Planning a July pleasure trip to Paris has been anything but. I wonder if anyone has tips for traveling with friends -- other than perhaps not to do it. I've planned the trip solo, little opinion on what to do, where to stay, and my travel partner is annoyed with my urgency in making reservations and buying airline tickets. I wanted to book in May or earlier. I worry that by the time the trip rolls around I'll still be sulking and if we aren't clicking now we won't get along on this journey.

Sounds to me like your travel styles may be quite different. If you're both already set to go together, perhaps the thing to do would be to accept this and do things apart from each other, sharing your experiences with each other at the end of the day.

You are going in July - and don't yet have your flights!??

It sounds to me like she probably is ambivilent about the trip. Why else would she not want to, at the very least, know how/when she is getting there.

I travel w/ friends pretty often - actually mostly the friends travel with me. They tend to leave all the planning to me. That can be a burden, but at least I know it will get done.

it sounds like your friend may have some "issues"

Well she may have issues, but I have to say I often book late; doesn't mean I don't want to go

Healthgirl I just returned from a trip with friends to France including Paris and used many suggestions given by fodor contributors when I asked a similar question, you could do a search for all the help I received under the France heading and subject friends, my question was 2 couples 2 weeks 1 car, how to make it a fun trip. It was a fun trip but it was different. I have to admit that there were some rough moments but they were only moments and there were alot more times when it was great to be with our friends Good luck to you I love Paris and hope you have a wonderful time. I have been to Paris a number of times with friends and family so I would be happy to help in any way that I can. Deborah

I have been in your situation before and all I can say is I will never travel with friends again. Only family members. It always seems no matter how much research is done,it is not enough or the right kind for other couples etc..

We have planned trips with other couples who were USELESS with planning and all they did was complain. And this was everthing from plane tickets to car rentals to food arrangments. People have different tastes and thats fine, but from the sounds of it your friend will be very unappreciative. Not a good start.

I've been in a similar situation and it wasn't much fun. Putting off reservations and detailed planning just invites stress and hard feelings. The best situation is to plan the trip together with frequent face-to-face discussions and a clear understanding our each person's goals and expectations. However, if you get no feedback, then take it upon yourself to develop a tentative day-by-day game ASAP. Your friend can follow it or explore on her own. Even with the best friendships you should build in a couple of mornings or afternoons apart during the trip. Even a few meals alone would keep the tension level down.

I think traveling with friends can be extremely stressful. Especially if you have different styles and approaches (which seems the case). Since you are already having troubles and don't have your tickets for a *July* trip ... well I don't take that as a positive sign!

I will agree with your last statement "if we aren't clicking now we won't get along on this journey". I think that is very likely.

Truly it is time for heart-to-heart dialog ASAP, or possibly consider taking the trip solo (since that's basically what seems to be happening anyway).

Better to be alone than stuck with a person who's company you aren't enjoying. The absolute quickest way to ruin a perfectly good trip (IMO)!

I have many dear friends, but very few who I would leave the country with, to be perfectly honest.

It's safe to assume we don't have tickets, which we were to get Thursday. I haven't minded the planning but the indecisiveness on their part is costing me money, that is airfare is starting to go through the roof. I can take this trip solo. They'll be plenty to do. Did I mention why we're going? It's the final of the Tour de France that weekend. Hopefully you see, even though they don't, why the urgency with air and reservations. Thanks for the replies. This forum is helpful in many ways.

If they are dragging their feet, and that's dragging you down, then you must start to be proactive about this situation.

Simply say to them: "These are my plans. I want to go on this flight, this day, pay this price, stay at this hotel, etc. etc. I am going to reserve all of this by XXX date."

If you let them know that you have chosen a deadline (and tell them it is a budgetary issue that you must have the trip firmed up) then it becomes their responsibility to demonstrate that they want to go with you and that they are willing to meet you half way.

Make your plans as you have stated to them. This approach works best if you have everything planned to the last degree. If you give them your itinerary and tell them all they have to do is book themselves, then you really will have done all you can. If they drag their heels again, then at least only they will be left holding the bag, not you. You might find out that they haven't made plans because they're not good at making decisions about times, dates, and places. Perhaps it would come as a relief to them if you took the lead in forming plans, and asked them only to sign on the dotted line!

go ahead with YOUR plans - give your friend your flight info and where your staying and then say "hope to see you there".

A friend who was enthusiastic about joining me in Prague suddenly disappeared the day we planned to buy tickets, etc. I got my ticket and made my hotel reservations and no, he did not go. Go ahead with your plans - you'll kick yourself if you wait around for your friend to get her S**T together