A baecation may seem like a fantastic idea, especially if you're travelling with your partner for the very first time. You're excited to make fond new memories with the one you love, and connect with them on a deeper level. Couple travel sounds ideal.
So what could possibly go wrong?
Couple Travel: The Ups And The Downs
For starters, there might be several points of friction if you were to be around the same person 24/7. Different interests, quarrelling over finances, reading maps wrong or simply being hangry could quickly turn the mood sour during your couple travel experience.
During couple travel, suddenly you find yourself wondering if this is the beginning of something amazing or the beginning of the end.
What does one do in such a sticky situation? How do two warring sides set aside petty personal differences and call for a truce?
We asked nine couples what couple travel is really like for them. Here's what they had to say:
"Last year, I travelled to Parvati Valley with my boyfriend and ended up fighting over which hotel to pick. Once we'd checked in he wanted to nap, while I wanted to explore the place. So I took off by myself and ended up befriending some Israelis who took me to an exclusive party. I was so busy having fun, I completely forgot to inform him about my escapade and later found a long thread of worried texts and missed calls. When I got back to the hotel we had a peaceful talk about how different we are as travellers and found ways to be more accommodating with each other. Our first trip definitely came with some minuscule problems, but it only brought us closer."
"He likes comfort while I like to challenge myself." – Sreshti Verma
"My boyfriend and I share a common love for travel but we are two very different types of travellers. He prioritises comfort and plans trips around food, while I like to challenge myself and rough it out. I admit this gets frustrating sometimes, but after years of travelling together we have learnt to find the perfect balance by giving each other space. So now, if our trip lasts longer than three days, we set aside some time to do our own thing. This really works for us and makes us value each other more."
"I like to be on time while he likes to take his own sweet time." – Saumia Bhatnagar
"I am someone who likes reaching airports and stations well in advance. As luck would have it, my ex-boyfriend was the complete opposite.
Last year, while travelling to Goa, we reached the check-in counter 30 seconds before it closed. I was angry, but let it go for the sake of beginning the trip on a positive note. However, throughout the trip he was late everywhere. On the last day, our flight was to leave in an hour but he continued to waste time. So I booked my own cab and left! He went ballistic, but at least I wasn't anxious anymore. As weird as it may seem, this routine continued on subsequent trips. It ensured that we both got we wanted and didn't end up fighting."
"I carry extra layers because she doesn't pack warm clothes!" – Siddharth Sujan
"To put things in a broad context, me and my partner are different as chalk and cheese. So, whenever we travel together, it's a madhouse. I remember, this time we had gone to the hills, all I wanted to do was explore the place. My girlfriend, on the other hand, just wouldn't get out of her blanket because she hadn't packed any warm clothes! I have no shame in admitting that it was cute only to an extent. Eventually, I ended up sacrificing all of my woollens just to drag her out of the hotel. Ever since then, I make sure that she always has an extra set of warm clothes, especially if we're travelling in winter."
"She wakes up when half the day is over!" – Prateek Dham
"Whenever I travel with my wife (who was my girlfriend for five years before the inevitable marriage thingy happened two months ago), it’s a constant tussle between exploring and chilling. I am open to striking a balance between both, but my wife inclines towards the extreme in the ‘chilling’ graph. It essentially means that she never wakes up before noon while we’re on vacation. I, on the other hand, want to get out and experience the place. As expected, I have conceded defeat in life when it comes to this.
Here’s a picture of us in Puducherry. Since this union territory is so small, we managed to explore it even when my wife woke up when half the day was over!"
"He snores away to glory while I'm up fidgeting." – Pallavi Paul
My boyfriend possesses this unique ability to sleep through tornadoes, earthquakes and God knows what else. I, on the other hand, take forever to fall asleep. Every flight and every bus ride has me fidgeting, while he snores away to glory.
Although I've mostly made peace with it, it gets the better of me sometimes. This December, we were travelling on a high-speed train, from Samarkand to Bukhara in Uzbekistan and, as usual, he was dead to the world.
When we got to Bukhara, I nudged, poked and prodded trying to wake him up, but he refused to budge. When he finally woke up it took me 10 minutes to convince him we were at our destination and possibly the last ones on the train. Half asleep and obstinate as ever, he argued that Bukhara was the next stop. It wasn't. I was so mad I gave him the silent treatment in the cab. When we got to our hotel (which I had booked) it turned out to be an utter disappointment. Although he's not a fussy traveller, he went out of his way to book us another room and we moved hotels at 3.00 am! He did it to make me happy. I realised he has his cute little ways of making it up to me and we made up shortly thereafter."
"She said I didn't give her enough attention." –Rohit Kumar
"I was travelling with my girlfriend in Kinnaur back in December and this 5-day trip was nothing but a disaster. She had no idea I'm a completely different person when I'm travelling. I was busy enjoying the views, talking to strangers, exploring places and she trudged along, pissed off the entire time. On the last day she communicated to me she thought I didn't give her enough attention and I told her this is me when I'm travelling. She vowed to never travel with me again (and she never did)."
"He wanted to be stuck in the hotel room watching TV shows in Vienna." – Ankita Sabu
"I was pumped about our trip to Vienna for the longest time, so when we finally got there, all I wanted to do was dump my bags in the hotel and head out. I was ready to soak in the old-world charm of this beautiful city. Unfortunately, my boyfriend didn't feel the same way! He was more interested in watching his stupid shows, stuck in a room. I mean, who travels all the way to another continent to do something you would do at home? Not me! So I took off on my own, and had a pretty good time. I suppose it ended up working for us both."
"I carry an extra bag of chips and chocolates so she doesn't get hangry." – Samarth Arora
"One of the things that push my better half over the edge is the amount of time I spend on the phone. I’m an enthusiastic video editor. I need as much video footage of my travels as possible. We’ve fought over this endlessly but I've found a way out now. Every time I find something interesting, I tell her I want to shoot it with her in the frame. Works like a charm!
I like adventure while she prefers to relax. I love her company , but that is not her cup of tea. Now we choose to spend at least a few hours alone, while on vacation. This helps us calm down and enjoy our holiday.
My wife isn’t a voracious eater. But if hunger strikes, all hell is likely to break loose and we might end up in a fight. How do I fix this? No matter where we go there’s always a stash of goodies (wafers, chips, chocolates and soft drinks) I carry in my personal bag."
Have a couple travel story of your own to share? Tell us about your trip with your bae here, on Tripoto!
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