I’m off, see you soon
There are many arguments in favour of not travelling with your better half (or worse half when you’re on holiday). Sarah Pollok uncovers most of them.
Travelling with my husband may involve a few more fancy dinners than I’d prefer and a few more wellness treatments than he’d prefer. But we go into the trip knowing the ultimate goal — time together — will be achieved.
However, if the real desire is to tick off a wishlist city or partake in a hobby not shared by your usual plus-one, it’s worth looking further afield for a suitable travel companion; even if it involves taking a risk on someone.
Look further afield
When given the chance to take a plus-one on a Fiji work trip, I immediately asked my husband and‚ when he couldn’t take leave, I resigned myself to going solo. Then, he suggested inviting a girlfriend. The result was a week spent cruising around the islands with someone equally eager to explore the destination and spend quality time together, enriching the entire experience.
Did we share a 24sq m room (which is spacious on a cruise ship but tight anywhere else)? Yes, we did. Did we discuss budgets, sleep schedules, dietary requirements, or potentially challenging personal quirks (aka snoring) beforehand? Absolutely not. On day two, with enough time to feel confident, we laughed at how a cruise ship is dreamy when you enjoy your company, but a nightmare if you don’t.
Of course, this didn’t mean we escaped awkward or uncomfortable moments. On board, we had to get comfortable using the small bathroom knowing the other could hear everything, tentatively figure out how much alone time the other needed, and silently accept the tiny quirks and habits one can’t hide when spending almost every hour and meal together.
It’s a risk, no question, but one that has the potential to give a friendship a new depth and richness that would take months, if not years, of coffee dates or football games to accumulate. And you know what they say — distance from your typical plus-one often makes the heart grow fonder.