7 Golden Rules For Holidaying With Mates
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You’d think going on holiday with mates would be plain sailing: book holiday, have fun, job done.
But succumbing to the seduction of a getaway with folk you love without paying attention to a few important details can lead to a vacation that’s the very antithesis of R&R.
We’ve put together a few simple rules to help you plan the best holiday with your homies.
1. Assemble the perfect crew
Let’s face it, holidays are a rare luxury and you want them to go as smoothly as possible so assembling the right group of mates is in everyone’s best interests. Couples with kids and couples without are probably not going to be on the same schedule. Same goes for folks who like to be active all day and those who want to do nothing but read on the beach. Choose friends you’ve gone on holiday with before or mates with similar interests. Shared holiday goals is what it’s all about.
2. Do a bit of planning
You don’t have to militant about it but a meet up at home before you go away so that everyone can express their hopes or worries about the trip is a great idea. Some folks like to plan some like to see how it goes, having a casual chat before can help you meet in the middle.
3. There will be cock ups
Accept this. You’re far away from home and mistakes happen. I just got back from a holiday in Spain where we unwittingly drove two hours in the wrong direction. It sucked and it knocked a day off our holiday. It would have been easy to blame the driver but in the end we all had maps on our phones and could have taken responsibility for the journey.* Thankfully we all dealt with it extremely well because we were a crew of perfectly assembled mates.
*We all agreed not to share this story so keep it under your hat, yeah?
4. Be direct
Decision making is always tricky in a group. Nobody wants to suggest a restaurant or activity that turns out not to live up to expectations. It’s a lot of pressure for one person. The truth is, you can never be sure how things will go but dithering and being too polite to make a choice is just as exhausting. Speak up, it’s for the good of the group.
5. Don’t be afraid to talk about money
It’s easy to slip into “I’ll pay for the next thing” territory but this can sometimes make things uneven. To avoid resentment or confusion keep a note of who has covered what or try to split things evenly there and then. Apps like Splittr can help you with this. Some people are genuinely forgetful, or have a different budget or just care less. Either way it’s perfectly fine to be frank about cash.
6. Alone time is fine
Not everyone enjoys hanging round in groups 24/7. If you’re an introvert who needs to take some time for yourself make sure you do. Have a wonder to the shops to get supplies or take recharging siesta. Recognising and managing your own needs is important and will ensure you have a lovely time.
7. People will have off moments
Just like at home nobody is going to be in an amazing mood every waking moment of the holiday and that’s fine. Whether it’s you or your mates getting hangry, feeling too hot, tired or hungover, it’s not personal, it’s just humans. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
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