Collaborative Trip Planning
with Josh Barinstein
Learn how to travel well as a duo.
About This Course
Going on a trip with someone—whether a partner, family member, friend, or another special person in your life—can be an exciting experience filled with lifelong memories. However, to avoid unnecessary headaches and maximize a great time together, there needs to be a good plan in place that fuels the whole adventure from the start. Content creator and experienced traveler Josh Barinstein from Beneath the Surface walks you through the process of mindfully and collaboratively planning a trip with someone else, from the early stages of selecting the right travel companion and finding the perfect destination to all the research and bookings that ensue, all the way to the actual on-the-ground experience and reflection that follows. There’s a lot more than meets the eye when you travel as a duo, especially when you consider how much can and does go wrong without solid planning! So if you're looking for a real bonding experience between you and your travel partner, no matter the length of your trip, then this class is for you. By the end of this course, you'll be armed with an arsenal of information and helpful tips on how to maximize your preparation and how to navigate the waters once you’re out traveling with your companion. Ultimately avoiding unwanted hiccups and walking away having had that amazing experience together that you both envision. So if you’re ready for an unforgettable adventure, let’s get started!
What You'll Learn
How to carefully select a compatible travel companion and decide together where to go
How to determine what activities you will do together
How to organize your research and bookings
How to sort out any budget differences and determine how spending will be handled
How to research and carry out the bookings for best results, and how to remain flexible throughout the process
How to best pack for the trip
How to deal with situations you might expect on the ground
How to document your adventure
The importance of reflecting on the experience after the journey ends
Watch Some Samples
We've pulled out a few clips to give you a better idea of what to expect in the course
Course Breakdown
Introduction
Welcome & Overview
Welcome to Collaborative Trip Planning with Josh from Beneath the Surface. In this lesson, get an overview of the benefits of collaborative trip planning and expectations for this course.
Identifying Your Travel Buddy
Whether you’ve already chosen your travel buddy or not, course instructor Josh explains how to approach the decision of choosing an ideal trip companion and how to engage in conversations with potential candidates in your search for a great match.
Deciding Where To Go
Now that you have your perfect companion, you can decide on your ideal location! This lesson explores the destination research step in the planning process.
Negotiating the Trip
How To Approach The Trip
Once you pick your destination, it’s time to start having more detailed conversations with your travel companion, including discussions around wants and desires for the trip and who will lead the charge on research and bookings.
Budget Discussions
Budgeting conversations don’t have to be hard, but they do have to be honest. This lesson explores how to talk about money with your travel buddy.
The Booking Process
Gathering Information
It’s time to further your trip research and get excited about your upcoming journey! Josh shares his research tips and tricks and how to organize your thoughts to have productive conversations with your travel buddy.
Booking It
This lesson will give you a roadmap to make booking transportation, accommodations, and activities much easier!
Making Changes As Things Evolve
Flexibility is key! In this lesson, Josh explores the benefits of adapting trip plans whenever adjustments need to be made.
Packing Considerations
Preparing For Your Destination
Josh explains why you should make the packing process part of the conversation with your travel companion.
If You Are Documenting
This lesson covers more packing tips for those who enjoy capturing the journey through a lens.
The Experience on the Ground
Remaining Flexible
Remember to stay nimble! In this lesson, Josh tackles how to handle unexpected situations on the ground.
Open Communication
Josh discusses the importance of talking things out with your travel partner as issues arise.
Documenting the Experience
Explore a variety of ways to capture the experience in order to preserve memories from your special adventure.
Reflecting on the Experience
Reflecting on What Took Place
In this lesson, Josh shares a conversation with his son, reflecting on their experience together in Iceland.
Creating Memories
Josh wraps up the course with a few last notes on how to bring your captured materials into a story that you can share with friends and family and look back on in the future.
Meet Your Instructor
Josh Barinstein
Josh Barinstein is an experienced traveler and YouTuber who runs the channel Beneath the Surface, where he chronicles his travels and life experiences. Over the past few decades, he has traveled all over the Americas and much of Europe, where he has experienced many cultures, their colorful customs, architecture, and unique cuisines. His most recent trip to Iceland with his eldest son led to the creation of this course, where he pours his vast knowledge on how to travel well with someone else.
Collaborative Trip Planning
with Josh Barinstein