You can’t wait to start your vacation, but have you thought about the kind of person you’re taking it with? Your friends might be great in the city, but they could turn into the most annoying travel companions you’ve ever had to encounter. You might start out with a best friend and come back with one friend less. Just like they say you shouldn’t mix alcohol, they also say you should never (read NEVER) mix your home friends with your travel friends.

From those who can’t hold their drinks to “travelers” who want to do anything but travel, take a look at the type of people you shouldn’t be inviting on your dream vacation.

Warning signs: Watch out for those running through airport security and sleeping through the complimentary breakfast at your hotel.

Even if you don’t know this type of traveller personally, he/ she is going to ruin your vacation. They’re the sort of person that never hears the boarding announcement, can’t be bothered to put their luggage away till the very last minute and will get the entire tour delayed because they were busy watching the sunset and didn’t hear the tour operator call it a day. If you’re stuck travelling with them, you’re going to be late for everything, miss several things and have trouble getting out of your hotel before noon.

Warning signs: The one at the gift shop trying to push everything into a small handbag. You can spot this one at home too, as the one with the overflowing bags, a sweater in summer (just in case!) and too much luggage on a daily basis!

If you’re travelling with a traveller who just loves to pack, you’re in a little bit of a soup – especially if they’re the sort of person who also palms off things for you to hold or pack into your suitcase when theirs is full! They’ve not only brought their entire world with them, they also want to take their entire holiday experience back with them.

Warning signs: Steer clear of people who infiltrate travel plans with sentences such as “Oh that’s not the best lake to visit, this is,” and tries to mould your holiday into something from a bad travel guide.

This traveller is a hindrance to travel with, especially if you’re trying to explore a new place – because they’ve seen and heard everything already. They’ll tell you exactly why you won’t like a particular dish even before you try it and there’s no way you’re going to convince them to visit a historical site they think isn’t worth the money spent on entrance fees – especially since they can already tell you all about it! Don’t take this one too seriously, they’re usually full of air and not half as experienced as they pretend to be.

Warning signs: This is the traveller who picks an evening flight that interrupts your work schedule because an early morning one the next day is just not worth interrupting their beauty sleep over.

When you’re travelling with someone, you can expect to make some compromises. However, the worst type of traveller to get stuck with is one who doesn’t know the meaning of compromise. Want to take a dip in the pool? Your travel companion would rather visit the museum. Want to eat local street food for dinner? Your companion would much rather visit that 5-star hotel for a luxurious meal. Get ready for a vacation that’s anything but fun with this one.

Warning signs: The type of traveller that has a Louis Vitton suitcase ready and packed and cares more about the thread count on the sheets than the location of the hotel.

If you thought the selfish traveller was hard to travel with, you really should steer clear of the snooty one – unless you’ve got endless resources and a lot of time on your hands. You will take hours zeroing in on the best hotel, you can’t eat food on the street and god forbid you talk to any of the locals!

Warning signs: This type of traveller eats lunch for dinner and can’t remember the last time that they saw the sun rise.

If you’re travelling with an epically lazy person, you can kiss your sightseeing plans goodbye. This traveller wants to lounge on the beach all day, sipping on cocktails and probably getting a spa treatment to round things off. It’s best to travel solo – because you’re not even going to make it to lunch with this type.

Warning signs: They always look like they’re hopped up on caffeine and tell you about all their plans with a wild, almost crazed look in their eyes. Also beware of fidgety fingers and constantly tapping feet when you’re sitting next to them.

The polar opposite of the traveller who sleeps all day, this one is going to get under your skin, burn you out and leave you wishing you had stayed home. A little activity is great on vacation, but with this type of traveller as your companion, you’ll need several cups of coffee just to keep your eyes open through the day.

Warning signs: The loud mouth who’s phone conversations you can hear in the next room. Give them clear boundaries and have ‘no phone’ days or you will be stuck listening to your vacation being dissected and reported every step of the way.

While travellers who spend the entire vacation talking to you non-stop can be annoying, this really gets under our skin. Your travel partner often seems to forget you’re in the same room, using most of the vacation to update their entire family and friends circle about exactly what you’re doing every step of the way.

Warning signs: They’ve got itinerary’s planned before you even book your flight and they get very aggressive if you don’t take their planning seriously enough.

Have you booked the flight yet? Are the hotels you checked into reviewed well enough? Did you check the condition of the restrooms? Have you packed enough sunscreen? If you’re bombarded with questions like this through the course of your vacation, we’re not sure how you’re going to enjoy any of it! These travellers find it hard to relax and worry more than they experience things. Being on holiday with a worry wart is definitely not an ideal situation.

Warning signs: Travellers who wrinkle up their noses at the thought of paying for anything and very proudly tell you exactly what they’ve managed to cheat establishments out of in the past.

You just got a free meal, free hotel stay and a refund on your bus ticket. But, you’re not in the least bit happy about them. Why? Because you’re travelling with someone we can’t call anything but a liar – even if we’re sugar coating it. This type of traveller will find an invisible hair in the soup you’re eating, complain about a rat in the room and make up numerous stories just to get out of paying for everything. Your vacation has officially turned into one big scam.

Warning signs: The traveller who packs several portable chargers and talks incessantly about photo filters more than about the destination.

Unless you’re part of this selfie clan, this is not a vacation you’re going to enjoy. You’ve barely returned from the bathroom and your travel partner is click ready, getting everything from you taking a bite of your first meal to stepping off the plane when you land. You’re never going to be able to enjoy the sunset or a picturesque scene, because your selfie star travel buddy will be shoving a camera in your face to capture the moment with you.

Warning signs: This traveller spends more time watching the opposite sex than sightseeing and often comes to you heartbroken, begging you to put away your travel guide and comfort them instead.

Whether it’s your friend getting over a breakup, your travel buddy in a brand new relationship or a travel partner who just can’t get enough of the opposite sex, you’re going to have a tough time adjusting to this one. You’ll either have to spend most of your vacation handing over tissue after tissue and drinking through your sorrows, or be okay with being left stranded in the middle of sightseeing while your travel buddy takes off with a foreign flame.

Warning signs: The traveller who looks for beer challenges and skips meals to be able to down more shots as early as lunchtime.

Have you ever had to carry someone back to a hotel room halfway through your meal because they couldn’t sit up straight any more? Drunk travel buddies can ruin your entire vacation without even realising it. Sure, they think they’re having a ball – especially when they’re dancing in the middle of the street. But at the end of the night, you’re the one holding their hair back while they throw up or shoving water down their throat to keep them steady till you’re back at the hotel. Not quite so much fun for you, right?

Can you think of more annoying types, perhaps you’ve even had a vacation or two ruined by them. Do let us know in the comments section below!

Nicole

A poet with a penchant for prose and the itch to travel, Nicole Reed is an assistant editor and features writer for a daily newspaper, struggling to find a way out of the concrete mess by dreaming of one day living and breathing off words in an idyllic country setting somewhere. Having been editor of her college magazine, written for a number of publications including Shamiana’s short film newsletter and as a current student of Literature from the University of London, Nicole sees writing like travel - an adventure – a journey to find her place, to define and redefine who she is over and over again and to live and learn through the process.