Survived Beijing, But My Friendship Didn't.
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Just got back from Beijing with my parents. It was an intense, action-packed itinerary, like a military operation!
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I'm always most impressed by people who drag their huge suitcases around all the tourist attractions.
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I could never do that. The absolute first thing I do after arriving is head to the hotel to drop off my luggage. If the room isn't ready, I just store it at the front desk.
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I have an amazing travel buddy. With two moms and three kids in tow, our trips are always a blast. If I'm driving, she's entertaining the kids. Once, my child accidentally fell into a river and was so scared they cried and vomited. By the time I got back to the hotel, she'd already messaged me – she had ordered our favorite food and left it at our door. She'd even washed my child's soiled clothes and shoes, telling me not to worry. In Dali, we went cycling; I'd rent an e-bike for one kid, and she'd rent a tandem bike for two. When she got tired, we'd switch so she could have an easier ride on the e-bike. We have similar energy levels, values, finances, and parenting styles. Though we've only known each other for a year, we click like old friends. It really makes you believe in serendipity. We even end up ordering the same food and drinks when we scan menus simultaneously!
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Kinda jealous, NGL. What's the secret?
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Went to Beijing with my friend, and we each brought our moms. The whole trip was fantastic! Our moms weren't downers at all, and my bestie was great too.
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Wow, that's amazing!
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I'm actually not someone who enjoys planning, but since my friend was visiting, most of it fell on me. Once everything was planned, it felt more like a chore, a heavy burden. While we were out, my friend was constantly focused on finding spots for 'insta-worthy' photos. I prefer to wander, experience things, and snap photos along the way. They, however, wanted to hit specific 'influencer check-in spots' for those perfect shots, reshooting until satisfied. It all felt like a task and was incredibly tiring. What I also dread is asking for input and only getting 'anything's fine' or 'whatever works,' leaving the final decision always on me. Then, if it was somewhere they weren't interested in, they'd just be on their phone. Ultimately, while we didn't have a major fight, neither of us was happy. I don't want to travel like that again; it's exhausting and strains the friendship.
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I went on a trip with a friend, and even on the way, I sensed something was off. When we got to the hotel, he complained, 'What kind of hotel is this?' even though I'd shown him before booking and he'd told me to just pick one. He wanted to change, saying it wasn't good, but we ended up staying. Around 8 PM, I suggested going out; he reluctantly agreed but spent the whole time on the phone with his partner. His partner told him to come home early. So, just after 10 PM, right as we arrived where we wanted to go, he said, 'Let's go back, it's late.' He was unwilling to go anywhere I suggested and complained about everything, even though I did all the planning. His partner's word was apparently law, more influential than anyone else's. Yesterday, we planned to go to Sanlitun. His partner said it was unsafe because of the bars and told him to return. We'd just exited the subway, and I lost it. I yelled, 'You're not even going inside a bar!' He retorted, 'The streets outside aren't safe either!' I told him to just go back by himself then.
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Since he hadn't done any planning and didn't know how to get back alone, he ended up following me, then called his partner to 'supervise' him while he was out. Yesterday, as we were almost back at the hotel, he complained, 'Why is traveling so tiring?' I mentioned I hadn't slept well, and he shot back, 'You don't even work, you're home all day! I'm the one who's been working hard; you can't possibly be tired!' Whenever we went out, he'd look annoyed. He'd ignore me when I spoke to him, or only give a one-word reply after I asked several times. When it came to photos, I'd spend ages taking a dozen or more for him. He'd then snap three of me, declare them 'good,' and if I asked for a couple more to choose from, he'd say, 'They're fine, let's move on.' I had a photoshoot planned for that evening, but in the morning, he woke up and told me he felt sick and didn't want to go out, telling me to go alone. So, on the day specifically set for photos, he bailed. I ended up exploring by myself all day while he slept at the hotel. When I returned, he was just on the phone with his partner again.