4 Things You Need To Know Before Travelling With Family

When I'm going to a place, I always make sure to have an itinerary, have a list of what I can do during my stay, accommodation options, places to visit and where to eat. However, sometimes when I'm travelling in a group, I try to let others lead and just follow whatever the group agreed upon. However, there are times or most of the time, we don't really agree with each other.

Lately, I travel often with my family. It's either I'm with a member of the family or with the whole clan. And because of that, I would let the elders decide for the group. Now my parents are not really biggy with planning things ahead. And we all end up with frustrations, confusions and misunderstandings. Our temper goes out of hand, which ruins the family vacation experience. Trust me, it happens million times.

So here are few tips on what you can do ahead, for a better vacation experience when travelling with the family and with aged parents;

1. Make a research of the place you are going to. In doing so, you're expectations will be set on what to bring and what to prepare before the travel. Are there museums? Are you going to visit churches? Will you be trekking? Are you going to mountain climb or do waterfalls hopping? Those kind of stuff. When you already know what you can do there, you'll know what to bring and you'll be able to also manage your time or set schedules for the tour.

2. Make sure to arrange all transportation needs. When you're travelling with your parents and siblings, most specially if they are not pretty adventurous or active like mine, you have to make sure that you have the transportation needs identified. Whether you'll commute using bus or jeepney? Whether you'll walk from point A to point B? Whether you'll take a plane or a boat? Whether you'll get a hotel pick up or not?

Most of the arguments we had with my sibs is deciding when to ride a bus or where to go. The transit from your home to your vacation destination is sometimes too tiring that stresses us out. Delayed flights and empty stomachs makes us grumpy. And arriving in an unfamiliar place uncertain where to go next, makes making decisions emotionally stressing. lol

3. Make sure you have all your accommodations booked ahead. Whether you'll arrive in wee hours or you arrive earlier, make sure you have you accommodations booked and ready. Travelling is tiring whether by land, by sea or by air. Arriving in a destination and being able to rest after the transit is very important for us to recharge and to reorient ourselves to our arrived destination. Those moments where you are not in the mood and you worry on where will you and the whole family will sleep for a night adds pressure to the decision maker. And when tired travelers needs are not met immediately, you'll hear a lot of complaints that will end up in a heated argument. Most specially if you're preferred accommodation budget is fully booked, you'll have to end up in a more expensive accommodation which messes up the budget and the experience.

When you're too tired to look for a cheaper place, most of the time, you'll grab the next available accommodation even if it costs x10 than what you have budgeted.

The good thing about booking ahead is that, you'll get good discounted rates which will help you save some cash and spend it for either pasalubong or other expenses. 

4. Make sure you have snacks to fill empty stomachs. Hungry people are grumpy. That even if you only ask them "what time is it?" it flares up emotions violently. hehehe I always make sure I have a chocolate or biscuit with me. I myself turn into a beast when hungry. So I make sure ill stay cool so to not ruin the mood of the rest of the gang.

I admit my temper goes out of hand sometimes. Most specially when im travelling with my family. We are all alpha and we decide like a boss. Lols sometimes when all of you are trained as leaders, we allstep up. But as time goes, we most specially me, learned to adjust and stay calm and support whatever the groups decision is. Unless otherwise badly needed, then my alpha and leadership skills turns on. Controlling your temper is a challenge. I'm happy I'm slowly winning it. 

You probably have encountered some of this travelling problems in the past. Do you have something to add on the list? I'd be happy to know more. I might have forgotten some points. Feel free to add and leave it as a comment below. 

Here's one of the big family trip we had. hehe