For background, I'm traveling with a close friend overseas this winter break, and together we asked a few other people to join us; none of them could go for various reasons.

The title is pretty self-explanatory for the rest of this, but he really, really dislikes most of my other close friends. It normally doesn't cause any issues because he doesn't hang around them, and they have no issue with him, but I would much rather have another person along and so far he's shot down every person I would feel comfortable traveling with that's able to go.

I was wondering about ways to convince him to give way on at least one person without making him miserable on the trip--we are traveling as a group, after all.

NB: We're platonic friends and have long since decided on keeping it that way. In light of the trip, I brought up the subject again to make sure, and nothing has changed.

Doesn't sound like it's platonic to him. If he's shooting down everyone, then it's probably because he wants to be on this trip alone with you. I also find it immature of him that he can't buck up for a little while and deal with people he's not so keen on if he really considers you a friend. At this point, I would tell him unless he knocks it off, it'll be him cut from the list next. He's making the trip miserable for you while you're trying to keep him from being miserable, and that's in no way at all fair to you.

I actually don't think that he has any intention of being anything but platonic friends. We did ask a few other people, all of whom were male, but they couldn't go. It was actually his idea to ask them, I just gave my okay for it. nnAlso, I'm not sure that it's so unreasonable to want to get along with everyone in a traveling group--the initial idea for the trip was his. I'm not miserable so much as I am befuddled why he seems to hold such dislike for so many of my other friends, and I feel like threatening him in this case would only be counterproductive. :/nnMy wanting another person along is largely to appease my family (something something traveling alone for a week with a single non-homosexual guy), but I would also appreciate having someone else to share the experiences with.

You can't really force someone to get along with anyone else. Sometimes it just doesn't click. Where his blatant refusal to agree to let anyone else come along on the trip is concerned, have you tried talking to him openly and honestly? Telling him that you'd like another person along to share the experiences, but also to make your family feel better about the trip?

If he still won't compromise with you, try to find out why he dislikes them by asking him why? Maybe you guys can work out a "lesser of two evils" sort of situation by picking the auxiliary friend he hates the least to come along. Maybe along the trip they would even learn to get along.

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I tried that, but he wouldn't budge, but it's all good now because now one of the people who thought he couldn't go initially can :) Thanks for everything!