7 Travelling companions that all backpackers should avoid!

Follow these simple guidelines, and you're sure to find an ideal travelling companion!

While finding a perfect travelling companion may be tricky to say the least, you should find it a little easier to avoid getting stuck with the travelling companion from hell.

When choosing someone to travel with, you need to be very careful. Remember that you will be spending a lot of time together, so you really ought to have something in common - even the closest of friendships can be strained when taking a trip together if you don't have the same mindset when you set off.

To avoid the stress and disappointment of finding yourself on Route 40 in Argentina with a travelling companion with no driving licence, or halfway along the Banana Pancake Trail with someone who refuses to go more than 3 kilometres on foot, it makes sense to put a lot of thought into your choice of travel mate before setting off on your backpacking trip around the world.

Here, you will find the 7 types of travelling companion that every backpacker should take care to avoid!

THE LATECOMER

The main risk that you take in travelling with a latecomer is that there is a very real possibility that you might miss your plane.

Picture this... the day of your departure has arrived. You're waiting in the airport with your backpack all ready, everything in place and holding your tickets in your hand... you hear the final call for your flight and your friend still hasn't turned up! Definitely a travelling companion to avoid!

THE SQUEAMISH

"I won't do that", "I won't sit there", "I can't eat that"... these are all phrases that you are sure to hear from a squeamish travelling companion.

It's pretty obvious why you should avoid travelling with somebody that's too squeamish - I mean, imagine how they would react to sleeping in a hostel dorm? Can you imagine them coping with a shared bathroom? It's best to leave squeamish travellers where they belong, in the comfort of their own home.

THE CYNIC

The Cynic is capable of ruining any day and putting you in a bad mood, even after having lunch at one of the most delicious food trucks in the world!

When you're travelling you need an enthusiastic companion, not one that crushes your dreams. That rules the Cynic right out of the game.

THE SLACKER

The Slacker never wants to get out of bed early or do anything too strenuous. In short, if you take this companion with you, you will never be able to stick to your itinerary.

THE PERFECTIONIST

When you're travelling, and especially when you're backpacking, you have to accept that the unexpected is going to happen. When you plan your next adventure, you have to take into account that anything can happen and be prepared for that, with a flexible schedule instead of meticulously structuring every hour of every day. Your travelling companion has to be able to accept the fact that not everything can be controlled and that perfection doesn't exist.

We wouldn't wish a perfectionist travelling companion on our worst enemy!

THE SPOILED ONE

Perhaps the most annoying travelling companion that every backpacker should avoid is the one that is too spoiled. The spoiled companion is annoying from dawn to dusk, always wanting something, taking everything you have and then asking for more. You go travelling to relax and chill out - so leave the spoiled companion at home!

THE "ONE PIECE OF HAND LUGGAGE IS TOO SMALL" ONE

When you travel with this companion, you'll need to lay it on the line straight away. Everyone has to carry their own luggage, and if they can't manage it they'll need to leave something behind.

This kind of travelling companion is probably the best of the bunch, because there's room for improvement if they learn to cut back on the amount of luggage they take on their trip. But don't be fooled - even if you manage to convince them to leave most of the things that they wanted to pack at home, they will probably still buy lots more stuff while they're on the move! If you choose to travel with this companion, you've been warned. Are you prepared to take the risk?