08 Jan 2020 | 2 mins

Travelling is a transcendental experience. You're experiencing new cultures, perspectives and lifestyles whilst also having a bloody banger of a time and of course, your mates by your side who will make the adventure all the more enjoyable.

You'll have inside jokes and memories you'll never forget, like when my mate Claire and I accidentally took a guy to court in Liverpool... Long story. 

When I went travelling for 5 months with my best friend, we basically morphed into the same person. We spoke the same way, mirrored each other's mannerisms and basically could have a conversation without uttering a word. The longest time spent apart was when we were asleep or in the shower. I knew her... potentially... a little too well. 

 

It was a 10/10 time but of course, there were some rocky moments. I mean, we were with each other 24/7. We'd sometimes snap at each other if we were buggered or hungry and I hated this habit she had of always flicking her nails. It's such a petty thing to get annoyed about but as I said, we were basically joint at the hip, it's natural to get a bit fed up now and then. But, if things got tense, we'd have a talk, eat some food and get some proper sleep.

We learnt how to compromise with each other because there was always going to be a new thing we didn't particularly agree on, whether it was a next destination, a hostel choice, or even where to eat dinner. Communication is key at this point.

Juggling money together was also a lesson. We tried to roughly keep track of everything. I bought lunch so she has to buy dinner. I bought last nights accommodation so she has to buy tonights. There were times that I thought I was getting the short straw and sometimes you just have to say "bro, you owe me $50". But don't hold onto the pennies, it's a silly thing to get worked up about.

When we came home, we literally had separation anxiety. We would still hang out as much as we could. It was weird not telling her every thought that crossed my mind or not hearing every one of her weird dreams. 

My favourite quote from Into The Wild is "Happiness is only real when shared" and seeing temples, art, beaches and historical monuments with my friend was just priceless.