We all know that traveling with a buddy or with a group of buddies can make or break your surf trip. There are some important things you may want to consider when traveling with someone else, especially if you have not spent a great deal of time with them previously.
1. Time – It is always good to travel with someone you have spent time with previously. Take a weekend trip with them camping before you go on your long surf trip to get a feel for their habits.
2. Trustworthy – Make sure you can count on that person and they are going to be honest with you when making travel decisions.
3. Knowledgeable – Having someone with you who has gone on surf trips before or is an avid traveler always can help when making important decisions.
4. Similarities – Traveling with someone that likes surfing right point breaks only may be a problem if you are goofy foot and want to surf primarily lefts.
5. Respectful – Having someone that respects you and your privacy is important when traveling in tight quarters. It is important to be able to have your alone time and rest when you want to.
6. Compromise – There are definitely times when you will not agree on certain things, like choosing the place to surf today that day. So it is nice to have someone that is willing to compromise on travel decisions.
7. Cultural Sensitivity – Best to travel with people who can handle cultural differences as well as you can. Someone that will not yell out profanities or get in arguments over language barriers with locals.
8. Share Responsibilities – Having a buddy that is willing to help out with responsibilities just as much as you is important.
9. Similar Schedules – This can be a major factor if one of you likes to party more than the other or if one of you likes to sleep in until noon. This is something you usually can deal with for a few nights but if it is a long trip it can stir up problems.
Picking the right travel partner will ensure that you not only enjoy your surf trip, but that you will have shared experiences that will strengthen your friendship when the trip is over.