The Buddy System

Safety in Numbers…or, Really, Fun in Numbers!

Hello and happy New Year, friends!

Thanks for patiently waiting while I dusted off my writer’s hat and cranked out another issue of Big Suitcase Girl. I’ll let you in on a little secret – I never really stopped writing. I’ve just been doing it in a longer, messier, more exploratory way. More on that as it develops. Or not, if it crashes and burns.

Before the holiday break, I was reminded of just how truly special it can be to travel with a buddy, whether it’s family, your sister from another mister, that special someone, or a cherished work friend/confidant. Who else are you willing to meet at the airport at cock-a-doodle-dark wearing little to no makeup and hair that received nothing more than a 4:00 a.m. spritz of dry shampoo? Who else will say “I’ll leave it in your trusty hands, darlin’,” when she’s never been to the city you’re headed to?

Who else will suggest a post-lunch stroll down The Strand just for the two of you to dissolve into schoolgirl giggles over silly come-ons from the gents hawking questionable wares or the overtly suggestive undergarments on display at the surf shop? (There may be photographic evidence of the latter, but I promised not to post it.) Who else will happily convince you into splitting the lobster and ordering just one more glass of wine?

Who else will spill her guts and tell you all the things she’s been saving up to share…often written down in advance so nothing is forgotten, a necessity now that our mental hard drives occasionally short-circuit? Who else gently nudges you when your “relaxed breathing” on the plane is not as subtle as you thought? Hold up – I don’t snore! Must have been my sinuses. Or her imagination.

Who else calmly talks you off the ledge when your anxiety ramps up the morning of an important event? Who insists on stopping at Buc-ee’s to stock up on some jerky and Beaver Nugs? Who joins you in the earnest (and ongoing) search for the best “gabagool” and dirty martinis in New York? Who applauds and joins you in your list-making, outlining entertainment we love and loathe, people we approve and disapprove of, and the ever-evolving catalog of the best and worst fellows we know? Who emphatically insists that you can’t “contemplate” retirement for another 20 years…and gently threatens to send in Moose and Rocco if you don’t comply? And, who else, bless him or her, puts up with your much-maligned travel quirks (the tiny bags, snack bag full of peanut butter crackers, and compulsive bag-checking, just to name a few)?

Why, it’s the Thelma to your Louise, that’s who! Minus the dramatic canyon diving, of course.

BSG and a BFF up to no good in the wild, wild west.

As I’ve shared before, I travel quite a bit for work, much of it solo and much of it by air – all of which I’m perfectly comfortable with. Still, there’s something uniquely grounding about wandering the world with a trusted companion by your side. It makes flight delays and turbulence tolerable, meeting cancellations less irritating, and awkward client encounters easier to laugh off. It brings levity to stress, joy to discovery, and memories that grow richer (and funnier) each time they’re retold – much to the chagrin of those who “just had to be there” and have now heard the story seventeen times.

If you take nothing else from this post, please consider using the buddy system when the opportunity presents itself. It just might change your experience and maybe even your outlook.

Until next time, I hope Big Suitcase Girl continues to offer insights, highlights, and the occasional travel “oops” all sprinkled with humor, gratitude, and curiosity for this wide, wonderful world – no matter the size of suitcase you (over)pack, or whether you journey with a travel partner or on your own.