Planning a vacation takes a lot of work – it takes time, money, and research. And if you are considering traveling with someone else, it is imperative that you both be on the same page when it comes to all of the above. There is a possibility that you have best friends that you adore but could never have been roommate to, or someone you could always call for advice but never expect to be on time for an event. Similarly, you may have the type of friend that you can tell every secret to but would never want to go on a trip with. Now, the latest viral Tweet Dubbed this phenomenon “travel compatibility”.
The hallmark of any good friendship is taking them even though they are, and in some cases, whatever they are not. Being aware of the ways in which it corresponds and corresponds with it not Compatibility as friends is huge – and it depends on a lot more than just your zodiac sign.
Twitter user @MCoveteur tweeted her thoughts on the idea of travel compatibility on April 14, saying she had a friend who took her on an overnight trip to check “travel compatibility.” It now has over 90.5k likes, retweeted over 5,000 times, and opened up a conversation in responses about exactly what makes a good travel companion.
“One of my friends was always begging to fly with me, so I took an overnight flight with her to check travel compatibility,” wrote @MCoveteur. She followed up the tweet with a thread confirming that she and her best friend aren’t destined to be hanging out together anytime soon. “I love it but we don’t go far from the gas station together you guys! Go with smaddy [sic] I wrote. From there, the tweet kicked off an all-encompassing online discussion – a whole wheel-versus-doors-style discussion – and users started talking about what you should consider before traveling with someone new.
A lot has talked about budgeting as a big sticking point on some group vacations. Whether it’s someone who doesn’t want to spend money on eating out and prefers hotel dining, or someone who sends you a Venmo order for an activity you didn’t participate in – there are some money-related horror stories people have gone through on vacation with the wrong friends.
Others emphasized how important it is to match each other’s energy on a journey. Aspects of the trip such as how much you will walk, if you prefer a loose path or a strict schedule of events, your needs for personal autonomy, and agreement on how to handle night and morning routines can all be moved in advance to address any conflicting behaviors.
Another tweet explained how checking up on a friend before planning a long-term stay with them is great for not only enjoying the trip but also being safe. “I was in a group and this lady in our party started a fight while we were in Croatia. We were seconds away from being locked out,” she wrote.
The topic also has a lot of users talking about the specific way they like to travel and how they are sure to tell others these things before even booking a flight. Perfectly_Plush says a travel buddy who always takes a nap before going out at night is a must, and @TheTechTam said they prefer getting a room alone but will always be off for group activities.
It’s clear that when it comes to travel compatibility, people have a few key ideas – and plenty of real-life experiences to back them up. Making sure you communicate all finances, plans, and information about how you prefer to travel in advance is always a good idea. Once you’re on the trip, using resources like these apps that make it easy to split shared expenses will be your best friend—and hopefully, you’ll save IRL resources, too. If not, you can always go ahead and plan a solo trip on roaming calls.
