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Torres del Paine is among the biggest of Chile’s national parks, occupying almost 600,000 acres (242,000 ha) of land in the south on the border with Argentina. It is also among the most important, receiving a significant proportion of domes Like any American, traveling occasionally is just what I love doing and I bet you share the same stuff with me. But traveling does not mean that you would be safe. Escaping from our job and other stressful activities is just something that w

Apparently divorce rates are highest inJanuary and September, so perhaps the only thing more dangerous to the statusquo of a relationship than Christmas is a summer holiday.  And that isn't necessarily a bad thing– travelling together can be an incredible test of a relationship, it can bringyou closer together or of course, it can mean losing a friend, lover or even afamily member.  Some would arguethat if that's the case, "they weren't that good a friend to beginwith".  Maybe they're right,but for me I think the problem is that we can expect too much.  The vision of the perfect holiday isthe same as the vision of the perfect Christmas; great food, lots of funtogether, relaxing, laughing, and of course the perfect gifts.  And how many of us have actuallyexperienced that?  And I think weall know that it's not through lack of effort – it's just that we all have aslightly different vision of the perfect holiday.Over the last few years I've travelled withmy lover, my sister, several good friends, by myself, with a large group who Ididn't know at all beforehand but who shared a common interest in surfing, withmy mother and brother and with my whole family several times  – and each of those trips has hadamazing moments and also moments when I've thought "was this really a goodidea?"There are times travelling with a loverwhen I've felt more alone than if I had been by myself.  I've felt safer walking aroundMarrakech by myself than I did with two other girls.  I've had moments of being able to open up spiritually andhave a good cry on a deserted beach, when down the other end of it thirtypeople would share lunch with me. And I believe that each of those trips has taught me so much, not justabout other people, but about myself. If we were all emotionally and spirituallywell developed we could "not sweat the small stuff" but on holiday,for some the high point of the year, not only are our expectations naturallyhigher, but we also have to deal with being outside our comfort zone, andsometimes the challenges of having our basic needs met can raise stress levels– whether it's getting some sleep, something to eat, or finding somewhere to goto the toilet.  All things that canmake us lose our cool.And I've been a nightmare.  I've had a go at my boyfriend becausehe didn't thank me for paying for our coffees in a café in New York, beforerealising later that day that he did a hundred things without me thankinghim.  I've taken over a relaxedbackpacking holiday and insisted we stay in a 4 star hotel – giving my friendthe choice of which of two nearly identical hotels we stayed in.  I've burst into tears in a B&B inYork because the bed was so uncomfortable, changed rooms three times andrefused to take my clothes off – on what was meant to be a romantic break.  I've got up at 5 or 6am to go off for awalk by myself while a friend was still sleeping and then complained how tiredI was later (this is quite common.) I've sulked behind a book like a teenager when my mum was trying chatwith me – in my late 20s.  I'vesnarled at girls in a group in Morocco because I thought they had used the lastof the hot water, and fought with a girl over a Twix when both our blood sugarswere low (we apologised later.)  Ohyes, the blood sugar thing; I've stropped in Barcelona airport becauseeverything was white bread sandwiches and I wasn't going to eat that crap, I'vestubbornly insisted that my boyfriend order breakfast in Paris (even though Ispeak French) before giving in and sulking for the entire meal, texted mysister that I was about to eat him when I had to wait half an hour for a pastyin the Peak District, and been a little bit afraid that a friend of mine wasgoing to eat me when we couldn't find anything to eat in the tiny city of StDavid's in Wales.  So yes, for methe very first, most important step to loving my fellow travellers on holidayis to take snacks.  After thealmost eating of my boyfriend in the Peak District we went straight to thesupermarket and stocked up on Babybels, and packets of peanuts – and afterBarcelona I now carry trekking bars wherever I go, yes I have a Nak'd snack barin my handbag at all times.  Myniece is exactly the same – whenever she starts being fractious and refusing toget dressed I take her to the kitchen and stuff a bit of cheese in her mouth –3 seconds later and she is sweetness again.But it's not all about the snacks.  I've also argued about money, aboutwhich restaurant to eat in, about having to wait around for other people to getready, and a million other little things. Take travelling with my mum – she stressesabout things, so to compensate I over-relax.  When I would normally be cautious I am all super cool to thepoint that I have lost her boarding pass, spilled coffee all over myself as werun to get a car on a ferry – yup, and then I am annoyed at both myself andher.  It's not her fault, but I amsure she wonders how I manage to do all these big trips when I seem to be sohopeless around her.  It is veryhard to "just be yourself" on holiday sometimes, either because weare trying to be like the people we are with, or because we back up, regressinginto teenagers or, like me, the bossy big sister I once was – or just theopposite of whatever our travelling companions are.  We think they are drinking too much, we become abstemious,we think they are being too loud, we get quieter, we think they are beingboring, we decide to do something dangerous instead of just relaxing andletting them be, and letting ourselves be.  So a great tip for a great holiday… just be yourself.