Frequent traveler explains why you should be very choosy about the people you travel with

For a lot of people, traveling is more than just visiting a new place. It is a way of life and a way to rejuvenate. Imagine if you are traveling with people who aren't exactly compatible with the traveler in you. Those trips can end up being a chore as opposed to a fun outing. So the only solution to this is to figure out the kind of people you'd want to travel with and that's exactly what Ben Keenan (@ivebentraveling) did in a video he posted on TikTok. While he shared his own preferences, it resonated with many on the platform.

He begins by saying that he has a list of people who he's never gone on a trip with and the first ones for him are the kind of people who need to recharge their batteries in the middle of the day by going back to the hotel. He says, "I'm sorry, you're telling me you can't speak to me in a park or at a cafe or with a glass of wine somewhere outdoors? You have to be in your bed?" The next on his list are people who sleep in for most of their day in the hotel. He says he gets sleeping in till 10–11 a.m. if one is out till four in the morning, but otherwise? It doesn't make sense to Keenan. He ends his point by saying, "I did not pay for this trip to New York for you to lay in bed."

Next, he says that he cannot go out with picky eaters. He adds to his point by elaborating and saying that this also includes people who would rather cook or eat where they are staying instead of going out to local eateries and trying the cuisine there. The next no-no for a travel partner on his list is people who won't be clear about their budget. While Keenan is more than willing to go high or low to accommodate someone else's finances, he isn't a fan of doing so at the last minute when the trip has already started.

His reason is that this surprises him and requires him to change plans for the trip, which he'd spent months planning. He says, "Don't surprise me with a budget that's really high or a budget that's low once we're there and I spent months planning everything that I wanted to do here." Last but not least, he hilariously added that he couldn't go on an international trip with anyone named Rachel, just as he would never go on a domestic trip with anyone named Brad, Chad, or Thad. His reason for this seems to be the fact that these names are too common and can result in longer lines or orders because they can get confusing.

@lindsy said, "You seem like new to travelling. Initially, whenever you go, you want to see/do everything. After a couple of years, you travel to relax and enjoy." @sdann_0313 said, "I will never understand wasting time hanging in a hotel room when you are literally in a brand new place to experience it." @lauren_stead88 said, "I only travel with people who are independent enough to do what they want on a trip, even if I’m not up for it or the other way around."