Travelling with Guys.

Hello!

So a good friend of mine was complaining about how guys are irritating, annoying, and the source of all global problems. It's possible that her conclusion is attributable to the actions of her idiot ex-boyfriend. However, I am still very strongly inclined to agree with her hypothesis. But then again, my judgement might be clouded by the large volume of romcoms that I consume.

Yeah, it's true. I have yet to meet a guy who considers his white stallion as his main mode of transport. And also a guy who bursts into a musical number each time he enters the room. Anyway, in the midst of my mental expectations VS. reality comparisons, my friend asked,

"Jac, actually, how can you tahan travelling with guys ah? I travel with girls already want to die." 

And here I would like to clarify that travelling with guys is quite good. And I would like to share some observations that I have made whilst travelling with guys.

#1. Guys sleep a lot.

And sometimes they snore. Be prepared. Earphones, music, bring it on.

#2. Guys expect you to act like a diva.

So when you are not crying they think you're good. And when you're actually contributing they think you're awesome. Bonus points if you take just 5 minutes to get ready.

#3. Non-photographer guys may not be able to take photos.

It's true. Guys who have not taken courses in photography have no discernible skills in the art of photo-taking. For some unfathomable reason, many do not understand the concept of focusing, let alone framing and angling.

There was this time when um, someone took a photo of me and proudly proclaimed, "I think you will like this photo because I aligned your head with the flag pole so you see there is one continuous line."
"Hi, my name is Jacqueline. I enjoy long walks on the beach, romantic candlelight dinners, and testing out the strength of various WiFi networks via the antenna attached to my skull."

Anyway, I think that's really the main reason why many professional photographers are guys. Clearly in planning, god forgot to give photography talent to 90% of the male population. He remembered later on, and so he decided to distribute all the pre-allocated talent amongst the remaining 10% instead of starting anew. This therefore resulted in a handful of very talented male photographers, and masses and masses of guys who can't differentiate the background from the foreground, and who think the rule of thirds is a drinking game.

I also have this theory that they believe that "skinny is the new fat". So when girls say "don't make me look fat", they interpret it as "try to make them look as chubby as possible". There is one exception though, which leads me to my next point.

#4. Guys can take good selfies.

Because of their longer arms, guys are physically structured to be able to take better selfies than girls. So, with proper instruction, your holiday selfies can turn out quite well.

#5. Guys like to deal with directions.

And they dont like to be helped. So unless you have a very specific role (eg. "Jac, you confirm the directions with your phone?"), my advice would be, when guys are trying to figure out how to get from Point A to B, make yourself useful by taking photos to document the process. If it takes very long, just go to sleep. All will be good when you wake up.

#6. Guys can pee anywhere.

Unlike this dog, guys can pee anywhere. In the desert, in the mountains, in the bushes, etc. It's true! But you know, this isn't the case for girls. So if you're going on a road trip with guys, my advice is, stop drinking so much water, or you might have to pee in the open. And meanwhile, while the guys are emptying their bladders, you can like, take photos of them.
If you have enough time, you can try mixing it up by incorporating some panoramic shots.
TIP: be quick about it or they might turn around before you can properly compose your shot.

#7. Guys don't use conditioner.

So I've learnt that contrary to popular belief, guys are very adept at packing for travel. They have nail clippers, gel, deodorant, moisturiser, combs, and even a variety of soap and shampoo. I attribute this to the wonderful training provided by the Singapore Armed Forces. However, if there is one thing that guys don't pack, it's hair conditioner. Why would they need it anyway? So yeah, sadly, while you can steal many things from them, like their clothes,
Their food,
Their dignity,
Their attention,
And their hearts (collective awwww....)
You can't steal their conditioner. You'll have to buy your own.

And that brings me to the end of my list of tips and observations when it comes to travelling with guys. Based on my own experience, unless you are travelling with a difficult, childish son-of-a-bitch (which is bad judgement on your part), guys make quite wonderful travel companions. They aren't picky over where to eat, they aren't choosy when it comes to places to stay in, they don't take ages to get ready, and best of all, they are great with directions! Or so I like to think. And now I'd like to leave you with a good song titled after place where I would like to visit one day.