Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
TRAVEL TIPS
When two becomes a crowd
|
A little bit of adjustment and pre-planning can go a long way in making group travel comfortable
|
IT'S FUN THAT MATTERS Remember to give each other enough space
A batch of college mates decided to go on a group tour 10 years after passing out of college. The lovable, bubbly bunch with similar tastes had grown into a more mature lot where most had moved on in life. The few who still held on to the past were looking forward to a boisterous weekend.
Their group tour was a disaster.
If A used B's towel like he did in college, B took offence. And, C did not understand why D walked into his room without knocking.
The time is perfect to learn rule number one while travelling as a group — give each other enough space so that the other does not feel stifled.
Agreed, conflict is natural when a group of diverse people is travelling together, seeing places that interest some and bore others and eating food that some find unpalatable. But, the trick lies in looking at the positive aspects and ignoring the some of the unpleasant ones.
Cheap and best
Starting from booking your tickets, everything is a lot cheaper if you travel in a group. Your rupee or dollar stretches that much more when you share expenses. You can afford to chill out and let your hair down in the comfort knowing that someone else is also looking after you and your stuff. So, accept the negatives as part of a mixed bag.
One way to set things on the right track is to keep the communication channels open. If you clam up, that will benefit nobody. On the contrary, you will get stressed out at the thought of spending one more hour with that someone. The best bet is to iron out any possible differences before you depart on a tour.
Work out a travel plan that is agreeable to all. If someone loathes going to a particular location, see if he can take a brief break and join you at the next stop. Two advantages — he is happy and you are saved the torture of travelling with Mr. Grumpy. Once into the trip, don't change your travel plans. Some are sticklers for a schedule and weave dreams around a location; you will be unnecessarily rubbing them on the wrong side.
If nothing works and the only way out for you is to crib about your torturer to someone, let it not be someone who is part of the group. Write it down in your journal or talk to another friend without mentioning names. It will get the load off your chest.
Remember that you are not an expedition team; you are out to have fun. That should take precedence over everything else, including getting worked up over someone's style of dressing, slow pace of work or over enthusiasm to visit a museum.
If possible, read up on the members of your group. If they are friends, see if they have changed over the years. Be aware of their current tastes. It will make interaction that much easier. Remember that when travelling with a group of old friends, the idea is to reconnect with them, go down memory lane and cement the relationship anew. Not make each other's lives miserable.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
|
