For a healthy relationship, friendly or romantic, travelling with a partner can be an enriching experience, but it is also a test of the limits and bonds between two people in a new place with new challenges.
Here are some tips for travelling with your partner and maintaining a healthy relationship:
1) Understand your Partner
Ideally, you want your trip to create some lovely moments that last a lifetime as you travel with a companion or partner. But sometimes it can just be an agonising journey to realise that you just can’t stand the other person. As the old aphorism goes, a relationship can be made or broken over a vacation. Thus, finding the right travel partner becomes significant, because anything that was once just a small disturbance can intensify while travelling.
2) Realistic Budget
It’s only rational to set your budget priorities in advance. Joy can turn into suffering if there is friction over money. Having a budget that accommodates both of your lifestyles is important. Setting out guidelines for expenditures can save you from stress and headaches.
3) Plan & Split Costs
If your friendship or courtship is still testing the waters and you haven’t yet decided what’s yours and what’s mine, then it’s better to clear out your bills separately. Splitting costs can prevent arguments and grudges. You can also chip in together for some common activities that you both enjoy.
4) Spend some Time by Yourself
Just because you are travelling together doesn’t mean you have to be together at all times. Sometimes the other person might not be interested in something that you want to do or vice versa. If that is the case, then you can pursue your own interests during the day and meet in the evening.
5) Avoid Undue Stress
There could be situations when things don’t go your way. Maybe the waiter forgets your food, or the taxi driver overcharges you, or something else unpleasant happens that alters your mood. In such times people often take it out on their partner, which leads to even more stress. Think twice before saying anything and apologise if need be.
6) Use Each Other’s Strengths
Everybody has their own unique strengths, and if you combine two people’s strengths then travelling can become even more easy and fun. If you are good with finances and your partner is good with bargaining, for example, you can do great shopping together. Utilising each other’s strengths and abilities is going to make your trip more go more smoothly.
