Influencer Nicole Liel lists the different types of travellers and why they don't get along on trips

Travelling with friends can be either fun or it can go so badly that you'll never talk to each other again. 

Influencer Nicole Chen, also known as Nicole Liel, knows how to avoid just that. Having travelled with her girlfriends since last year, she shared her two cents in a TikTok video posted yesterday (April 18). 

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@lielnicole/video/7222901393865166088[/embed]

In the video, Nicole mentioned there are two types of female travellers. "The two categories are 'experience girls' and 'vibes girls'."

So what do they really mean? 

Types of travellers 

According to Nicole, "experience girls" are travellers who pack their itinerary with activities. On the other hand, "vibes girls" are travellers who prefer to have a chilled out holiday and, basically, to soak in the vibes of the place.

As for Nicole, she revealed that she falls under the former category. 

She makes sure her holiday is packed with activities like "surfing, snorkelling and stand-up paddle boarding".

So how does she travel with friends who fall under the vibes category? "In order to maintain the friendship, you must compromise," Nicole declared. 

For example, she recounted the time she travelled with her junior college friends, where they managed to balance the trip for both kinds of travellers. 

Time was set aside for those who wanted to just "experience the vibes" by chilling at a nice cafe. 

She also recalled the time she travelled with her best friend Sheikha Alsagoff to South Korea. 

She shared that on some days, they just did their own things. "You just got to compromise as friends if you want to stay friends after the trip," she said. 

Netizens in the comments section agreed with Nicole about the two traveller personality types.

Some commenters also shared their own advice, such as splitting into groups during the day and regrouping over dinner, and keeping a few days free of scheduled activities so people can do what they like. 

In the comments section, she also mentioned that open communication is crucial, especially when you and your travel companion are planning to do separate things on the trip.

Another netizen commented that "vibes girls" don't necessarily prefer doing nothing, but instead they would rather relax than follow a packed schedule. 

While Nicole understands where the commenter was coming from, for her personally, chilling in a foreign country is not making the most of a trip.

Interestingly enough, another point highlighted by netizens includes the financial budget which plays an important part when it comes to travelling with friends.

Why money matters

It's always good to be on the same page about money when you're travelling with friends.

There are a few different types of travel personalities that could potentially affect your budget, and even your savings.

There's the foodie traveller. Sure, it's not a stretch on the wallet when it comes to street food, but imagine being peer-pressured to fork out hundreds of dollars at Michelin-starred restaurants. 

If you have a friend like that in your group, don't feel obliged to join them on their pricey culinary excursions. Let them explore these restaurants on their own, while you stick to your budget for food expenses.

Watch out for friends that tend to borrow money on trips. While offering to cover the cost once or twice is part and parcel of travelling with friends, you should not let them eat into your budget. 

With these types, you need to put your foot down and be frank about how it's affecting your own budget. 

Then there are those who just can't seem to adapt. At first, it could be the little things like the weather and food. But over time, their unwillingness to compromise can actually affect the entire group.

For example, these types may refuse to walk because it's too cold or hot outside, and want to cab everywhere. They may also refuse to eat like the locals, which can raise meal costs. As you know, Asian food tends to be much more expensive in Western destinations like Europe and the US. 

READ ALSO: 'A' for effort: This guy's friends want him to join them on Phuket trip so much, they made a presentation to persuade his parents

venkat.gunasellan@asiaone.com

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