There are many solo travel blogs out there that talk about how traveling is solo is great and we admire the people that travel alone. It takes a strong person of a certain breed that can go out into the world solo and explore.We are not those people.
Travel as a Couple
Couples Travel is all we know. Having been together since we were in college, Dave and I have only ever traveled together and we have made it work for each other.
Dave and Deb = Travel Couple
Over the years we have developed a system and have found traveling as a couple provides a lot of benefits as opposed to going it alone.
Here are the things that we have found made our life easier because we travel as a couple.
Why Travel as a Couple is Better than Solo Travel
1. Good cop bad cop – When traveling in a third world country everything involves bartering. Hotel rooms, taxi’s, shopping, tours… everything involves working out a bargain. Dave is great at playing hardball and if he were a solo traveler people might find him a little too hard and probably wouldn't get his deals. But traveling as a couple is easier for Dave by having a woman (me) with him smiling as he works his magic helps to smooth the rough edges. When they are stating a price and he is saying no, they look to me for support. I smile and laugh and they give in a bit while Dave gives in a bit and we all go home happy and having a good time.
Hey Travel Couples: Read – Better Than Therapy, Relationship Building Dates to Ignite Your Romance
2. TLC – Tender Loving Care. It is inevitable. Everyone is bound to fall ill during travels. It could be travelers diarrhea, the flu, headache or fatigue. Having a person take care of you makes everything better. Being sick while traveling is not fun, but being sick alone in your hotel room is even worse. Having your other half there to give you sympathy, tell you everything will get better, give you a back rub or bring you some water makes being ill just a little easier to take.
3. Sounding Board- Bartering can be exhausting and sometimes we just don’t know how much to pay for something. All we can do is discuss it with each other and see if it is a price that we are happy with. We can sound off on each other to see if a person is ripping us off and we can slow each other down before buying too impulsively. It helps out the budget a lot. Traveling alone you have to go with your instincts and hope for the best. Traveling as a couple, you can discuss things rationally first and then make an informed decision.
4. Strengths – We each have our own strengths in the relationship and can divide the workload. I am very good at packing and organizing and Dave is very good at planning and researching. If we had to rely on me to plan a trip, we wouldn’t see anything. If Dave were in charge of packing, we would have the entire house including the kitchen sink. I don’t have the attention span to do research, but Dave is great at checking out what there is to do in a place. When traveling as a couple we can use each others strengths to make things run smoothly. I putter around the room organizing, washing the clothes and packing up the bags while Dave reads up on the place. He runs it by me after he has thoroughly explored what we should do and we are both happy. Dave and I are a little anomaly, we like the same things, feel the same about places and situations and have the same interests. It can be annoying to other people, but it makes travel very easy for this adventure couple.
Check Out: A Confession to My Travel Partner
5. Sharing the Experience – Couples that Travel together get to share the experience together. It is admirable that people are self-sufficient and fulfilled enough to enjoy a place on their own. We however need someone to share it with. There is nothing better than enjoying a beautiful sunrise, conquering a great peak or witnessing a rare site with the person that you love. We have built memories together to talk about for years to come.
Couples Travel Tips: How to Bring the Romance back to Backpacking as a Couple
We argued earlier this day, but forgot about it once we were at the Great Wall of China
6. Inspiration – Traveling as a couple can open each other up to new opportunities. We can inspire each other to try new things. If one of us is a little wary of something, we can be each others cheerleaders. We love telling each other just how great we are 😛
Enjoy our India Travel Couples Survival Guide
On the Bikes at Motorsoul riding School
7. Safety – Traveling together offers a little more safety than traveling solo. Getting into a rickshaw or taxi feels a lot better when there are two of you as opposed to being alone. Safety in numbers we always say. We can watch each others backs and not feel threatened. Many times I say to Dave, “I don't know how people can do this alone.” But they can and do and they are a stronger person than me. I will stick to traveling with Dave.
