Let’s talk about the healing power of a good old fashioned girl trip. Could we call them old fashioned? They probably haven’t been around for very long on account of women having no rights and not being able to do anything or go anywhere without express permission from their husbands. You can see what kind of mood I’m in as I write this.
Let’s talk about this newly discovered exercise in female empowerment called the Girl Trip. I’m not talking about uncomfortable bachelorettes where nobody knows the other girls and everybody is equally miserable about wearing matching shirts. I’m talking about Sisterhood-of-the-Traveling-Pants-level shit.
Here are some tips that I feel we perfectly executed in our recent girl trip to the Netherlands:
1.) Keep the numbers low – 2-4 females should suffice. Any more and you can be sure to never agree on anything. 2 makes for the bestiest friend girl trip. 3 allows for two difficult people and 1 peace keeper. 4 is doable but getting in dangerous territory.
2.) Have a rough plan – everyone is a different type of traveler. Some like to plan to the letter, some like to wing it. Let’s just say that decision-making is not going to be at its finest on the Girl Trip. We booked our accommodations so that we knew which night we needed to be in which city and then we filled in the rest with an intricate combination of statements spoken as questions and assertions disguised as suggestions.
3.) You don’t have to be BFFs – in fact, it may be better not to be. Unlike the beginning of Mean Girls, even when we are different, we can live harmoniously together (like at the end of Mean Girls). Also, you might be able to open up in a way that you might not be able to with girls you are actually closer to.
4.) Be considerate – the golden rule should be upheld to maintain the delicate balance of the precarious Girl Trip. Some examples that come to mind are budget, tolerance for museums, and food preferences. The Girl Trip will be a practice in empathy.
Follow these rules and you’ll be on your way to some expert level girl-bonding. And now some pictures from our trip.
