Ode to My Travel Partner and Tips to Choose Yours

Since 2012, I pretty much always travel with my friend Claude. I lead her to the most dangerous town on Earth, I made her eat rotten shark, a stranger vomit on her in a ferry, and she burned badly, several times, on different beaches. Yet, she still wants to be my friend, and that not only show friendship, but a very strong mind and a huge hearth.

The first time we travelled together was in Honduras. Not to the safest place in the World or an easy French country where people would speak our first language. Nope. I chose to bring her to a not very touristic place, where people don’t know a word of English during the overwhelming heat of summer. As soon as we got out of the airport in San Pedro Sula and all the crazy taxi drivers harassed us, she wanted to go back home.

Despite her feelings, she stayed. She felt unsafe (although it wasn’t really unsafe), she found the food disgusting, and it was so hot that we were sweating just talking, but she stayed and found a way to enjoy the trip.

I never saw someone who can push her limits like that.

We all wish to find the perfect friend to travel with and I’m very lucky I did. Here’s why she’s the perfect travel partner, and what you should consider while looking for yours.

She commits to travel

We all have friends with who we make travel plans (while drunk or while sober) and never put them to action. How many time was I supposed to go to New Orleans with high school friends, or to go dive in Mexico with other friends… With Claude, I know that if we talk about going to a place, we will.

When looking for a travel partner, be sure to choose someone who does what he says. You’ll avoid so much deception.

She tries

She’s a picky eater (Oh I hear you Claude “No I’m not!”…. Yes you are!), but she tries local food. Okay, normally I order the weirdest things and she tries it out of my plate while eating her hamburger, but she tries! And after, she orders something new.

She tried parachute, zip lines, scuba diving, karaoke (I consider it an extreme sport)… and she doesn’t only do that while travelling, it’s the way she is.

When choosing for a travel partner, pick someone who is willing to go out of his comfort zone.

She takes care of me

I am the worst traveller in the sense that I always get sick. My stomach and me are really not on the same page about local food and drinks. Claude always wait for me calmly when I have to go to the bathroom for the hundredth time or when I agonize in the bedroom for a couple of hours. I’m sorry for this unglamorous talk about travelling, but life is life.

Choose a travel partner who understand and stay calm if you get sick and who don’t make you feel like you’re ruining the trip.

She can read a map

Don’t worry, it’s a skill everybody can learn! It’s always good to be with someone who can read a map and know where you’re going. I have the chance to travel with a super skilled woman who always know exactly where we are, where we are going, and where is the hostel.

Please don’t kill me because I put this picture on the internet, Claude. I did it because I like you!

She takes pictures

A lot of pictures you can see on my blog from Honduras, Portugal and Iceland have been taken by Claude. She’s a very good photographer and, more importantly, she thinks about bringing the camera! …I always forget it in the room…

It’s always a good thing to have different points of view when taking pictures. Being with someone who likes to take pictures as much as you will ensure you have the best souvenir!

She knows how to party, but she’s still in shape the next morning

It’s not that I am boring… it’s just that I like to wake up early. So… Claude is there to remind me that going out in bars and try local alcohol is part of a successful trip. Each time she dragged me out all night, I never regretted it!

On the other side, I’m there to calm the party animal in her and make sure we can also be on time (and on shape) to kayak in the jungle. Choose a travel partner that will create a balance.

Her arms are also long enough to take nice selfies! How practical is that!

I wish you all to find that one friend you can travel with!

What are the tops qualities you are looking for in a travel partner?

Want to know more about planning a trip? You might be interested in these:

• How to Achieve Your Travel Goals This Year
• How to Get Money to Travel
• How to Plan a Trip in 10 Easy Steps
• Things You Forget to Do Before Leaving For a Vacations (Infographic)
• How Travel Helped Me With My Anxiety Disorder

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