So here I am in beautiful sunny, green and culturally rich Portugal, all alone. Which I suppose is sort of strange because when I left to go traveling, I left with my partner.
This is not just because I wanted him to carry my suitcase for me, but because for us, traveling was all about experiencing the world together. And we have. After nearly twelve months on the road, we have been to the other side of the world and back together and thankfully as our love of travel deepened so did our love for each other.
However, we didn’t just get to this stage by gluing our hands together and becoming inseparable. Quite the opposite, in fact, as I believe this was only truly possible because on a number of occasions during the last year we have traveled alone and this is my couple travel tip for today.
I am always envious of traveling couples who have so much in common and share so many hobbies because they seemingly do so much together, the relationship kept alive by their mutual shared passions.
My partner and I are not one of those couples. I can count the number of hobbies we share on one hand. We both love snowboarding, wake-boarding, cycling, good restaurants and scuba diving. So when it comes to doing things together, because we can’t constantly be in the snow, on the water, on a bike or in nice but expensive restaurants, we often have to compromise.
Of course, the ability to compromise is key to a successful relationship but the inability to indulge your own passions will eventually undo all the good and ultimately the relationship. This is why every now and again we choose to travel alone.
The first time we went our separate ways was in Australia earlier this year when I mentioned how much I wanted to go do a New Zealand tour and road trip around the North and South Islands. My partner was disinterested by the time I said “Zealand”.
But as it happened while I was dreaming of campfires and a life on the road in some of the most spectacular scenery, he was itching to get on his snowboard and search for dreamily deep powder. And thus we spent three weeks apart. Me in a campervan fulfilling one of my dreams and him on snowboard satisfying one of his biggest passions – without me slowing him down!
This will be our third time traveling alone. Not only does traveling alone mean we both have amazing experiences whilst pursuing our own travel goals and interests, which is very important for both the individuals and the relationship, but it also means we miss each other.
There is no doubt in my mind that as stomach churningly awful as it can be at times, missing your loved one is one of the best things for a relationship.
It helps tear away all the things you find annoying about your partner (which happens to the best of us, especially on the road!), it forces you to step back and realise how much you’ve been taking that person for granted and it prompts you to remember, precisely why you are with them.
There are many different couple travel tips out there but sometimes just taking a little time apart is the best thing you can do for your relationship.
So as I wander through picturesque Portuguese towns today, full of old tiled houses and quaint town squares – all things that my partner fails to appreciate like I do – I will be happy, not only because I am seeing what I want to see but because I am also missing him and I can’t wait to see him again.