I have done a lot of traveling in the short time I have been alive. I made a six-week trek around Europe, I’ve danced with aboriginals in Australia, I’ve swum with stingrays in the Caribbean, and had many many other amazing adventures. This led me to ponder what it would be like to travel with my favorite fictional characters. I began wondering which ones would be the best traveling companions, and what role they might play in our travels. Certain characters would be great at, say, creating the perfect travel itinerary, while others would be the ideal survival buddy. After long consideration I have come up with a list of who I would pick as traveling companions and what role they would have in our fictional trip.
THE CAPTAIN
Photo: BBC
My first consideration had to be who would be the leader or captain of this expedition. It must be someone who can practice grace under pressure, who can deal with the bumps and hiccups as they come along, and who has a sense of adventure, as I believe that all trips are a bit of an adventure. For this position I chose the Doctor. Who better to travel with in any situation? He has vast experience traveling to different places and dealing with the unexpected. He can hold the group together through upheaval, and bring us out the other end unscathed. He’s also the type of character who can have a basic plan for what we might do, but who can roll with the punches and revel in the adventure of changes in the plan.
THE PLANNER
Photo: BBC, Focus Features
A group going on a vacation always needs a planner, someone who is good with details, and can formulate a schedule for what you are going to do and where you are going to go on said trip. For this position I would have to choose Jane Eyre. She has the methodical mind suited to making detailed plans, but also the imagination to make an interesting itinerary. Her down to earth attitude would be a perfect foil for the whimsy of the Doctor, who might a little too free-spirited in terms of vacation plans. Jane is good sense and ability to make lesson plans for teaching would translate well into planning for a very full and enlightening trip.
THE SURVIVAL EXPERT
Photo: Power
Every good adventure needs someone who can get you out of any scrape, who can show you how to survive any kind of disaster, big or small. For our survival expert I choose Robinson Crusoe. He survived on an island for years, dodging pirates and murderous natives. I think he could lead us through any trial or tribulation that we might come across. He’d be perfect for a travel to the outback or the rainforests in South America. He’d be our wilderness guide, our ultimate mountain man. I’d definitely feel safe under his watch.
THE VOICE OF REASON
Photo: Focus Features
This may sound like a strange choice for a traveling companion, but you always need someone who will keep the group from getting a little too crazy. When traveling in a different country, certain things may seem like great fun, but they’re not necessarily the smartest idea. You need someone at times like these to be the voice of reason in the group, and stop you from making foolish decisions. Now, this person doesn’t have to be a complete Debbie Downer, just someone a little more serious and cautious. For our voice of reason I would choose Jane Bennett. She has a sensible mind, and I could easily imagine her being the voice of reason, as she is with Elisabeth Bennett, during the trip. She is also gentle and tactful enough that the group would listen to her rather than simply writing her off as a killjoy.
THE DREAMER
Photo: Anne of Green Gables Productions
Finally, you need someone who has a wild imagination and is an impossible dreamer. This is the person who will open your eyes to all the beauty and wonder around you that you might not have noticed on your own. This is especially important on a travel expedition, as you are seeing new and wondrous things that you may not get a chance to see again. You need someone to help you soak it all in. I can’t imagine anyone more perfect for this position than Anne of Green Gables. She is a consummate dreamer, seeing past what is right in front of her nose to the soul of her surroundings. She sees something magical in even the most mundane items and circumstances. Imagine what she would think of a place like the Taj Mahal or the Great Pyramid of Giza. The wonder she would be able to impart to the rest of the group would be priceless.
If you could travel with any fictional character, whom would you choose? Do you have any other positions that you think are essential to a traveling party? Sound off below…
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Fun article and definitely interesting to think whom I would want as traveling companions. I will have to think about this one because Life is an adventure and I would want to travel with someone adventurous like Indiana Jones.lol
I didn’t even think of Indiana Jones. That’s a good one!