Most SHP participants take an SHP trip without someone they already know but some come with a friend or relative.
If you're thinking about taking an SHP trip with a
friend or relative, it may be that you like the idea of traveling with that
person because you don't see him or her very often and an SHP trip seems like a
good place to spend time together. Another reason may be that you like the
emotional support you get from entering a new social situation with someone you
know.
Those are some positive reasons for taking a trip
with someone you know. There are a few not-so-positive things to consider before
you make a final decision. Sometimes, towards the middle of a trip, tensions
develop between people who already know each other because they're not used to
the pressure of living so closely together for such a long period of time. Or,
jealousies can arise because one of the friends has become close with a new
group member.
traveling as an individual
If you are traveling as an individual, as most of our
cyclists do, you should know that we limit the number of pre-existing friends or
relatives on a trip. You can be assured that you will not be the odd-person-out
in a group; rather, you will be entering a group on an equal footing with most
of the other group members.
"For the past three weeks my biking companions
have become my family. I expected that I would love England, but what I
didn't realize is that I would learn more about myself. This trip has
given me more confidence in myself and in my ability to handle things
alone. I learned how to live with a group of eleven different
personalities. Some I loved, some I like, but none will I ever
forget."
- Susan Katz, tripper
