Travelling as a couple is something that we love, a chance for us to create incredible memories together, and to bond on a much deeper level. There’s something about travelling that will teach you about yourself and your partner, in a way that nothing else will in life.
If you have been following our story on this blog and social media, you would know that we met back in 2020, during the pandemic. And while we both weren’t sure where this would go, it became very clear very quickly that we really fell hard for each other, which was a major surprise for the both of us.
And with our love of travel, it was a no brainer that it would be something that we would do together, and explore this interest that we both had. B has worked in travel for her entire career, and I, having been exposed to it just a little, travel became an even bigger passion for us, something we both loved and made us bond even more.
The first trip that we ever took together was to The Rosendal, in the Free State. . . where it was just the two of us, with no clients, or anyone else. We also took it at the wrong time, in winter, and we literally froze our as*es off. We definitely want to do the Free State again, as visiting Clarens has been in our bucket list for a while now.
But it became very clear that travelling as a couple would be something that we would be doing going forward, we love road trips, the sing-a-longs during the trip, the snacks and the conversations.
Here’s why we love it, and why we won’t be stopping any time soon.
#1. You Get to Share Beautiful Moments with Someone
Travelling is always an opportunity to see or explore something amazing, and there’s always a moment where something is breathtakingly beautiful, which makes us appreciate the moment even more because we are experiencing it together.
I am sure you can relate, a situation or moment in your life where you are experiencing something beautiful, and wishing a certain person was there?
I mean even looking back at certain things, where we talk about a particular moment, it is always amazing when we reminisce about certain things, there’s always a great feeling that we were together, that we can look back on it and say, we experienced it together.
There’s so much beauty to see when travelling, and we love that it’s memories that we are creating as a couple.
#2. Epic Date Ideas or Date Night
As a travel couple, dating is always always something we prioritize, important to create those moments to connect and just spoil each other, and with travel, this gives us the opportunity to have certain kind of dates that we wouldn’t be able to have at home.
What comes to mind as I type this is when we did dinner under the stars at Maroelani Safari Lodge, or the time when we had a picnic right in the middle of the safari.
These moments were so beautiful, so perfect, and so romantic, and they always are amazing at igniting that spark in our relationship.
It’s almost like time stands still, and there’s nothing else but the two of you, and I highly recommend couples to plan some out of the ordinary date nights and connect.
#3. It Makes the Relationship Stronger
Relationships are not always roses and wine, and as a couple there will be some challenges that you have to navigate and work through together.
With travelling comes the factor of always being in each others space, which can cause tension for some couples. Luckily with us, we live together, we worked at home together for years, so we have already done the spending 24 hrs together quite a bit. Also, we both find it weird that we get to spend insane amounts of time together, with very little friction, and I love that!.
The travelling together is an added bonus, because we get to be together in different circumstances, where other parts of each other and ourselves can come out.
This is great, as we get to know each other even more and enjoy each other even more.
Also, certain conversations just flow a little better, away from home. I think travel gets us super happy, calm and relaxed, that we aren’t shy of talking about issues.
It really opens up the lines of communication, which is super important for any relationship.
#4. You Feel a Little Safer
Travelling as a couple is definitely better than travelling solo – for us. And it’s nice to have someone who can help you make certain decisions and help read the situation a little better.
For example, if my partner is not feeling safe at a certain point, being in a certain place, I will do what I can to restore that sense of feeling safe again, or at times, it will be better to take ourselves out of the that situation.
As a lesbian couple, with people in South Africa and the world being so unkind when it comes to people like us, and being women and the crimes that get committed towards women, it is super important to be able to read situations that can be potentially be dangerous for us, and remove ourselves from them.
So when we travel, we are very aware about our surroundings and we try not to put ourselves in situations that could be dangerous, and it’s nice to be with someone who can highlight certain issues that I might not see, and vice versa.
#5. There’s Always Someone to Figure Things Out With
There’s no doubt that travel as a couple is a lot of fun, however there are also times when things don’t go as planned.
It is during these times that I love that there’s someone with me, helping me and supporting me through whatever it is that is going on, and vice versa.
This can be really comforting, knowing I don’t have to figure it all out by myself, and in those times when things aren’t going as planned, it’s amazing to have someone that loves me to give me a hug if I need one, or for me (someone who loves her) to offer comfort when she needs it.
It just works, and the way we compliment each other shines through even more when we are travelling. and our different strengths just shine through in those instances.
#6. You Get to be a Couple
Staying together with your significant other is amazing, I feel it gives you an opportunity to really know and understand each other.
But, there is a downside to it, at times you can take each other for granted, just because you see each other all the time.
