Arguments with companions on holiday.

I don’t mind holidays with friends but then I’m very laid back and easygoing. When we’ve done holidays with other couples , we as a group make it clear that it’s ok to do things on your own as well as with the other couples.
We’ve done the same with holidays with our AC and partners .
That said , I do prefer holidays with just my DH as we have complete freedom to do whatever we want .

Maw Frenchgal is referring to falling out with holiday companions.

I’ve been on holiday with a friend several times and only once did we have even the smallest amount of friction - we went in her car, I offered to go on her insurance so we could share the driving, she refused but on the way home was tired and annoyed that I couldn’t share the driving! We’ve been since and all has been well.
DH and I go most years with two friends in separate accommodation. DH gets a bit fed-up as they “faff” about (but he’s just as bad 😂) but all in all it works and we enjoy it. Just needs a bit of give and take …

I am probably one of those people who would be irritating on holiday. I get flustered easily, particularly about flights, and tend to end up relying on other people to keep calm and sort things out. I can see that it would be very annoying for a travel companion.

I went on a celebration break with my friend. All the other members of the group were friends of hers or work colleagues. I felt very uncomfortable and was glad to get home. It was nice of her to ask me but I would steer clear of going with a group again because I am not very confident amongst groups of people I don't know, and may well be seen as a bit stand-offish or a wet week.

One of my most treasured holidays was with my husband, daughter and grandson. My daughter and I sometimes had a rather strained relationship but that holiday was just so perfect, to the extent that I was not looking forward to going home (which I usually am).

My mum accompanied my husband and I on several holidays abroad and at home, and it was invariably quite difficult. She tended to get obsessed about buying a particular item of clothing, accessory or bag and we would have to trail round shops looking for them. My husband seethed inwardly and, on reflection, I can see that it was more difficult for him than me.

Another holiday with friends was not a great success. They did not want to put the air conditioning on in the car, to save the expense and they constantly referred to the cheapness of other destinations they had travelled to, compared to the one we were at. We are still friends but are not so close as previously.

I enjoy going on holiday with my husband, and we get on better then than when we are at home. I don't think I would be a good travel companion for anyone else.

No one, except my hubby. Had three, separate holidays with friends when I younger & all them a disaster. 1st friend turned out to be a heavy drinker & turned very argumentative, 2nd friend met a married fella & came back 7am, every morning, 3rd friend wanted to drink &sunbathe 8-8 every day, the site seeing trips never happened. I might as well have gone on holiday on my own😩

RosiesMaw

Frenchgalinspain

We have NEVER encountered such uglyness !!!!!!!!!!!

What ugliness?
Ugly cities, ugly buildings, ugly surroundings????

Read her previous post which is what she is referring to

I always make it quite clear to people I travel with that there are certain things I want to do and am quite happy doing them alone. If they want to lie on a beach all day, fine. I don’t, preferring museums, churches and trips to local places of interest. One half day on a beach is ok and I can do the poolside bit for maybe an hour but I otherwise get bored. Has mostly worked. I did make an exception a few years ago when I treated my (then) single mum daughter and her little one to a lovely fortnight in the Costs Brava. Obviously my granddaughter was the focus of attention. Again after that to Disneyland Paris which I actually enjoyed as I surprised myself by finding the attractions quite fun, so well run too. Best was my trip to Russia where I spent all my time exploring Moscow and St Petersburg, much of it alone. As my long standing interest is Russian culture and history it was sheer bliss!

Holidays with my friend felt as if I had joined the army.
Up at a certain time, lunch dead on 12, then at 4pm it was time to go back to our room and get ready for the evening.

Which was her, declaring that everybody would look at her if she went out in this, or that, and me reassuring her that she didn't look fat.
Happy days!

We took my mil with us on one holiday to majorca. She wandered off miles in front of us in the shopping area. Worried we might loose her I called out to her. She stopped walking and when I caught up with her she said
"If you ever shout my name again I'll smack you in the face"
Needless to say we never ever invited her anywhere again after. She was a very difficult woman rude and obnoxious in shops too.

I've mainly had holidays only with whichever OH, my children when they were young. They were for the most part absolutely fine apart from two with stepdaughter from hell.

I've been very careful about going with friends. A few golfing holidays with my best friend from early childhood and her OH. The men played golf and we just enjoyed each others company whatever we did. With last OH we had two nice trips with good French friends, however he was military so each day was planned like a military manoeuvre and also revolved around the midi (sacred lunch). I was happy to go along with it but wouldn't want to do it too often.

Last holiday with 2nd OH was in Paris with friends which included to an expo at the Musee d'Orsay, at the end of which they all wanted to go back to the hotel for a nap. Sacriledge! I stayed in the musee. The other husband was American, as I was the one who knew Paris and spoke French he treated me like a tour guide and yet again everything revolved around when and where we were going to eat. Our marriage ended soon after that!

Now I am older and on my own I know which friends I am happy to spend time with, either on holiday or staying with each other.

However anything to do with an art gallery is strictly with DS,DDiL, bestie and a gay friend and his cousin.

