After having a conversation with my mom today about her recent trip to Hawaii and her experience of traveling with her friend I started to consider what my ideal travel partner would be. My first instinct is to say there is NO ideal. But then I started thinking about all the past travel partners I’ve had and I think if I took a piece of each one of them and created a person I’d have the right one.
If I had to choose one I think it would actually be my son because he’s the only one who’s never worried about his hair and makeup, and wouldn’t be overly concerned with what his Jamaican boyfriend is doing (because he doesn’t have one!). This kid could literally roll out of bed, put on clean underwear and be down for whatever. We’ve had many adventures in Jamaica together that probably wouldn’t have happened if not for his flexibility. What can I say? He’s a mini-me and was completely okay with booking accommodations on the fly even if it meant having to share a bed with his mother at the age of eighteen. I offered to book separate rooms for us but he was of the opinion that if we shared a bed we’d have extra money for other adventures. What a smart boy. A while back he did an entire month in Europe by himself with just one bag and his DJ gear. He booked into hostels on the fly in every town he went to.
My mom was a great travel partner the one time I took her to Jamaica. It was neat to see the island through a rookie’s eyes and she actually made me discover things that I probably wouldn’t have done if she wasn’t with me. I did touristy things like river rafting and plantation tours but all these things were amazing discoveries for me and I have her to thank for that! The only downside of traveling with her was that she really wasn’t okay with my level of accommodations. We tried the local way for a night and as soon as she saw a roach we were in a taxi with her on the phone booking a nice hotel room as we drove there. But I totally admired her negotiating skills and she got a smokin’ deal on the room just by telling a sob story. Her stoosh-ness got me into a hotel that I’d never pay the price for at the best of times.
Probably one of the easiest couples I’ve ever traveled with are my brother-from-another-mother and his wife. They’re dancehall DJ’s from Canada and often play at shows down in Jamaica. These two are the ultimate travel partners no matter where they go. They’re like the McGyvers of travel; they have a gadget for everything and are like my son – they can function on two hours of sleep and get up and drive the next morning in the same stinky clothing we partied in the night before! Okay so that’s an exaggeration but they’re terribly easy to roll with. The trip I did with them and my son was one of the most fun and hilarious experiences I’ve had in Jamaica.
I’ve done Caribana in Toronto with them too and have fond memories of a tiny downtown hotel room with three people in a bed and two on the floor. I’m not sure why they had blow-up camping mattresses in their bags but it’s like I said, they have a gadget or two for every situation and I was one of the ones on the floor so I’m thankful they had air mattresses with them.
It’s been years since I’ve had an actual travel partner for any of my trips and that has been a conscious decision on my part. I just like to be on my own agenda and find that females are difficult to be around on a 24/7 basis. I’ve been on a couple trips where I’ve wasted so much time waiting for them to primp with their hair and makeup that I found myself thinking “I’ll never get these two hours of my life back”. I like traveling alone because then I can’t blame anyone but myself for things that do or do not happen.
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12 responses to “The Ideal Travel Partner”
my favorite travel partner is me myself and i – and no i don’t get lonesome – in fact i probably have more fun because folks think i’m lonely and invite me to all kinds of things – and i don’t have to negotiate with my travel partner – ’cause i’ll leave their ass in a minute anyway 🙂
and traveling with men – ugh – they think hotel room – sex – and i’m not going to be holed up (oops) all day when i could be out doing something
second best travel partner is my 15-year old son – he has to do what i want – lol
LOL Seveen!! You sound a lot like me! LOL at negotiating, which is really what it turns into when you can just GO as a solo traveler. I fully agree with you.
Take me with you on your next travel to the island. We would get along great; I just know it! LOL
I have long hair so there isn’t too much to do but brush it. I’m OK with or without makeup. I love their culture and very much love exploring new things without any agenda.
Jamie something tells me you’re totally right, we’d get along just great traveling! Out of all the readers I’ve met in person most of them were a lot like us. Just free spirits. I’ve written a whole chapter about them in my book.
Was looking forward to your next entry!! and this one is great…I too prefer to travel alone and thought that maybe it has more to do with me being an only child and wanting things my way…lol…I enjoy the freedom and lack of responsibility for someone else…I too have no time for the primping…all I can think is I am in Jamaica…let it begin!! and keep it coming!
However, my best friend and I do travel quite a lot together (to JA and elsewhere) although when I travel to JA I spend more time there then she does, often 2 or 3 weeks more then her and going on my own often… and I hate to say it, however much I love her company and how well we get along, I am glad or I guess relieved when she goes home (she is a bit high maintenance) and I am once again on my own,..kinda feel guilty..lol…there is something to be said about the freedom that comes with visiting JA, the experiences that make visiting so fun and interesting! Sometimes, those experiences wouldn’t have had a chance if I hadn’t been on my own.
LOOOOL Tina! I hope your friend doesn’t read this blog or the comments on it aahahahaha!! Although, just by reading my post the primping people I’m referring to will know who they are too LOL.
Funny….if I were to write a chapter about favorite travel partners, it would be about you. 😉
Erin I could write a whole post on traveling with you! Actually as I wrote this post all I could think about was our whirlwind weekend and just had too much to say. Maybe I should write an entire separate post about it LOL!!
That weekend will go down in history as one of my fave trips….even WITH all the drama! My favorite travel of ours was my last trip in JA! Driving across the island and going to Negril for the night….driving back….getting lost….it was sooooo much fun that I cannot WAIT to do it all over again with you someday. Next time though I think we should allow for 2 nights and 3 days and just stop wherever and whenever we want. Remember getting caught in the MAJOR downpour with Rooster? 🙂
Ahhh I remember it all Erin! If I do a post about us I can’t decide which to post about BUT I think the whirlwind weekend is funnier so that’s the one I’m using. LMAO I still laugh at ourselves.
love the story JC!
Awee that’s great! Travelling is so much nicer and fun when you have good company with you!