With travelling, you get to be a couple and do couple things, away from home, away from the everyday grind and the mundane.
This is one of the best things about being a travel couple, to be able to get out of the usual and do something amazing with my partner is something we are truly grateful for.
Some of the setups that we have done on our travels, are things we haven’t done at home, and perhaps they feel even more significant away from home.
I cannot stress the importance of dating your person, especially after you have won them over and you have been together for a few years. Taking your partner for granted can really mess things up in a relationship, and must be avoided at all times.
#7. It Can be Cheaper
Travelling together as a couple has saved us money in the past, especially with accommodation.
Single occupancy almost always costs more than it does for 2x people in a room sharing.
Even with activities that you want to do, or flights, you end up paying more for solo travel than you do for couple travel, which is a bonus.
With travelling and everything being as expensive as they , saving any amount of money is always a great idea.
#8. Planning a Trip is Super Exciting
As I mentioned earlier, my significant other and I live together, and we spend almost 24 hrs together (which is a miracle to spend that amount of time without driving each other insane), so the prospect of not being home on some getaway is always amazing.
Busi loves planning the trips that we do, and I help out. The only time I get to plan is when it’s a surprise for her, and we get super excited when we have a trip, because we get to coordinate outfits (Lol!), we get date night that’s not as usual, and of course the new memories that we will be creating.
Planning is crucial, it can be difference between an amazing trip or something like a disaster waiting to happen. So, my person will think of the things we need, food options, activities and so much more.
Tips For Travelling Together As A Couple
Travelling as a couple is truly beautiful, I would encourage all couples to do it and watch their relationships get even better.
As amazing as it is, I want to share a few tips about this, that can make travelling together, go a little smoother.
Compromise
As with any relationship, compromise is very important in a relationship. I don’t thing any relationship can survive without compromise, just because being in a partnership like this shifts everything from I to we.
Being ok with your partner is way better than being right, or having your way all the time, and as two different individuals who at times may like different things, it is important to meet each other halfway.
Travelling together is amazing, and you want to be able to have the most fun and create those amazing memories, as opposed to fighting for example.
Give Each Other Space
Just as you spend time with your significant other, so you should spend some time with yourself, by yourself.
And as you travel together and spend significant amounts of time together, you may not always like to do the same thing, or even like each other all the time, and that’s ok.
The important thing is to recognize those moments, and give each other some space.
When moments like that arise, one of you could take a walk, or read a book, get on a call with a family member, or whatever else that you choose to do.
Giving each other space is crucial, for the moments when you or your partner wants some “me” time.
Have Fun & Memories
Sometimes travel is not fun, especially when you are in a kombi for 12 hours of the day . . . I remember the first time we took a trip to Bilene Mozambique, it was the longest trip we had ever taken, and we got super tired and anxious.
But you have to keep it fun, and luckily, you are with your love and best friend, so you can find ways to make it fun.
The journey may not be fun (it totally was not fun), but once you get to your destination, you can find ways to make up for that, i.e try new things especially in new locations, and date night should always be a priority.
For us, there’s always something magical about the sunset, and the beach, and there’s always an opportunity to create great memories together. And of course, the quad biking and the boat ride is to die for!
Snap Away
Travel allows you as a couple to not only create great memories, but to document them.
For example, some locations are super beautiful, and of course you are going to want to capture them and have some couple travel snaps to marvel at later.
For us, we have an Instagram page and this blog, and of course our apartment, so it’s great to look back on some of those trips and talk about what we got to do and how much fun we had.
And one day, we can always share those stories and memories with our children.
Start Small
If you want to start travelling with your partner, instead of starting with a two week trip, first do a weekend getaway, just so you can see how it goes, how you two get along and all that.
My partner and I stay together, so we know each other very well and the things we like, and we have gotten quite good at resolving conflict and all that.
This may be different for a couple that see each other a few times a week, for them to go on a vacation for a full two weeks or a month together.
The dynamic of the relationship may be different, and spending that many days together non stop might be a bit difficult for some.
So before you embark on a month long trip together, start small, try it out with a shorter trip and see how you get along.
Research
Always research the places that you will be travelling to thoroughly, so there aren’t any surprises, and if there are you need to be better prepared for them.
When you are prepared, you are almost guaranteed to have a grand time, than getting to a place and find you should have planned better, or you don’t have certain things that could make your trip more enjoyable or finding out that you have to spend more money because you didn’t pack certain things.
Research not only helps in having a smoother trip, but it helps in making sure the trip is safer for you and your partner.
There you have it . . . our 9 reasons why travelling as a couple is something we truly love.
What tips can you add to this list, if you have travelled with your partner and had an amazing time doing so.