When you travel with your significant other, your relationship is inevitably going to be tested by the trials and tribulations of life on the road.
Stress, challenging situations, sleep deprivation and being with one another non-stop 24 hours a day are inevitably going to change things – for better or for worse. But this is even more intensified when you’re traveling with a partner. For many, taking a trip together can make or break a relationship.
So before you jet off into the sunset with your new-found beloved, it’s worth putting a little thought into it.
Are you ready to see the worst of each other?
Are you prepared to have your partner in sexy-time sit with you whilst New Delhi curry explodes out of you from every orifice? Or see them, for that matter, in full-blown tantrum mode after missing a connecting flight? Traveling together can be a magical experience, but the good does tend to come with the bad, so prepare for any delusions you may still have about each other to be well and truly shattered by the end of the trip. Nothing makes you really know a person, and test a relationship, than having them as a travel companion does.
Are you ready to share and willing to compromise?
If you’re a veteran solo traveler, adjusting to traveling with someone else in mind can be a shock to the system. You might be set for a six month adventure – but they can only get two months off work. You’ll want to see temples, whilst they want to visit the markets. Making decisions about your travels, both big and small, will really give you a glimpse of how you’re both able to adapt and work together as a couple. But it will also come at the cost of doing things entirely your way all the time. Ultimately you’ve got to ask: is this person worth that? Hopefully the answer is yes!
Do you have the same travel style?
When you’re fully loved-up and brimming with romance, it’s easy to forget about the actual practicalities of travel when planning a trip together. But consider now: do you have similar budgets? When it comes to accommodation, do you have similar standards? Finding out now that you prefer party hostels and they prefer a quiet guest house doesn’t mean you’re doomed never to see the world together, but prepares you for the fact that you’ll both have to compromise. Finding out the same thing on the road can be a lot more stressful.
If you can travel together, you can do anything together!
If you haven’t been dating your partner that long then you’re right to think carefully about it before traveling. However, I think it’s a great test of your compatibility: if you can spend a solid amount of time together on a trip and still come home fancying each other you probably have a future! I went on a trip with my current boyfriend very early on in the relationship – my housemate inadvertently invited him on a big house holiday amongst friends after just four dates – and although I had my reservations at first, it brought us together in a way that more traditional dating etiquette would have.
In conclusion, I say: Go! Travel with your partner! See the world, and learn more about each other! Just be as prepared as you can for the inevitable arguments and squabbles, and see how things go. And if you find your relationship can’t cope with the strain, then remember that it’s better to find out sooner rather than later. After all, if you want to have travel in your future life plans then do you really want a partner who can’t be a part of that?