Beautiful scenery in Namibia
8. Care for our Gear –We can keep an eye on our packs and gear when one of us has to go to the bathroom or buy some tickets. Someone can stay with the packs while another gets in line. As a couple, our gear is never left alone on a train or bus or anywhere. Someone is always there to keep an eye on it and we don't have to worry about bringing our bags into nasty bathrooms to keep an eye on it. I can even give Dave my scarf and purse when I have to go into a scary toilet. You don’t want to take the chance of anything falling in, so having someone to hold onto your things eliminates that problem.
Dave working at the Airport Lounge
9. Company – We see a lot of solo travelers at dinner. While I tend to be a chatty one and strike up a conversation with them, (most times they are happy to talk) I see many people just reading a book or sitting silently. I know, I know, a lot of people like being alone. We just aren't those people. We love talking at dinner, playing travel scrabble or cards, we love to talk talk about the days events and we just never seem to get bored. Even on a long train ride, we have company. When we hook up with other travelers or people on the road it is even better. We are a couple that loves have company, the more the merrier on our journey we say.
Find out what it's like: Travel Blogging as a Couple
10. Support – Travel can be exhausting. People hassle you daily for rickshaw rides, tours and any other sale they can think of. Sometimes you just don't want to talk to anyone. Traveling as a couple can allow each of us to have a break when we need it. When one of us is having an off day, the other can take over. They can field the questions and shelter the other person. When one of us is feeling stronger than the other, we can take over the duties of inspecting hotel rooms to make sure they are livable, deciding on a price or simply answering the questions of a curious local. The other person can sit and wallow for a couple of hours or for the day and not have to deal with a thing or talk to anyone. It works out very well having a support system. We also have each other to vent to so that we don't have to take our frustrations out on the poor receptionist or vendor. We couldn't travel if we didn't have each other for support.
Enjoy: Inspiration Through the Eyes of Two Travellers
While we admire all the solo travelers out there, we are very happy to be able to travel with the person that we love. Maybe one day some of you solo travelers will find that certain someone to allow you to give traveling as a couple a shot! It can be an adjustment to have someone around every day, but we think traveling as a couple is a very rewarding experience.
mira says
I know full well that mass travel is safer
Although I love traveling individually as a bit of a freedom because I do not like restrictions
However, your beautiful advice made me think about the conviction of group travel as unmarried 🙂
jenny says
I am inspired… very much… I just hope to find that special someone for me and travel too 🙂
debndave says
Thanks Jenny, I hope that you find someone special too. We remind ourselves each day how lucky we are.
fourjandals says
Haha its scary how many of these relate to us as well! Every single one of them fit us to a T as well. Not sure how you missed out the bad days though… Or maybe you are that anomaly that doesn’t have them 🙂 Thanks
davendeb says
Ah, that is because this is a positive post about How Traveling as a couple is easier. We are no anomaly that is for sure, that is just another post unto itself:-)
Last Minute Sell-offs says
I agree it really does take a strong person to travel by themselves. I’m going to be traveling in a couple months and I’m really glad that I have someone to go with me. I just don’t think I can do it on my own. Plus you have someone to share your experiences with whose company you enjoy. Win win!
Camiguin Beach says
good piece, i love your info in here. hope i could do some.
karen says
love it……everything- the good’s and bad’s. looking for my round the world partner in crime. i hope i find him! nevertheless, with or without him i will do it!
[email protected] says
Couldn’t. Agree. More.
Deb, you’ve written the ideal case for traveling as a couple. You and I are both lucky to have found our traveling soulmate, and it sounds like Adam and Dave have similar strengths!
Lately, I’ve had the opportunity to travel on my own, with a friend I don’t know very well, and with small groups. Each version has their own special magic…and, um, challenges. None is as exciting and rewarding, I think, as discovering new places with my partner in life/crime.
But there’s nothing quite like making it to the top of anything with a stunning view, turning to my husband, and knowing that this memory will now become part of our collective story.
