Travel Companion.....

I owe a bludger whom I was stuck wit, in the outback. He made aolo traveler out of me.

We worked the same jobs, same pay.

He'd finish a meal. Smile and say,"Why should I spend my own money?"

I couldn't get rid of him. Not many highways to choose from in the outback.

I can't even bring myself to stay at a dorm in a hostel. Private room only. Independent travel has enough frustration built in, e.g. language barriers, pushy/rude cabbies or shop keepers, or hurry up and wait transportation, without having to negotiate every move with an incompatible companion.

All I can suggest is don't pick someone you have to depend on, and risk being abandoned somewhere without your stuff.

Good luck

So, what are the worst traits that you came across when you venture out with a travel companion? And, is it wise to plan a trip with someone you haven't physically met but had conversed with over the phone?

i have struggled with being a single traveller at times, when the price for a single was almost double than it would be if you have a partner. I have had a couple of experiences travelling with another... once with someone I knew, and lived in the same city.. And that went well. We went out for many lunches to discuss compatibility, and we agreed that there was no need for us to be attached at the hip. We shared a bedroom (well a cabin, it was on a freighter) but often chose to do different things during the day, catching up with each other at dinner. It was a good trip.

But then there was the travel partner from Hell.... well from Australia, actually. Met her online, planned a trip, and it turned out that we were totally incompatible. she was cheap cheap cheap.... She was an expert on Canada, never having been here before... and of course what would Canadians know? She had worked with aboriginals in Australia, so she was an expert on First Nations people in Canada, of course. She snored massively. She ate with her mouth open. I avoided eating with her. I questioned her cleanliness. She was extremely rude to servers in restaurants, clerks in shops. drivers and guides,,,always telling them they were WRONG.. Let me tell you the ways she was a bad travel companion!! I was asked by several people on tours we took if she was senile or 'mentally challenged' That's how bad it was!!! and we were locked together in a ten day trip with our transport and hotels to an obscure place. I finally just stopped talking to her, and went my own way. I didn't give a damn what she did.

i prefer 'pickup' travel companions... travellers that I meet in the guest house or wherever, and who are going in the same direction as me. We would join up for a few days, and then split when we chose to go in different directions. .

Edited by: canayjun

I always travel solo unless I'm travelling with family, driving around Ireland I was so pleased I was alone when a bus group got out to go where I was going and they were complaining about who should pay for what fare, how some of them were always late etc etc etc, I enjoyed what I saw and then left, they had to wait for the group to return to the bus. At just about every B&B people were surprised that I was travelling alone. it was well worth the money

I've rented both beds, in a room for two, in hotels. still get the companionship.
When I want it.

Still cheaper than most hotels.

Oh! Chewing with mouth open or talking with mouth full.

gross. Why should anybody put up with that?

And of coarse hey get insulted if we mention it.

I've twice travelled wit people I knew in England. They begged to be allowed to travel wit me, claimed expertise in the language, etc. They lied! And I had to nursemaid inexperienced travellers who couldn't speak the language as well as me (i.e. abysmally) and could barely be trusted to tie their own shoelaces.
OTOH - a group of us independent and solo travellers met on the train station in Aswan, all going to Sudan or further. We peeled off along the way, on our various itineraries, and I left one guy in Khartoum, having spent the greater part of a week with him. He came to London last year and we went on a two-week rip to Devon and Cornwall, hiking over Dartmoor, etc. We were still talking - laughing, actually - at the tend of those two weeks. I'd travel with him anywhere.

I think people who are basically solo travellers can get on well together.
But people who feel the need to travel with someone else should stick to tour groups and such.
In other words - not to ME!

go2... i think you have said it in a nutshell... independent travellers CAN travel best together because neither 'needs' the other, and traavelling together with a like minded person can be a lot of fun.

Came across this TCFH post which I wasn't able to put down:

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/this-is-why-i-will-always-travel-solo-from-now-trip-report--rome-and-sorrento.cfm#last-comment

OMG! one of it's kind and this Barb author was rightly labelled as Saint Barb.

Beware, do not read it if you do not have time to spare. Lots of anecdotes from other posters about their experience of TCFH. lol

Happy reading!