was often more cost-effective to stay in a cheap hotel since there were 2 of us! One of our favorite ways to save money while traveling is to order a large entree and split it.
Keep you accountable
Traveling has taught me to have an open mind and appreciate life’s diversity. When venturing to new places, it is helpful to have someone to push you outside of your comfort zone, keep you accountable, and encourage you to try new things. Jade has always been there to challenge me beyond my own comfort level. If I’m being honest, I probably would have never had the courage to go paragliding in Switzerland if Jade wasn’t there to go first.
Your personal photographer
Last but not least, it’s always nice to travel with a personal photographer. In my iPhone photography post, I mention finding the best angles is one of my top tips for mastering photography. As we have deepened our love for travel photography, we have explored each other’s best angles. It’s always nice to have that person who knows how you like your pictures to save you from those awkward moments when you ask someone to take a photo for you and it doesn’t turn out how you like it!
Comment below with any tips you have for traveling with a buddy!
