Guest article. Today, it’s Michael from the travel blogs My Happy Couple who will talk about a subject that has concerned us all one day (or will): travel as a couple. Not necessarily always easy, especially for those who are used to traveling alone!
In this article, I offer you 6 tips to make the most of your trip as a couple.
Before talking about these tips, I would like to point out a strange thing to you: you who are in a relationship, you live together all year round and yet… do you really think you spend a lot of time together?
Here are the times you see in a typical week:
- In the morning at breakfast.
- In the evening in front of the TV, taking care of the children, or finishing an urgent file.
- The weekend you spend with family, friends, or shopping.
If we take stock, you don’t spend that much time together. This is due to your lack of availability.
When you go on vacation together, you come face to face.
This situation is unusual and can generate tension in your relationship.
To avoid that in the middle of your trip, you say to yourself: “Can’t wait for Monday that I go back to work!”, I propose 6 lines of thought to discuss in your couple.
Prepare for conflict
A happy couple is not a couple that never argues.
A happy couple is a couple who knows how to manage their conflicts.
You are two different beings.
You don’t have the same tastes or the same expectations. And even less at the same time!
So be prepared to compromise.
The couple relationship is a power game.
Do not seek to impose your will, nor to always be right.
On the contrary, be open to the other and try to understand their expectations.
If your spouse is in the same state of mind, each will ensure that the trip goes as well as possible for the other: it is reassuring and comforting for everyone.
If you don’t have to be a dictator, you don’t have to be a slave either! You must find a balance because frustration and resignation are not good travel companions.
Traveling and jet lag are tiring. When you feel yourself getting upset, stop, and take some time to calm down. Go out for a walk. Take a nap or even have a separate night.
Also learn these two little words: sorry and thank you. You will soon discover the power of these two words and how they will facilitate your relationships.
One last tip to avoid tension: banish all kinds of criticism.
In fact, as soon as a sentence starting with “TU” wants to come out of your mouth: block your jaw!
Remember that the purpose of your trip is to share moments to get closer and not to support you!!!
Everyone has their own responsibilities!
Be clear from the start.
Agree on this simple rule: everyone is responsible for their own affairs!
This will avoid this kind of reflection:
“Ah yes, but I didn’t take my toothbrush because I thought you were going to think about it for me…”
Well, it’s not about being selfish either.
You can think about your spouse’s business so that he doesn’t forget anything. But if there is an oversight, you are not responsible.
Let’s be clear, the fewer things you forget (toothpaste, charger, earplugs, passport, etc.), the more harmonious, even magical, your trip will be!
How to make sure you don’t forget anything?
Here is my method to never forget anything again: a list.
A few days before leaving, make a non-exhaustive list of everything you need.
This list should be kept in plain sight. You can hang it on the fridge door for example.
Until the day of departure, it can be completed and crossed out if necessary.
On the day of departure, when filling your suitcase, you will cross out each object stored in your suitcases.
Plan your trip
Define together the program of your trip to avoid disappointments.
It is vital for the good health of your couple that you know your mutual expectations.
What style of travel do you want?
- adventure?
- discovery?
- cultural?
- feeling?
- jock?
- calm?
Each of you make a wish list of what you want from the mother daughter trips.
Before the big departure, plan what you would like to do by drawing from your wish lists.
Plan for off- peak days. This will allow you to remain flexible and anticipate the unexpected: tourist, tiredness, unexpected parties, missed bus, canceled train, etc…
Your trip is limited in duration. To avoid frustration, be aware that you can’t do everything.
You don’t have to do everything together. You can anticipate one or two days alone: one going on a hike and the other visiting a museum, for example.
Planning your trip well in advance allows you to discuss your desires for the trip calmly over the days.
Your mutual understanding of the desires of the other will be more useful as it will save you a lot of disputes related to the program of the day.
If everyone has expressed what they want to do and everything has been done to ensure everyone’s desires are met, there will be much less frustration at the end of the trip.
The path
I must tell you: the GPS saved my relationship!
On every trip my wife and I took, we got lost. Neither of us have a sense of direction. I couldn’t tell you the number of times I got upset because my co-pilot wasn’t good and the number of times my wife got upset because I didn’t want to stop and ask directions (for pride).
So, the bare minimum is a GPS and a map or maps of where you are going as well as a map of the country.
An important item that I take on every train trip: a jack splitter. Thanks to it, you can connect two headphones to the same device. So, you can share movies or music together without annoying all the other travelers!
Money, the great subject of conflict
Consider budgeting for your trip.
To avoid the question “Who pays what?”, open a savings account for your trip.
Everyone deposits a certain sum each month.
So, on the day of departure, the booklet will contain the amount you can spend for your trip.
The most expensive is generally the transport. So, treat yourself when you’re there. It’s a bit silly to quibble for 20$ when your trip cost 3000$…
Create memories
Before creating good memories, avoid creating bad ones!
For this, on a trip do not take your jewelry or wedding rings. Leave them at home.
For the good memories, I would have 2 ideas for your couple:
- A shirt.
- A camera.
The shirt to offer you a romantic evening. You can go to the restaurant but also have a picnic. The interest of being well dressed and playing a game of seduction. Because your spouse is not acquired by you, you must win him back every day!
The camera will serve you to photograph all these beautiful landscapes, ok Take at least one photo of the two of you in the photo with a monument or exceptional landscape behind. Make it full. You will be happy to see you again smiling and together!
I wish you a good trip!
For all the questions you ask yourself about the life of a couple, you will have the answers on my blog: My Happy Couple.
Thanks Michael! I remember the idea of the jack socket doubler, we don’t necessarily think about it! I will add two things:
– about money, I think it is also practical to build up a common pot during the trip for current expenses, it makes things much easier!
– finally, for me, it is important, especially during a long trip for two, to be able to keep moments to yourself. Because 24 hours a day, two non-stop for six months, it’s not necessarily easy… Also, it seems important to me to have flexibility in the couple so that everyone can regularly spend time alone. It can be half a day or several days.
