Upon returning from Melbourne, my friend recounted to me over dinner how the long awaited graduation trip with her good friend turned out to be a letdown because of their extremely different travelling styles.

Such stories of disappointing holiday trips are not uncommon. As we travel more in the company of friends nowadays, many of us have come to the unfortunate realisation that not all good friends make good travel partners. Understanding that different people have different travelling styles and habits goes a long way in helping us to pick the right travel partners and ensuring our trips go as smoothly as possible.

Here are 5 things to note when choosing your travel partner.

#1 THE GET UP AND GO, OR LIE DOWN AND NO

Some of us fall into the latter category of laid-back travellers. When we indulge in a holiday, winding down from our hectic schedule back at home is our top priority. A morning lazing in our lush queen-sized hotel bed? Perfect. Spending our entire afternoon on the beach’s daybed with our favourite read? Now that’s more like our cup of tea.

Travelling with the former group of people may then prove to be problematic. Unlike the laid-back ones, the busy travellers love their itineraries packed full of activities. From trekking in the morning to visiting 5 museums in the afternoon and a night full of shopping, such a travelling style may leave laid-back travellers gasping for air and frustrated.

Whether you are a busy or laid-back traveller, it is best to pick someone who is similar in travelling style.

#2 THE NEAT FREAK, OR THE MESSY MONSTER

When we travel with a partner, we are bound to expose a little more of ourselves (not literally, of course). We all have bathroom habits. Some of us need only 15 minutes to shower, others, an hour.

Does uncapped toothpaste tubes set off alarm bells in the morning? What about the navigating through your travel partner’s field of scattered cosmetics?

If these bathroom pet peeves tie a proverbial knot in your robe strings (or literal), we suggest talking to your travel partner about them prior to the trip. Communicating these expectations in an amicable manner would prevent you from brushing your teeth with that tube of concealer. The key here is to also understand that different people possess different habits. Try not to fret over these personal differences and the trip will be a more enjoyable one for both you and your partner.

#3 THE ADVENTUROUS FOODIE, OR THE SAFE DINER

It cannot be denied that food is the one thing that brings people together and often a huge reason why people travel to a country (think Bangkok and Hong Kong). However, the glorious quest for food is not for everyone – divisions can happen if one traveller is a foodie and the other is not.

We all know that one person who wants to put a live octopus tentacle in his/her mouth and wash it down with a cup of crushed crickets deep fried to perfection just moments before. However, while some of us have the industrious palette of Bear Grylls, it is important to remember that not everyone has the same taste. Some of us are much safer diners – we prefer to stay within our comfort zones and going for familiar food choices.

Remember that not everybody shares the same sense of curiosity in food, and that if you are a foodie who is out to seek out a culinary adventure, it is best to bring along someone who’d appreciate a good food hunt. Finding out and deciding how far one is willing to travel for that sumptuous, glistening bowl of udon is the key in this situation. Nothing spoils a trip more than an unwilling party.

Things other than the cuisine can sour the meal as well. For example, splitting the bill evenly down to the last decimal point may scratch the inner OCD itch in some of us, where others prefer not to deal with the nitty-gritty.

#4 THE ZEN BEN, OR WHINY NELLY

Murphy’s Law states that what may go wrong, will go wrong. Sadly, this particular adage won’t be far from the truth especially in any travelogue. When travelling to a new place for the first time, the possibility of getting lost, boarding the wrong train or missing that ticketed ferry-ride are all very real nightmares.

This is when having a travel partner who possesses a calm and composed character, coupled with the ability to think rationally in unexpected situations, helps. The last thing anyone would want when lost in a foreign land is a travel partner complaining and whining about the whole situation without offering any solutions.

#5 THE WIDE-EYED, OR THE UNIMPRESSED

It is often said that the journey is less important than the destination, and for good reason. Compressing a part of your life into a suitcase and carting it off to a destination unknown is all about taking the paths you would not usually travel.

Travelling with someone who has an inescapable sense of wonderment makes even the most mundane and routine tasks, such as catching the bus to the stop nearest to your hotel, a real joy. Such wide-eyed travellers make for good companions for someone who shares the same enthusiasm for travelling. On the other hand, if your travel partner is one who lacks any sense of intrigue and is blinkered to the joy of discovery, it can be quite a dampener.

Making a careful choice of who to travel with helps to make your much-anticipated holiday more enjoyable. However, as John Steinback aptly puts, “A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.’’ It is important to realize that we cannot control everything and things do go wrong when we travel.

In a trip as such, travel partners need to give each other a bit of room for imperfections and flaws, and be a little more accommodating to our travel partner’s idiosyncrasies. The best thing we can do for ourselves is to take things in our stride, and try to make the best out of our holiday vacation.

About the writer:
A person who enjoys what life has to offer, Leanne prefers to count her blessings and endeavours to make the best out of whatever that comes her way. She loves to travel and believes that it is the best way to learn about people and places – and in sharing her experiences, it just makes it all the more meaningful.

The company you pick can make or break a great holiday. Here are the 10 best types of people to travel with – but be discerning, because the very same folks can also border on annoying!

1. THE FOODIE

No explanation necessary. This is the guy who’s going to lead you to the best restaurants and cafes that the country’s own locals clamour to dine in. He’s found and followed the right food bloggers to get all the recommendations you need.

Often heard saying: “This place has lots of good reviews. Let’s eat here.”