.-= [email protected]´s last blog ..Hotel Wailea: Above the Fray =-.
davendeb says
Melanie, what a beautiful comment! I don’t think that I could travel with anyone else. Dave and I are very set in our ways and have managed to make our travels together run smoothly. We have hooked up with friends for a few days here and there, but I don’t know how I could handle traveling with anyone else for a long period. If we didn’t have each other, I think that I would definitely be a solo traveler. I adapt well and I am not a walk in the park to get along with either:)
marta says
great write-up, i couldn’t agree more with all your points! i am very lucky too to share my travel experiences with my great travel companion/boyfriend.
Ryan Cowles says
I find having someone to share experiences such as traveling with to be amazing. If solo works for some people, then more power to them, but I would definitely prefer traveling as a couple. Reassurance, someone to make decisions with, etc. Pretty much all of the points you listed, haha. And also, if something has gone wrong, then someone to share some of the complaining with! 😉
.-= Ryan Cowles´s last blog ..Taking a Train Across the Country – Part One =-.
Andi says
While I LOVE solo travel, my greatest memories while traveling were when I traveled with a partner. I think you articulated your point perfectly. Enjoy the rest of your travels together!!!
.-= Andi´s last blog ..Brasil: Day 8 (Part 1) =-.
Abi from Inside the Travel Lab says
I’d add saving time to the list as well! As in, you queue to check-out while I grab some water for the journey. You wait for our bags at the airport while I find a luggage trolley. I travel on my own more and more often for work these days and am amazed at how much longer everything takes!
However, for it to work you have to be travelling with the right person. Travel with the wrong person is miserable…
.-= Abi from Inside the Travel Lab´s last blog ..Broken Chair =-.
Laura says
What a nice post! I’m also fortunate to have found a great travel companion in my boyfriend. In the past I just haven’t found myself to be outgoing enough to travel solo! I especially agree with #5, it gets lonely not having someone you’re close to when you have a really meaningful travel experience.
.-= Laura´s last blog ..Traveling with a Brazilian =-.
Earl says
Just reading that made me want to go out and find someone to travel with on my next journey! I typically travel solo and always considered the challenges of traveling with someone else too daunting. But it is clear that you two complement each other in a way that genuinely enhances your overall experiences every step of the way.
.-= Earl´s last blog ..There Is More To The World Than The Pyramids Of Giza =-.
Audrey says
Like you, I feel fortunate to have found someone to share my life with who is a great match for traveling too. We play the bad cop/good cop quite often, especially when bartering at hotels or at the market. Usually, I’m the good cop or the indifferent cop (that works best at markets) and we use Czech as our “secret” language to decide on our top price. That the vendors can’t understand what we’re saying tends to drive them crazy and makes them more insecure.
We are also quite social as a couple and sometimes when we have only been with each other for weeks on end, we’ll overwhelm the next English-speaking traveler since we’re so excited to speak to someone else. It’s not uncommon for solo travelers to travel with us for days or weeks at a time.
Perhaps most importantly, I love how we both observe and take in different things throughout the course of a day because our personalities are different. This makes sharing the experience more enriching and fun.
.-= Audrey´s last blog ..Antarctica, Part 3: Penguins, The Key to Happiness and World Peace? =-.
Trisha Miller says
I also think it’s wonderful that you two found each other – it’s a rare thing to find someone that you’re so compatible with, and even more rare two people to balance each other so well with strengths and skill…I’m lucky to have someone like that as well – we’re very happy doing almost everything together, but I do enjoy the occasional trips I get to make solo too! 🙂
.-= Trisha Miller´s last blog ..Developing The Perfect Pitch =-.
G @ Operation Backpack Asia.com says
Hey lady, another great post! Your couple ones are especially of interest to me. It’s somehow soothing to read about other peoples’ couple experiences.
#1 Good cop bad cop – I wish Ray were more like this, he’s too nice and passive a guy. But he’s definitely getting better at being more assertive and self-assured.
