Travel brings out the worst in people; foreign languages and unfamiliar surroundings tend to make people extra tetchy. Here are 8 types of really annoying travel buddies you want to punch in the face after the trip’s over, but can’t. Are you guilty of being one of them?
#1 The Budget Baller
Always seen counting the pennies in their traveller’s wallet, the Budget Baller is always on the lookout for the best bargain. That’s where the budget baller generally stops, but they start being a bad travel buddy when they leech off the one who always pays the bills and picks up the tab.
#2 The One Who Always Needs The Toilet
Whether they got the bad end of the buffet table or just have a small bladder, this person generally slows down the group by needing constant pitstops. We can’t help but sympathise, but at the same time we wish there were less pee breaks.
#3 The Indecisive One
They can’t make up their mind on what to eat, where to go and what to do. The worst form of the Indecisive One are those who say that they are flexible, but don’t actually mean it. Stuck in indecision, it normally takes them 2 hours to decide where to eat, so start the lunch discussion early.
#4 The Slow One
“By all means, move at a glacial pace, you know how that thrills me.” – Miranda Priestly, The Devil Wears Prada. She may be a tough nut to crack, but Miranda had a point here; slow people rarely get the most out of their trips. They prefer to meander rather than walk, and will take 3 hours to get ready in the morning. They will hold up your itinerary and be oblivious to it all.
#5 The Social Media Addict
Many of us are guilty of Instagramming, Facebooking and Tweeting every other minute, but when you’re on your travels and everything’s Insta-worthy, it gets annoying. Yeah, take the odd picture of your food and national monuments, but don’t go too crazy.
#6 The Rusher
The Rusher is a speed racer on steroids. Before you’ve spent 5 minutes at a museum, The Rusher is already looking for the exit. Normally with good intentions, The Rusher is a hybrid of The Paranoid Parrot and the Budget Baller. They are either looking to cram as much activity as they humanly can during your holiday or they’re trying to save money on parking. You decide.
#7 The Paranoid Parrot
Jay-walking is a crime, street food is poison and the hotel staff is only out to steal. There are rapists and robbers at every corner and the US intelligence is out to read your mind. The Paranoid Parrot is afraid of everyone and everywhere, which makes -you- afraid, too. While having some caution always trumps having none, it’s difficult to travel freely when you’re always in fear.
#8 The Overly-Friendly
They will make friends in the park, zoo, the demilitarised zone in North Korea. That’s not the worst of it though; they will bring along these new acquaintances everywhere you go as well, and soon, your party of 3 has expanded to a whole football team… that leeches off you and eats your cereal.
What about you nomads? Do you have travel stories to share?
Main photo credits: 1.
Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
