End to Scandinavia, tips for travelling with friends

No one likes to end their travels, or at least I don't. As much as I love my family and friends my heart is abroad, in the adventures to come, sights to see, and culture to live. My brief taste of what is Scandinavia has definitely left me wanting more. I know more trips will be in my future but for the present moment, I am waiting for the next opportunity!

Me & Lauriane in St. Tropez, France

Me &Julie at an Oxygen Bar in Las Vegas

Me & Andrei at the Calgary Stampede

This trip has also taught me far more about myself and relationships than anything else I have ever encountered in life. I have performed 2 exchanges to France over the years and I either travelled on my own, with my host family, or with friends I made while I was studying there.With the exception of my 2 exchanges/trips to France, I have always travelled with family (short distances like from Toronto -Quebec City or long distances such as Toronto - Las Vegas) or with friends (short distances such as Fort McMurray to Calgary). This trip would be the first trip I ever did with my bestfriend, Amanda, not including minor trips for us to visit each other during school from our university towns to the other. Travelling with friends is a real test of friendship and this is still uncertain at the present moment.

Me & Amanda at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland

As much as we thought we had planned things out, there are always going to be bumps in the road and people have to be willing to sway their plans a bit to accommodate everyone but at the same time each person should be capable of fulfilling their own wishes. Me and Amanda had researched places to visit, things to see, restaurants to visit, and expenses we may incur. We had all our accommodations booked that worked into our budget. I am willing to admit there were museums I had an interest in originally but when the money situation came fully into view, I could not afford to fit everything in to my budget. My wishes were my priorities when it came to my budget.



Tips for traveling with friends
After experiencing this I have some tips to offer regarding travelling with friends (not all of them were problems for me on this trip but I figured they would be good general advice to give):

• Discuss each person's budget
• This can be a very hot topic and a MAJOR issue for friends traveling. Not everyone comes from the same background and financial situations can put a major strain on travelling ideas. Both parties need to discuss what they can afford in terms of accommodation and transportation. Food is generally only bought for yourself so you will never have to share food. Also, it is probably not the best idea in the world to flaunt around how much money one party has if the other is flat broke to the point of walking far distances to avoid taxi and bus fees. When it comes to activities, you should only pay for things you really want to do and that will fit in your budget. For this matter you need to discuss the event in which you will split off from each other (see below).

• Be comfortable being on your own
• There are going to be activities that you may not both want to see or cannot afford to put into your budget and for this reason it is inevitable that there are going to be times when you are going to separate. For this reason you need to make sure you are aware of your surroundings, bring a watch (or cell/iPod, something that has the time), and that you know how to use a map... which all seem simple but making sure of these things makes a world of a difference. Set a meeting point and time and rejoin once you have accomplished your own must-see things.

• Discuss trip ideas
• Do some pre-research on ideas both parties have so that places can be chosen to best accommodate every one's interests. If both are into museums and history buffs then both activities will probably gel well together but if some people are a mixture of history, culture, adventure, then certain activities probably will need to be cut or chosen to do on their own. In either case it is probably a good idea to get a sense of what is out there so that you know you are making the most out of your trip.
  
• Be assertive
• Deal with problems when they arise and not after they've kept boiling up. This only leads to huge arguments over seemingly small things. It's best to confront each other or talk with one another if something upset you or hurt you. Things will only get worse and you will not enjoy your trip if you continue to allow yourself to get upset. You have no reason to be upset for the rest of your trip if you never took the initiative to resolve it yourself.
  
• Be yourself
• Your friend decided to go on a trip with you because they like you for who you are, not a different person they've never met before. It is understandable to be shy around new people but personalities should not change when away. Don't feel like you need to act a certain way because you are on your own and in new situations. At the same time be considerate of how traveling is a different situation and that being comfortable all the time is not a luxury everyone feels when on the road.