Travelling with friends

This week, I was lucky enough to spend a few days in Greece with the girls. We travelled as a group of 11 women aged between 26 and 67; my mum, my sisters, my aunts, and our friends. For me, travelling with friends is the best kind of travel, here’s why.

Travelling as a family

While I adore my husband and daughter, at times, I can find travelling with them stressful. He is a stickler for time. An hour before we are due to leave, he is stood by the front door tapping his watch. Having only had to pack his own suitcase, which he will have done in haste and no doubt forgetting something, he is keen to make a move. Meanwhile, I run around like a headless chicken having planned and booked the trip, arranged the visas, packed the important stuff, sorted the pets and readied the house for our being away. My daughter, who converses in monotone, one word answers, makes it clear that would rather stay at home and be left to her own devices.

Once away, arranging activities is like pulling teeth. He hates anything in organised groups (he feels like a sheep, apparently) and she just wants to remain invisible. At least once per trip, after much forced jollity on my part, I erupt at them both. It seems that, only when my enthusiasm has waned completely, do they start to rally but, for me, “it’s just too late now”.

He is an early riser, he likes to be up and out. This means that he’s partial to an early night. She, a typical teenager, comes alive in the evening and so she’s spiky until at least lunch time. I often feel like a mediator, batting away brewing arguments, trying to keep the peace.

Solo travel is so much easier

I feel mean saying this but, travelling without them is so much easier. Mainly it’s because I only have to take responsibility for myself. Just one passport. A bag containing only the things that I need. Not having to worry about anybody’s happiness but my own.

In contrast, travelling with friends is joyful from start to finish. Maybe I am on my best behaviour and they get the best of me. Maybe they are on their best behaviour and I get the best of them. It doesn’t really matter why it works, it just does. I have already written about the fact that women are my superheroes. My group of friends are some of the most interesting people I have met. Each has a story to tell. Every one of them wise and funny and loyal and kind.

Do your own thing

The great thing about travelling as a group is that there is no pressure to do anything that you don’t want to do. There’s the option to join in with the group conversation or have an intimate chat; take a walk along the beach or have a wild night out.

This trip, a group of us met for an early morning run / walk (it was mostly walk). One day a group went out to explore and didn’t come back until the wee hours. There was no clique, no gossip, no expectation, no judgement. There was, instead, just a lot of laughs.