Tips for Traveling in a Pack
Everyone knows it’s cheaper to travel with a large group of people. You can split gas, food, and the cost of the hotel room. But with so many bodies and personalities in one place, sometimes things can get a little sticky. Ew, not like that.
Over this past Memorial Day weekend, I went out of town with eight other women. Yes, eight. And then we invited some friends who were in the area, and they invited some of their friends. At one point there were 14 of us (again, all women) in one two-bedroom condo. People slept on the floor and crammed into the slivers of available bed space, and there was always a line for the bathroom. Despite all of this, we made it work and work well. Here are some tips on how you can make your group vacation as awesome as possible:
1. Choose your room/bedmates wisely. I dubbed the room I slept in “the sleepy time chamber.” Why? Well, the four of us who inhabited the room really, really valued our rest. We were the crew who slept in later than the others, and we really took charge of nap time. This common interest allowed for a very peaceful weekend. If you suspect that you’ll be raging ’til six in the mo’nin, you should stick to the other ragers. Don’t bum your friends out by trampling their shit at 4a.m. after one too many flirtinis.
2. Sharing is caring (and also won’t make your friends resent you). There are going to be moments when the check arrives at your table, and suddenly everyone forgets how to do math. Don’t be that guy who doesn’t factor in the cost of tax and tip into your meal. Or the one who falls $2 short on the cab ride. Everyone should be responsible for covering their own asses, and, when appropriate, for contributing the same amount as everyone else. I know we’re all broke-asses here, but if you’re not gonna be a team player, then keep your [broke]ass on the bench. Yes, that was a corny and obvious metaphor.
3. Be considerate. Well no shit, right? But be extra considerate this time. If you enjoy taking 15 minute showers, you should probably cut that time in half. The hot water supply can be limited, and someone might be waiting to take a piss. But even if neither of those conditions apply, no one wants to wait around for you to get ready. Similarly, keep your luggage and its contents confined to one region of your room. You are not at home, and your pals are not your keepers.
4. Speak your mind. If there’s something wrong, you better say so. Perhaps you’re totally over the house music remixes of already overworked Journey songs, or, more simply, maybe you’re just tuckered out and ready to turn in for the night. Chances are someone else in your group feels the same way, so it’s best to speak up. No one wants to deal with a passive aggressive, pouty jerk face.
5. Keep an eye on each other. You’re all in this together, and you should all be responsible for each other’s well-being. Friends don’t let friends get whisked away by big, overzealous oafs. They also don’t allow each other to pass out in the gutter. If you’re vacationing in an unfamiliar place, then safety should be your number two priority (having fun is clearly number one).
My big, fat group vacation was a huge success. No one got sick, no one cried, and there were no fights. It just goes to show you that, if you have solid friends, you will have a solid time. Unless, of course, they all get whisked away by oafs.
Thanks to Snarkerati for the pic.
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