When it becomes annoying… When he starts dissing the local cuisine or goes into pretentious food-talk mode: “Mmm. This piquant sauce really brings out the tart zing in the berries and rounds off the mouthful with a full-bodied sweetness.” Who talks like this?!

2. THE SUPER PLANNER

He’s the detail-oriented one with an excel sheet of every day’s itinerary – planned down to the minute, and colour-coded – printed before he gets to Changi Airport. He’s done all the research about the must-sees and dos for the holiday so you don’t have do to anything but follow along. He watches the time like a hawk so you’ll see plenty in a day.

Often heard saying: “Okay guys, we have to leave in the next 7 minutes and get to the next point at 340pm.”

When it becomes annoying… When there is no flexibility in his schedule – which shouldn’t be the one everyone has to follow all the time. A holiday is meant to be fun, relaxing and enriching; if you’re just rushing from place to place or can’t make any spontaneous decisions then you’ll be missing out.

3. THE PHOTOGRAPHER

It’s not necessary for The Photographer to be wielding a DSLR, though he is likely to have at least a MILC (mirrorless interchangeable lens camera) – a step up from your compacts. He’s the one who’s going to help you relive your holiday through the awe-inspiring pictures he’s taken during the entire trip. Often you’ll end up using one of his photos as your profile pic on Facebook.

Often heard saying: “Wait, wait, wait.” *snap snap* “Ok.” Or, “You guys go ahead first, I’ll catch up.”

When it becomes annoying… When he’s holding the group up every five minutes to snap an “artsy” picture of something incredibly mundane – like a rock. Or grass. Or a lamp post… You know what I mean.

4. THE LANGUAGE JUNKIE

He’s never without the local phrasebook in hand and has a genuine interest in languages so he’s really put in the effort to learn how to converse. A super useful chap for obvious reasons.

Often heard saying: Practising phrases by himself.

When it gets annoying… When he turns every excursion into a lesson, by telling you what the local words are for the things around you, then quizzing you. Don’t turn the trip into a language course we didn’t sign up for!

5. THE LIGHT PACKER

He’ll bring half the amount of clothes required for the entire trip and use the sink to do laundry. Don’t bother borrowing toiletries from him as well as he’s likely to depend on the ones provided by the hotel. Either that or he’s got one soap to cover him from head to toe. Bare minimum, is the motto he lives by. The great thing is – if you’ve shopped too much, you can hop on his baggage allowance since he’s most likely to have excess space.

Often heard saying: “Yeah you can put it in my bag, I have space.”

When it gets annoying… Um, when he’s too knackered for laundry and a reused shirt leaves an unpleasant scent trail.

6. THE HIPSTER

Want to find a hole-in-the-wall cafe? You can bet this guy’s already written it down on his Moleskine notebook. Hidden alley leading to a speakeasy with amazing Happy Hour prices? He’s got a picture of their nondescript entrance stored on his Evernote app. With The Hipster in your travel group, you’ll get to experience off-the-beaten track stuff. He’s probably a bit of a coffee snob too so you’ll never have to settle for a subpar cuppa.

Often heard saying: Hipsters don’t say anything often enough, it becomes too common.

When it gets annoying: When he’s throwing a fit about visiting an iconic landmark because it’s “so typical”.

7. THE CHEAPO

Forget flashy shopping centres, follow this guy to the street markets or outlet stores. His bargaining skills are so unrivalled, you’re really paying the lowest price possible. He’s already trawled through forums to find out the ballpark figure of things – whether it’s material goods, food, tours or hotel rooms – so you’ll never be ripped off. With this guy around, you’ll be saving major bucks on your trip.

Often heard saying: “Give me a discount” in the local language – which is often the first phrase he learns, even before “hello”.

When it gets annoying… When he sacrifices quality for low prices. Bed bug bites from a cheap hostel room and a tummy ache from eating at the dodgy-looking food stall isn’t worth the savings, no matter how substantial.

8. THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL

He’s got a reaaal appetite. This guy’s good to take along because you can order whatever you want to try, and you don’t have to worry about not finishing it. He’ll inhale the leftovers in a flash. The difference between this guy and The Foodie is that the former doesn’t care about where, when or what you eat – he’ll lap it all up.

Often heard saying: “Just order, don’t worry – I can help you eat.”

When it gets annoying: When you actually want the last piece, but it’s already in his mouth. Sigh. Never mind, less calories taken in, I guess.

9. THE GUNG-HO ONE

He’s the one who pushes you to do things you would have never found the guts to do, but be glad you did it afterwards. Whether it’s skydiving, eating something weird or dancing in public to a busker’s tune – he puts the YOLO in your trip.

Often heard saying: “Don’t think so much! Just do it!”

When it gets annoying: When you’ve gagged from putting balut (a Philippine delicacy – go Google it) in your mouth and he still insists you finish it.

10. THE NATURAL NAVIGATOR

Y’know, the one who just never seems to get lost, and remembers the route after going through it once. With him around, you’ll always find your way back to the hotel or to the landmarks – no time wasted. He can even easily locate the street market stall you want to visit again, which, as the rest of us average folk know, is no mean feat.

Often heard saying: “It’s this way guys. Confirm.”

When it gets annoying: Actually, I can’t think of a downside to this guy… Even if you were to choose a wrong turn on purpose to explore, he can lead you right back to where you wanted to be in the first place.

So, do you have friends like this in your travelling posse?

About the writer:
Ruby Tan used to write for Her World, and is now a freelance writer with a dream to travel the world. She believes that the some of best things in life don’t have to be bought.