chloedickensonLast Updated on 8th May 2024
Before I even properly get started on how to survive long term travel with your partner, my first piece of advice is to ensure that you’re able to spend pretty much 24/7 with them.
The best way to do this is to have lived together for a while first so that you’re completely used to all their weird quirks and habits. I moved into Matt’s house just 6 months after we got together and then a year later we got our own studio flat for a year before we started travelling.
Living together in a studio apartment taught us so much about our relationship as we lived in the smallest space possible, with virtually no privacy and it meant that we were so much closer and open with each other when we eventually went travelling.
I’d also recommend going on at least one holiday as a couple before you jet off around the world to make sure you can cope together while travelling.
Matt and I have been to 21 countries together so far, so we’ve got the whole ‘travel with your partner’ thing pretty much nailed. Take a look at my top tips on how to survive long term travel with your partner and how you can make it the most incredible and enjoyable experience of your life!
Have plenty of patience – travel with your partner
One of the top tips I can offer when it comes to surviving travel as a couple is to have plenty of patience.
You’re going to be spending an unbelievable amount of time together (Matt and I still haven’t spent more than 6 hours apart in 13 months at the time of writing this post…) so you’re going to have to learn to deal with a lot of things.
It’s inevitable that you’ll have many opposing personality traits to your travel partner, so it’s important to just be patient, listen with open ears and try not to take everything too seriously.
Don’t be afraid to have some alone time
While you will be spending a crazy amount of time together if you’re travelling long term, it’s also important to remember that you’re allowed some alone time too.
Matt and I spent almost every minute together (just because that’s the way we travelled and we thoroughly enjoy each other’s company), but there were still times where we just craved a bit of alone time. When we were in the campervans, living in extremely close proximity all the time, it wasn’t unusual for one of us to just head off on a little walk on our own.
Even though we can happily spend every second together for days/weeks on end, we’re both still quite introverted and are more than happy to spend quality time on our own.
Travelling with your partner is all about balance and you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for some alone time if you think it’ll do you both some good.
Have dedicated date nights
Just because you’re spending almost every single second of every single day together when you’re travelling long term as a couple, doesn’t mean that it’s always quality time you’re spending together.
One great tip to bear in mind is to have dedicated date nights. Just like you would back home, carve out some proper time to get dressed up (or as dressed up as you can get with your limited supply of clothes and make up…) and have a “proper” night out.
You can still have affordable date nights even if you’re travelling on a budget; go out for a slightly fancier dinner, put your phones away for the evening or head to a local bar and play pool. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, but taking the time to “date” each other again will ensure that the spark continues in your relationship, even when you’re thousands of miles away from home in a foreign country.
Talk it out – travel with your partner
It goes without saying that you’re going to have the occasional disagreement or argument even when travelling and my biggest piece of advise for counteracting those huge arguments is to simply talk it out.
Unlike being at home, when you’re surrounded by the safety and home comforts that you’re used to (including a friend’s house or the local pub if you really need some space), you don’t have that same luxury when travelling unfortunately, so the best thing is to just talk it out when you get into a disagreement.
It’s inevitable that you’re not always going to see eye to eye, but it’s imperative to keep a continuous and healthy discussion going, to avoid any potential truly detrimental arguments from festering.
Spend time with other people
Some of my favourite memories from travelling involve some of the incredible friends we met on the road, especially other couples who were in the same boat as us.
Spending time with other people is a key part of enjoying long term travel with your partner as it allows you to have more people involved in your conversations and it brings a whole new dynamic to your travels as a couple.
Compromise is key
Compromise is an integral part of any successful relationship as even though you might be head over heels in love with your partner, it’s fair to say that you’re not always going to agree on everything.
When it comes to long term travel with your partner, compromise is key. Whether that’s with regards to where you’ll be eating dinner that evening, which activities you want to do or even which countries or cities you want to travel to.
Learning to compromise and accepting the other person’s wishes is such an important part of travelling as a couple and something that you’ll have to learn to do well.
Avoid hunger and exhaustion as much as possible
This is probably more of a personal anecdote, rather than an actual piece of advice but when it comes to Matt and I, the only times we ever really disagree or bicker is if one (or both) of us is hungry and/or tired.
My advice to you guys therefore, is to always try and avoid getting to the point of extreme hunger or exhaustion if possible. I know that I always get very emotional when I’m tired or hungry and if you put them both together in a foreign country, you’ve got a recipe for a not-so-happy Chloe.
It’s inevitable when you’re travelling all day or taking a 13-hour overnight bus somewhere that you’ll both feel tired and hungry, so if you can’t actually avoid those feelings, at least try and learn how to deal with them so you don’t piss each other off too much!
Make each other laugh
I think making each other laugh is imperative in any relationship and I can honestly say that there’s no one in the world who makes me laugh as much as Matt does.
That said, if you can make each other laugh constantly while you’re travelling, then any disagreements or arguments you do have will hopefully be quashed in no time.
Learning to laugh about the smallest and seemingly insignificant things is really important when travelling long term with your partner as there’s going to be plenty of difficulties that you face along the way. Laughing at them together will only make you stronger as a couple and it’ll help you cope much better with the issues you’ll face while travelling.
Share the load – travel with your partner
When it comes to sharing the load while travelling, I don’t just mean emotionally, I literally mean it in every sense possible.
For example, when Matt and I were in the campervans in New Zealand and Australia, we shared the driving as much as possible so that neither one of us was overly tired or bored. We also share the booking and planning part of any trip or excursion we go on; usually I do a lot of the research and get an itinerary in mind and then Matt puts together a proper schedule and plans everything out on a map.
Being a good team is a key part of travelling as a couple and if you can learn to share the load in everything you do and work as a team, you’ll be absolutely golden when it comes to long term travel.
Accept the bad days…
Another thing to bear in mind when travelling with your partner is to just accept the bad days and move on.
Just because you’re gallivanting around the world and experiencing the most incredible things and seeing the most beautiful places doesn’t mean that every single day is going to be perfect.
It’s OK to have bad days when travelling – it’s inevitable – but you just need to accept them for what they are and move on.
…But thoroughly embrace and enjoy every single moment
Having said that, you also need to remember to thoroughly embrace and enjoy every single moment of your adventure.
You’re travelling the world with your favourite person and experiencing so many life-changing things; travelling with your partner really is an absolute gift and one that you should cherish every single day.
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- 10 Weird & Wonderful Things That Happen When You’re In A Relationship
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- 9 Trips You Need To Take With Your Partner
- Why Date Night Doesn’t Just Have To Be With Your Partner
- 13 Fun & Unique Date Ideas In Yorkshire
Pin for later – travel with your partner
Do you have any tips on how to survive long term travel with your partner? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram @imjustagirl_16.
These are some really useful tips – especially for any couples who are also in quarantine together! My boyf and I moved in together just before this all kicked off and we’re so lucky that we’re quite similar enough to survive it (although before this we were in a tiny room in a shared room and struggled). We hope to travel together long term in the future too. I’ve really learned how important date nights are. Even the thought of making an effort and spending a bit more money can be a bit off-putting when you’ve settled into a routine, see each other every day during quarantine or are facing struggles when travelling. But it’s so, so important. Once you start to get ready, you’ll immediately feel better and having a date night together can make a world of difference! x
Thank you so much for your comment Louise! Almost all of these tips definitely apply to being in quarantine together too and it’s so important to have dedicated date nights even if/when you don’t feel like it’s the right time to! x