By VINCE G. LOPEZ
August 21, 2010, 3:49pm
Manila Bulletin
More friends mean more fun especially with the kind of rewards that await groups of friends booking their latest getaway. (Photo by VINCE G. LOPEZ)
There are infinite reasons why people love packing their bags to get away.
Some people travel to discover God’s marvelous creations. Some choose to spend quality time with a loved one in a faraway place. Some just want to be alone and escape from the reality that surrounds them. While some travel to flood their Facebook account with incredible photos to make other people feel bad that they are still at their office tables with a pile of files.
Deny it or not, there is an unspoken pressure to travel; and it is probably the best pressure there ever is.
The onslaught of promo fares, lean season rates, incredible travel packages, and yes, Facebook photos, are just some reasons why the fad of traveling never dies. It is no longer just a luxury, it has become a need.
But perhaps there is something more than just sceneries that make travel photos exciting. It must be the fun factor in every shot. The project-your-best-angle photos, the perpetual “barkada jump shot” and just the mere group hug pics amidst a glorious backdrop make the viewer want to go there and experience it firsthand.
There is magic in group travel and there are a lot of reasons why it is beneficial to do so. Here is a short rundown of reasons why you should convince your friends to come with you on your next trip:
1. Someone would take your picture
You did not shop for new clothes and lost a lot of weight just for it to be remembered by someone’s eyes. Pictures have to capture those hard-earned moments. You may always ask a complete stranger to click the shutter but wouldn’t it be nice if someone you are always with could document the joys of your travel? Couples usually end up with a stretch-your-arms-we-gotta-fit-into-the-screen shot, but if you are traveling with a group, you can even get great photos for your future wedding AVP.
2. Safety
It is always safer to travel with a group because harmful people would be wary of endangering you or fooling you into paying unnecessary fees. For them, there is always the threat of a scandalous traveler and being with a group heightens the possibility that one of them loves to complain. Also, if something bad happens, a lot could participate in the bayanihan rescue.
3. Sure companions
Some like to sit in a bar or wander alone on the beach, hoping that they would bump into the man/woman of their dreams. Yes, you can still have those telenovela scenes but it may also result to hours of lonely moments. So instead of worrying who to be with on your next trip, bring them along so you can have a group of buddies to set the dance floor on fire and fool around with your That’s Entertainment moves.
4. Cost-sharing
The best thing to share in life after all, is the cost. And this is the primary reason why group travel is such a great thing. It is an undeniable reality for some travelers that trips are still quite out of the usually planned finances. Though Boracay has transformed from being an immaculate hard-to-reach paradise to becoming Manila’s beach, there is still the budget to consider when traveling.
However, if you are traveling with a group, you can share the cost in the following:
a. Room Accommodation
Consider it an out-of-town slumber party and share the room. Triple and quadruple occupancy breaks the cost among its lodgers to around half the original price.
b. Tour Vehicle
No matter how jam-packed or comfortable you are, the car/van/boat would still run on the same amount of gas and you would still pay the same driver’s fee. This is why it is best to share the cost of the total amount. For example, to hire a multi-cab to go around the island of Camiguin costs P1,500.00. If it is just the two of you, you would be paying P750.00 each. But if you belong to a group of eight excited travelers in the vehicle, you just have to pay P187.50 each.
c. Airfare
Philippine Airlines (PAL), together with Mastercard recently launched a promo dedicated for—as it acronym spells it—pals. Aside from getting your miles, booking via a Mastercard automatically earns raffle entries for a lot more miles. A buy-two-take-one promo for Mabuhay Class or buy three-take-one for Fiesta Class promo allows groups to save on airfare, giving the last guy the same seat class as the three others. The promo runs from August-October 2010 for domestic travel (travel dates: August-November 2010) and for the whole month of August for international travel (travel dates: September 16-November 30, 2010). You can check their websites www.philippineairlines.com or www.mabuhaymiles.com for details.
d. Group Meals
Solo value meals usually cover the usual dishes such as fried chicken or barbeque. But if you are ordering as a group, then you can eat together a la familia with different entrees of your choice.
5. Fun Factor
The best thing about traveling in groups is that there are a lot of fun factors involved. The videoke challenge, the repeated stories of experiences that you still get a kick out of no matter how many times these are told, and the sheer enjoyment of being with great pals are just some reasons why traveling in groups are beneficial.
Through this, traveling is not just about discovering different places but also about creating experiences which you can always smile when you reminisce. More than sharing the cost, you share priceless moments. It certainly makes the place, not just beautiful, but utterly memorable.
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