Going on a trip with your girls can be so much fun and just what's needed to strengthen your friendship and get some much needed TLC while you're at it. On the flip side, I have also seen friendships go south on girls' trips which can be really devastating for everyone. The good news though is that you can go on trips with your girlfriends, and still love each other after the trip.
I've had my fair share of girls trip and while they have all been memorable at the end of the day, there have been some hiccups along the way that could have been avoided. My first girls' trip was to Paris and while it was fun, we had some moments where the fun in the trip was threatened. Thankfully, we were able to recover from unexpected issues and our friendship grew stronger.
More recently, I did a girls' trip to Bali and it got me thinking about what makes a girls' trip drama free. On reflecting on that trip, here are my seven tips on how to drama-proof your girls' trip:
Set clear expectations
Be open with your girls about the purpose and expectations of the trip. Discuss activities, budgets, and any potential concerns or preferences beforehand to avoid misunderstandings later on. Expectation setting can range from what activities you would like to do, the theme for the trip (e.g. chill vibe vs immersive experiences or both), topics that you don't want to discuss on the trip (e.g. ex-partners, politics, body issues, other people). In my experience, drama pops up when expectations aren't clear.
Plan together
In my experience, girls trips tend to have a planner, a doer, and a follower (haha!). You will most likely have someone in your travel group who loves planning...the girls' trip was probably their idea in the first place! Whether you have a natural planner in your group or not, it is important that you involve all participants in the planning process to ensure that everyone (even the so-called followers) has a say and feels included. This can help prevent drama because there is a shared sense of ownership and everyone knows what's happening during the trip.
Establish a budget
There's nothing more frustrating than going on a girls' trip and when it's time to pay for things, someone in the group starts to drag their feet or never seem to have change. This right here is one of the main reasons for drama on girls' trip. This is why you and your girls should discuss and have a good idea of what shared costs e.g. activities, transport, food will cost. This will help manage expectations and prevent any financial strain or conflicts during the trip. Some groups choose to pool money together in a travel account and then pay for shared activities for the group from that account. This can be effective if you know all the girls on your trip. I wouldn't recommend this if you are travelling with acquaintances or people you don't know very well.
Discuss individual needs and preferences
Very early on in your planning, talk about your individual needs and preferences, for example, accommodation preferences, sleeping habits, dietary restrictions, and personal space requirements. Knowing yourself and your girls is so important when deciding on big things like where to stay. For example, if you know you cherish your personal time and look forward to retreating to your own space after a day of activities, it is probably a better idea to go for a hotel accommodation than sharing a villa because you will end up feeling drained if you constantly have to be "switched on trip mode" all day, everyday. However, if majority of the group prefers a shared accommodation perhaps to save on costs, then it might be helpful to communicate this to them so that when you are in your room recharging, no one is like, "Uh, is X ok? Did something happen?"
Allocate downtime
Too much of a good thing can be bad. Too much of being together with your girls during your trip can be draining. Regardless of your personality (I'm looking at you extroverts haha!), make sure you plan some free time during the trip to allow everyone to relax and recharge. This will help prevent exhaustion and minimise stress levels, reducing the likelihood of potential drama. Having some downtime will also allow you and your girlfriends contact your friends and family back home. If you are a mum, that could be an ideal time to check in with your children or update your partner on your trip...and thank them for holding things down at home :)
Be on the same page
Is your plan to go on the girls' trip to relax but your girls want to visit all the popular tourist spots at your destination? If you have a vision of chilling, getting massages and drinking cocktails, but your girls want to travel everyday to places that are 2-3 hours away and then trek for 45 minutes plus queue for an hour, there will be drama. Be aligned on how you will combine rest, relaxation and tourist activities in a way that is balanced.
Don't sweat the small stuff
If any conflicts or concerns arise, don't let them simmer, address them promptly and respectfully to find a resolution before they escalate. If you are the offended party, speak up and be willing to let things go. If you are the offending party, even if the offence was unintentional, apologise and mean it. There's nothing more awkward than travelling with people who aren't talking to each other.
More importantly, be flexible, be kind and be positive. There's something beautiful about female friendships and when you get to share travel memories with your girlfriends, that makes your friendship even more special. So, on your next girls' trips, remember to celebrate your successes, appreciate each other's company, laugh at yourselves and create beautiful memories together.
Be well,
JJ
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