One of these things is not like the others. Old Faithful is the ideal travel companion. This person is tough to come by, and it’s not unlikely that you’ll meet Old Faithful during your travels, rather than amongst your friends from home. This person is nothing if not dependable. They may have a bit of The Tourist, The Adventurer, The Homebody, or The Life of the Party mixed in, but at the end of the day he or she is someone you can count on to have your back. My friend Alyssa, with whom I traveled to Costa Rica last week, definitely falls into this category.
Pros: Barring a complete disaster, you have little to worry about when traveling with Old Faithful. Whether you decide to spend all your time together, or divide it between exploring separately and together, you’ll have a great experience. When you go out on the town, you know that they won’t ditch you before the night is over, and if anything goes wrong, they’ll stick by you and defend you. Your friendship will almost certainly grow from your trip together.
Cons: Traveling with a friend can be a great way to strengthen your friendship and share an experience. It’s also great to have someone to take photos of you! But traveling alone is also a great experience that pushes you out of your comfort zone and forces your to make new friends. In my experience, you’re less likely to challenge yourself when you’re with a friend, especially a dependable friend. If you’re looking for a deep, introspective, personal experience, consider going it alone.
The bottom line: Traveling with a friend can be a great way to strengthen a relationship and have a great time on a trip. Much of this depends on your friend’s personality and approach to travel. If you have a friend who you’d consider Old Faithful, he or she is probably a great travel buddy. If not, consider traveling solo. You’ll definitely make new friends, and potential future travel companions.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this series!
little zuri, big world 
Not necessarily just being an “Old Faithful” character, but travelling with a well-known friend can sometimes be a friendship killer too. Unless the two of you have very similar styles or ways of handling the unexpected, being in such constant close proximity through so much may out an irreparable strain on it. Far from always, of course though.
I’ve travelled with one particular friend through several countries, and she definitely falls in the Old Faithful category. We can take it easy and not plan a schedule – definitely beats travelling with the party animal; I’ve done that before and it is draining!