Things to consider before planning your first trip with your boyfriend / girlfriend

A new relationship always comes in with new experiences, you get to explore each other’s likes and dislikes, quirks, guilty pleasures, food preferences etc. it’s always fun to learn new things about your partner and one thing that helps you understand the person even better is to travel with them. It gives you a glimpse into their daily life – what do they do first thing in the morning or what last thing at night, how much time do they take to get ready etc.

However, if it is a new relationship then you need to plan your vacation carefully, the following pointers may help,

Choose a destination you are both interested in

Talk with your partner and decide a place where you both want to visit. This way you both are looking forward to the trip and are equally enthusiastic about it.

Plan or maybe not

Understand what is it that you like – a planned vacation or a spontaneous one? Do you like being organised and plan every details of your trip or do you want to visit the place and then decide that you want to do there.

There are pros and cons for both; a planned trip ensures that you have nothing to worry about as everything is taken care of in advance. You get to chill and do things at leisure. As you get to plan everything in advance, you can plan your off days as well (days where you do nothing but relax and rejuvenate).

A spontaneous trip allows you to surprise yourself; you get to figure out activities to do, places to visit etc. once you reach your destination. You get firsthand information from the locals which helps you really understand the place better. This also ensures that you don’t indulge in mainstream activities that others who visit the place have participated in.

However, I’ll still suggest that you figure out your accommodation in advance just to avoid any last minute complications, also booking in advance helps you get discounted rate.

Talk about the Money

It is unlikely that both of you are at par financially, one of you will be earning more than the other or have more responsibilities than other. You need to discuss your budget and how much you wish to pay. It is unfair for one person to do the major chuck of spending but talking about it can help. If you are not comfortable talking about the money, be considerate about how much the other person would be willing to spend. If you wish to indulge in an activity that is a little expensive or out of budget – discuss it with your partner.

Try something new and Compromise

Both of you will have different likes and dislikes, don’t be rigid. The point of travelling is to get out of your comfort zone and learn and experience new things and cultures. Try something new, try something your partner enjoys and at time compromise. Just because your partner wants to do something that you generally don’t like doesn’t mean that is a bad thing – that’s your chance to get out of your comfort zone and try something new – it’s an opportunity you should grab.

How much time together?

A vacation together meaning you’ll be together for a long time. You’ll be together 24x7, are you ready for that type of closeness? If it’s a new relationship, this may be too much. You are not used to be around this person all the time – you may not get your “Me Time”.

Going on a road trip or camping means you’ll be stuck together in a small space for a long time, are you ready for that?

If this is your first trip together, I suggest you try a weekend away first before planning a full-fledged vacation.

Keep your cool

Things are not always going to be hunky-dory. You are at a new place and a few ups and downs are bound to happen. It is thus advisable to keep your calm and manage things with a calm mind.

Picture courtesy: Photo by Yuri Catalano from Pexels https://www.pexels.com/photo/city-landscape-sky-people-127420/