When we invited Kiwi actor Michelle Langstone into the Trip Notes studio to talk about the joys of group travel, we weren't exactly prepared for her response.
"I have to say, I have never, ever, ever done a group trip, and I never, ever will," she said, vehemently.
My Trip Notes co-host Tim Roxborogh and I are both huge fans of group travel and in the latest episode of the podcast — available to download now at iHeart Radio, Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts — we make our best case for why Langstone would like it too.
Download, listen and please leave us a review — we value your feedback and would love to know how you're enjoying Trip Notes. Subscribe, and every fortnight a new episode will automatically download as soon as it's released at 5am — ready for you to listen to on your way to work, while you dream about your next holiday. You can also go to nzherald.co.nz/tripnotes to watch video from our podcasts.
But did we convince Langstone to try a group tour? You'll have to listen to episode three to find out.
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You don't have to be friends with everyone ...
Group dynamics can be hard sometimes. You're thrown together with a bunch of strangers, from all walks of life, and suddenly you're spending every waking hour together. While I have made some incredible friends from my group travels, I also once spent two weeks on a tour with the most awful woman I've ever encountered. Luckily, in the latter example, the other 12 people in our group were all wonderful, so my time with Linda* was just a tiny blip on what was otherwise one of my favourite holidays. The joy of being an adult is realising you're not always going to get on with everyone, and that's okay.
But you do need to show everyone respect
Linda missed this rule entirely. She was rude to our guides and to other travellers, and generally caused tension wherever she went. Don't be like Linda.
To hear more about group travel, as well as Michelle Langstone's favourite travel memories, listen to Trip Notes, available now. Langstone stars in Westside, Mondays at 8.35pm on Three.
For more travel inspiration, go to intrepidtravel.com
* Names have not been changed. Linda deserves to be called out.
