Will you be... my... travel partner??

Travel partners are a lot like gold - hard to come by, but once you find one they are priceless. Right? Maybe it's just me, but my travel plans get completely out of control the second I start planning. I mentioned this a few posts ago, but I can't seem to stick to just one place; I have a need to see EVERYTHING.

This makes finding someone to travel with extra difficult...

Will you be my Travel Partner..?

There's no denying it, travelling is expensive. I've talked about how much it takes to travel - the sacrifices and not-so-nice moments encountered on every trip, but it also takes a lot of savings. My style of travelling is probably the final deterrence for most potential partners - I do not plan. It is funny that, in day to day life, I join the majority of people in planning (although not necessarily following through) life quite meticulously: I plan my degree, work, appointments, study, events and social life. Going overseas is a brilliant excuse to forget about all that, to go on an adventure!

Sadly, to most that seems like a recipe for disaster. They're only right 20% of the time though! The rest of the time make for the most incredible moments that no amount of money could buy. Comfort, ease and lack of stress never makes up for missed opportunities to really experience a foreign culture. The smells, sights and vibes are simply better the further from that drunk Australian tourist you venture. Whether that be taking an unknown turn into a remote village or heading out for a hike, travel is best experienced spontaneously with limited planning.

Don't get me wrong - some things need to be planned. Visa's for one. A flight. A general itinerary and knowledge about the area. When I flew from New Zealand to Denpasar, I had only bought a one way flight, figuring I would stay as long as I could afford to. After far too many connecting flights, a less than impressed Jetstar official informed me that I would not be allowed to board my flight without a return ticket. After nearly an hour of begging and pleading my case, one last smile somehow convinced the defeated official to wave me on - I was now Bali's problem. A similar situation occurred on arrival at Bali, and I was let into country under the agreement that I would book a return flight within 30 days.

I should have learned the valuable lesson of careful planning from that potentially disastrous happening. Instead I realised the worth of a smile. And so my attitude continues, my lack of planning, my sense of adventure, and appreciation of the experience. Which leads me to the worth of a travel partner - they are GOLD!