Travelling with your partner can be the most rewarding experience your relationship will go through. It can also be the most challenging. To be in someone’s company 24/7, especially if you’re not used to it, can be overwhelming. Add travel into the mix and it’s no wonder relationships are pushed to their limit. Fortunately, these tips will help to ensure your trip together is one to remember, for all the best reasons.
Be In The Know
The best way to avoid conflict is to make sure everyone is on the same page. Sit down with your partner and discuss all the elements of your trip. What is the budget? What’s on the bucket list? What’s the length of the trip? You both must have a clear understanding of what to expect. Consider the smaller details too and plan ahead. Being prepared is the best way to avoid stressful situations and in turn losing your cool!
Be Realistic
Not every day is going to be smooth sailing. Bad weather will happen, items will get lost, plans will go awry. When these moments occur, remind yourself why you’re on this trip. It’s for the experience, for the love of travel. It’s not to get caught up in mistakes or challenges out of your control. The sooner this is accepted then the easier it will be to overcome.
Take A Break
Just because you’re on the road 24/7 doesn’t mean you need to be in each other’s pockets. It’s okay to have different interests and to spend time apart to enjoy them. If you’re short for time in a particular destination but you want to do different things, then go your separate ways and reconvene after. Reuniting and sharing your experiences can be a great way to re-connect.
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Communicate
Be open with one another. Communication is key! If something is bothering you then address it, do not let it fester. Holding things in will only magnify the situation. Reflection is also a great tool to avoid conflict. For example, ask each other how the past week has been. Could you have been more organised? Did you have expectations that didn’t live up to the reality? Are you enjoying the trip? Being open and honest with one another is a sure way to avoid losing your cool.
Date Night
Keep the romance alive! We know that every day isn’t going to be a walk in the park but there’s nothing to say you can’t enjoy real, quality time with one another. If you’re travelling long term then schedule a weekly date night. Just because you’re on the road doesn’t mean you can’t be romantic. Cook dinner for one another, watch the sunset together or just simply enjoy each other’s company. The options are endless.
Compromise
At times you may feel like you’re on different wavelengths and you’re butting heads to come to a decision. When faced with this situation the best thing to do is to place one another in each other’s shoes. Question why they want to make the decision they’re suggesting. Are they wanting to get to the airport hours earlier because they’re an anxious traveller? Do they want to plan a schedule so you don’t miss out? At times like this, it’s a good bet to meet in the middle. Get to the airport with a fair amount of time to spare. Plan your trip but allow for free, spontaneous activities too. Or, book a group tour and leave the scheduling in the hands of someone else!
Share The Responsibilities
Planning a trip can be daunting and it can take weeks, if not months, to organise. There are so many elements to consider it can be hard to even know where to start and it’s not fair to allow one person to carry that burden. The best way to solve the issue is to distribute the tasks amongst one another. To some couples, it may be obvious which areas that person will be responsible for. If you’re usually the one in control of finances and budgeting then take on the responsibility of your joint saving goals and travel budgets. On some of the smaller matters, a great method is to create a mind-map of the tasks that need to be completed and then share them out with one another.
Remember Why
Not everyone gets to travel with their partner. To some it’s a way of life, to others it’s an unattainable goal. Reflect on the hard work it took to get you to that point and how fortunate you are to make your vision a reality. Reminding yourself of how lucky you are to be on the trip together will quickly dissolve any trivial problems you may be facing. Most of all, enjoy it!
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