Becky

On a recent trip to France, the relationship with my travel partner went downhill quickly. I had broken up with him before the trip, but thought we could still get along as friends even though he still liked me. Wrong. We argued, avoided each other, etc. On top of that he developed a stomach ailment that kept him in the bathroom for three days. I was grossed out. I loved France, but I was glad to come home. Can anyone top that? Also, any general advice on choosing who to travel with if you are not married?

Lou

Several years ago (before my husband would go to Europe with me) I planned a trip to Europe with two friends. We were going to rent a car and drive for three weeks in Germany and France. I did the planning for Germany and one of the other girls did all the planning for France. I hadn't noticed at the time that the third friend was not doing any planning. The day before we are to leave, the friend in charge of France calls to say an emergency had come up and has to cancel the trip. So, I throw my book on France in my bag and head off to the airport to meet my other friend. During the trip I realized that my traveling companion does not like to drive in Europe (I did all the driving), cannot read a map, is afraid to talk to locals (getting directions, booking a room etc.) and has no idea on what to see, because she did no planning. Well, the trip went fine. We saw everything I wanted to see since she had no suggestions, and I learned that I could do Europe by myself. (And yes, we are still friends.)

lisa

Yes, travelling can bring out the strangest aspects of relationships. In Europe several years ago with my then-boyfriend of over a year, on our first glorious day in Paris he freaked out on the street while looking at a restaurant's menu because he suddenly realized that he couldn't tell what any of the dishes contained (not a dietary or allergy issue mind you, just a control issue...). The rest of the several-week trip went downhill from there -- upon confronting anything unfamiliar or intimidating (the map of the metro system, etc.) he just sort of fell apart. It was like travelling with an infant. Who knew? These are the sort of things you learn about someone when you travel, and that alone is worth it (we broke up not long after returning). I have travelled with my mother, and that, too, can be trying (mental image of me cringing while she speaks increasingly loudly in English to various non-English speakers, sure that if she just repeats things loudly enough they will somehow understand...argh). Surprisingly, travelling in Canada with a friend I considered somewhat difficult turned out to be a total delight and we spent every moment of the nine days together without a single harsh word or disagreement. Maybe it has to do with expectations. Sometimes travelling alone can be the best because you meet so many people you wouldn't otherwise.

Becky

Lisa, how long after the trip did the relationship end?

Neveragain

No name here in case the nightmare travel partner reads this. Nightmare arrives at hotel in Paris complaining of stomach cramps. Needs to freshen up before going for our first walk about the city. The other 3 visit while she primps. 1 3/4 hours later she is finished (thank God I had convinced her she didn't need to wash her hair). It's pouring outside and she announces her won't get in a taxi or the metro because her stomach will get worse. We walk all over in the rain. She announces she needs to stop for coffee because her feet are wet and she is "chilled". Next morning, she discovers her hair dryer adapter won't fit into the socket. We tell her NOT to "try plugging it in anyway, maybe it will work." She shorts out the entire floor. We leave as she is berating the electrician who took a whole 4 minutes to get there. She spends 4 days in Paris shopping for shoes and chocolate. She did not see St. Chappell, the Cluny, L'Orangerie, Rodin Museum. You get the idea. There was so much more, her finale was the last night of the trip, checking into another hotel. Her room had been made up into a matrimonial bed. She

Neveragian

some glitch in the system...to continue. She threw her luggage down the hallway and yelled at the hotel in general at the top of her lungs. We just walked way....

Linda

<BR>This one actually happened when going to Asia not Europe. I went on a spur of the moment trip to Asia with a woman from South Africa I met who was a friend of a person I worked with. I didn't know her much at all but she seemed peppy and friendly and I wanted to see Asia so I thought it would be okay as she had been there many times before and I never had. She also was about 20 years older than me. Before our first stop in Japan she wanted to stop in Hawaii for a week as she had a workshop to atttend there. I saw little of her the first 5 days and that was fine. The last 2 days we spent together and that when I noticed 1) she never stopped talking 2) all her talking was complaining 3) she knew nothing about Hawaii and expected me to know all and plan all 4) she refused to drive at all so I had to drive her 5) she had no plans for what we were to do in Asia and expected me to carrying on planning and arranging things 6) she "had" to stop and eat a meal every 3 hours. After two days of this we parted company and I traveled in Asia for 6 weeks by myself after that.