These tales are why I travel alone! We always arranged to holiday at the same time as a group of friends from all over the country, and after the Bodach died I have continued to do so. We usually have one or two arranged meals which everybody goes to, but otherwise we just meet as and when, and it’s a small Spanish resort we go to.
When I tell people I’m going somewhere on my own, they often say,’ you’ll definitely meet up with someone’, and are puzzled when I say I don’t want to! I had a narrow escape in Paris last month when I had spoken to another solo diner one night, and ran into her in a church the next day. She was all for spending the day together, so I had to invent a chum I was going to meet and quickly jump into a taxi!

Always holiday alone. I can do what I want, when I want at my pace.
No problem dining alone, just people watching. So many couples dinig and hardly holding a conversation and others still using their phones.
Quite interesting!

I have lots of friends , but I wonder if I'd like to holiday with them .

Out of my closest friends recently I've decided that even a weekend away would not be enjoyable :

One likes to windowshop every day , stay in a cheap hotel , eat in the cheapest restaurants (English food only) and not visit any historical places ,because it's boring .

Another has to have the last word on every subject and keeps on repeating herself until you agree .

Another has one crisis after the other over her health and her endless phobias -she lists her illnesses repeatedly and she can't go on public transport . One minute she has claustrophobia then the next agoraphobia ...
I saw the last two friends recently and after an hour I felt really frazzled !

..

Not land based holidays but for over a decade we went on glorious annual nofly Caribbean cruises and on many occasions different friends would join us.

But we always sorted things out before we left, which was basically that we’d all do our own thing during the day and if we bumped into one another in the same place then all well and good.

We would book excursions without telling each other which ones so as not to influence each other - and again, if we were on the same excursion, absolutely great.

But we always spent the evenings together - dinner, show, quiz, late drinks in the Crow’s Nest.

It worked a treat. We never got bored ith each other and would be delighted each time we met up.

But, as I said, you do need to lay down the ground work beforehand.

..

I've had a few very happy long weekends with friends but each time we were attending a course either a craft or a language course. The language course was such fun last year, we are repeating it this year.

We enjoy holidaying with other friends/couples. We tend to be quite easygoing, so will go along with plans. It's nice to have others to chat to, and to do sightseeing.

The only issues we have ever had is dining with one or two who happen to be either very fussy, or cheap. We know them well enough now to avoid dinner situations, or let the waiter know we want separate bills right at the start.

We do plan on a trip to Spain with another couple in September, and it will be 3 weeks! We have stayed on a boat together for 10 days, so are fine with them in close quarters, but dining out isn't something we have done very often. I'm looking forward to, it, but of course with a bit of trepidation regarding details of travel. There is no one in the group that is particularly strong willed.

Unless I’m married to them or have given birth to them, I’m not going away with anyone. I can manage a day out with a friend, and that’s about it.

Esmay

I have lots of friends , but I wonder if I'd like to holiday with them .

Out of my closest friends recently I've decided that even a weekend away would not be enjoyable :

One likes to windowshop every day , stay in a cheap hotel , eat in the cheapest restaurants (English food only) and not visit any historical places ,because it's boring .

Another has to have the last word on every subject and keeps on repeating herself until you agree .

Another has one crisis after the other over her health and her endless phobias -she lists her illnesses repeatedly and she can't go on public transport . One minute she has claustrophobia then the next agoraphobia ...
I saw the last two friends recently and after an hour I felt really frazzled !

Time to when your circle Esmay.

Widen you circle, sorry.

My circle is wide I was illustrating as to why some friends would drive me mad on holiday .
And I expect that my interests-historical research ,photography, sketching would not be interesting to them either .

I've had bad and good experiences of going on holiday with friends. When I was married and ds was very small, we went to Orkney with friends who also had a small boy. It was an unmitigated disaster. My friend had recently discovered she was pregnant with her second child and was too exhausted to do anything. They kept trying to palm off their child onto us, wouldn't let us go anywhere alone and we're just not what we expected. We had all shared a flat as students and got along so well.
More recently my oldest friend and I went on holiday for a few days together. We were very mindful of each other and had a lovely time in Prague. We were planning our next trip when she became unwell and sadly died. I've never had the inclination to go away alone, but might this year.

Sasta

Unless I’m married to them or have given birth to them, I’m not going away with anyone. I can manage a day out with a friend, and that’s about it.

Thats raised a chuckle in me!

Esmay

My circle is wide I was illustrating as to why some friends would drive me mad on holiday .
And I expect that my interests-historical research ,photography, sketching would not be interesting to them either .

How do you get a wide circle please? Mine is more of a tiny triangle.

I'm very open , friendly and approachable -perhaps too available !
I have a mixture of friends of all ages , they are often foreign and not Christian like me .
I have a lot of Muslim friends .

I also have a lot of interests and hobbies .
I garden - people want plants and advice .
I draw and paint - that attracts people .
I also go to church and to church functions .
I do church flowers and this week I'm doing a tea party .
I can't walk down the road without people calling out hello .
It used to drive my quiet parents mad !
I don't do as much as I used to as my health isn't so great anymore .
It doesn't matter if you have a few friends as long as they are nice !

I do go away with friends but we know each other well and so just go along with each other's peculiarities- isn't that part of it?

I would never fall out with friends on holiday or afterwards. I need them too much.

In my view there is nothing you can't do with a good friend, and all disputes can be settled over a meal and a glass of wine.

For those who do fall out I wonder how well you know them in the first place and why you chose them to go away with?