#4 Strengths – any idea how to overcome the feeling like you’re carrying the bulk of the trip? It was a problem that effectively ended my last relationship (still good friends though), and I notice at times I feel it now too. It IS “me” in that I am more experienced traveling, so I am better practiced at all facets of travel. It would be awesome though if I felt like half the trip’s details could be taken care of while I take care of my half. Any tips or thoughts on achieving that? Note I say “feel” like, not necessarily that they ARE. That’s deliberate; I would settle for a re-adjustment of my perspective somehow, something I’ve got but am overlooking. So far all I’ve been able to muster when I do that is a relatively temporary fix…it usually comes back eventually to wondering “if I weren’t making this trip happen…would it be happening?” And that’s a terrible feeling, at least to me. Have you guys ever experienced that together? Or maybe you’re more easy-going about such feelings? (I’m a Libra; I blame the perpetual need for perfect balance :))
#5 Sharing the Experience – my preferred MO is (perhaps for the reasons above) solo traveling. I’ve got no problem meeting people wherever I go, and enjoy the alone-time just fine when that’s what I’ve got. But it CAN get you eventually. After you see your millionth awesome cathedral/temple/historic figure/adventure activity and it’s another group of great-friends-for-a-couple-weeks-or-months-at-best or just by yourself…it can be time for a dynamic change. And after India alone, I figure I’ll pretty much HAVE to default to marrying Ray post-trip…even if he weren’t “the one”, how could I ever be with someone else after sharing what we have on this trip? We’ll see. But at least I like the guy, and have for ages. 🙂
As for #1-10 altogether…spot-on as always. Love your posts; excited to hear about your EBC trip when you get back. Hope we can meet up somewhere soon! We can “double date”! Only instead of dinner and bowling, we can country hop a couple different countries! 🙂 Ain’t life grand!
Gray says
As much as I love solo travel, I agree with all of your points about why traveling with someone else can be a great thing….IF you complement each other as well as you two obviously do. It can be hard enough to find someone who likes to travel, even more difficult to find someone whose travel style meshes with mine. Congratulations to each of you on finding someone so well-suited to you to travel with. I can only hope that someday I will be so lucky.
.-= Gray´s last blog ..5 Reasons to Take an Organized Tour =-.
Maria Staal says
Great to read that the two of you completment each other so well. As Shannon said you make very valid points. Almost makes me wish that I had had someone to travel with when I was backpacking.
But that said, I met loads of other people travelling solo, as I stayed mostly in youthhostels, and did often team up with them for a short while.
I wouldn’t necassarily say that solo travellers are stronger persons. I think dealing with situations as a solo traveller is just something you have to do. Sitting down in a corner and crying about it is not going to help the situation, so you deal with it and move on.
I think travelling as a couple and travelling solo both have their advantages and disadvantages. Thanks for pointing the advantages out to me, as I must admit, I never really thought about travelling as a couple like this.
.-= Maria Staal´s last blog ..My Cousin’s Theory =-.
Shannon OD says
I totally get each and every one of these points – and I think that it’s incredibly lucky that you guys found each other so early. Because although I love solo travel, your points about sharing the experience are valid, and ideal in some ways if life presents itself like that 🙂
As for dining alone, and all of that – I def find that I like balance as a solo traveler. I often travel w/other groups for a day, days, or sometimes even weeks if we get along – and at those times it’s amazing to have pack-watchers and other people to talk with over dinner. Ultimately though, having not found “the one” I would hate to travel w/these ppl long term because I have no real impetus to deal with their BS if I dont know and love them 🙂 And that’s pretty much why I love solo traveling, I enjoy my own company. But you know, one day I wouldn’t mind welcoming another onto my team, but it’s just me for now! 🙂
Cheers to you two for doing so well on the road – it sounds like you both (and your travel styles) are perfectly in tune – gives me something to aspire to when I enter coupledom! 😉
.-= Shannon OD´s last blog ..A Little Relaxation…Belize’s Unique Culture =-.
Alison says
My husband and I have been travelling together since university as well and I can’t imagine travelling alone now. We both have our strengths that come in handy and it’s so much more special to be able to share your experiences with someone you love!
.-= Alison´s last blog ..Great Expat and Travel Blogs =-.