If you asked me today if I preferred to travel alone or with someone, I’m not sure I would be able to answer you with a clear answer. I’ve done both, I enjoy both, and I’ll probably do it both ways again. I’m not a loner by nature but I do enjoy spending time alone. However, traveling alone can be lonely and if you are the type of person who gets homesick easily, traveling alone, no matter how near or far from home you are, has a tendency to intensify those homesick blues.

Mark Twain says, “I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.”

Luckily for me, the first time I traveled to Europe, my friend JoAnn told me she wanted to go with me. Up until that point, I had been planning the trip as a solo journey. It was my first trip to Europe and I was headed to my dream destination, Italy. I gave it some thought and decided that maybe some company would be a good thing. I’d known my friend JoAnn for several years and we had a lot in common; political beliefs, music, and our general attitude towards life. We also both have an independent spirit so she was someone I knew would enjoy traveling and enjoying the discovery of some place neither of us had been before. And…I can’t lie…the idea of splitting costs was the clincher! I was fortunate to be able to embark on my dream vacation with one of my closest friends along for the experience.

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