10 Signs Your Partner Will Not Make A Great Travel Buddy

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So you love to travel. You like going on adventures and making memories in different parts of the country. You love meeting people and immersing yourself in various cultures. You find pleasure in indulging in foreign and local cuisines and sampling exotic dishes. You’re just as bold and spontaneous as that. Then, you meet the person who instantly sweeps you off your feet, and you two fall in love. Soon enough, you’re in a romantic relationship with someone, you believe, shares your passion and interest, especially your love for travel. All so sudden, you are dying to see a new place, experience new things, and try anything new with the person you feel so dearly about, which is wonderful! But let me tell you to slow down a bit. You might wanna consider these 10 signs that may indicate whether or not your partner will make a great travel buddy to save you from disappointments later on.

As they say, “It takes two to tango.” If your partner doesn’t take part in planning a trip such as drafting your itinerary or choosing an accommodation then you’re already in for a disaster from the very beginning. What if you included activities which he/she doesn’t like or booked a hotel/hostel that’s beyond his/her preference. You will most likely argue about it during your trip and spoil the vacation you worked so hard to be perfect. Worse, you will be forced to make last-minute changes just so he/she too can enjoy the trip which might entail additional money down the drain. Unless he/she’s okay with whatever you throw into it and leaves you to call the shots, your partner should always help you plan the trip. This way you minimize possible drawbacks during your travel and let both of you know each other better in the process.

Being in a relationship doesn’t really mean you two enjoy the same things. It’s okay for a couple to have different interests. Like you could let your partner enjoy a video game and a couple of beers with his friends while you pamper yourself in a spa or go to the movies with the girls. But if you both decided to go on traveling once in a while, it’s only appropriate that you share equal responsibilities, especially on funding the trip and every other thing it comes with. If your trip is only a couple of days away and your partner chose to spend his/her money unnecessarily instead of getting a travel insurance or investing in a good quality luggage/backpack or keeping the money for emergencies during travel, chances are, he/she is not really into it or he/she relies on you to take care of the matter alone. It may be okay if it happened once but if it becomes a habit, you might want to reevaluate the relationship.

If your partner leaves you to do all the work without bothering to offer help, from staying up all night just so you could get your hands on that coveted “Piso Fare” to preparing the necessary documents to get a passport or a visa, to packing your stuff before and at the end of the trip, you might want to talk to him/her about it. Although I think it’s common sense for couples to work together, dividing tasks between each other, there are just some people who need it clearly laid out. If your partner still shows reluctance after the talk, forget it. It is not worth sweating over and you deserve so much better unless you are okay on being someone’s babysitter.

When you plan to go on a trip with your significant other, it’s only normal for you to get excited. It is okay to gush about how amazing it will be, what you’re going to wear, or what foods you’ll try once in a while. If your partner doesn’t share your excitement and offers a lukewarm expression whenever you bring your upcoming trip into the table then something’s amiss. You might wanna delve deeper to find out the reason for his indifference. But if he/she says nothing but continues to show disinterest then you’re probably better not to go on that trip together. The least thing you need is someone who will make the trip feel like it’s nothing special.

One of the many good things I have in common with my best travel buddies is looking forward to occasional airline seat sales and yearly travel fairs. Wouldn’t it be nice if your special someone cared about these things as well? Imagine if both of you stay up until the wee hours of the morning and you get to snag tickets to Siargao or Coron. Imagine braving the crowd in the travel fair together just so you could get your hands on the best deals. Instead of being on your own, you have someone to share your frustration with whenever you come out empty-handed rather than a person who takes it so casually because he/she doesn’t fully grasp the situation, to begin with.

Being in charge of your finances is a must these days. Traveling often doesn’t mean going home after a trip broke. You need to learn to properly allocate your funds between your necessities and your future travel plans. Like if you two want to pursue hiking mountains on a regular, it’s only apt to invest in quality hiking shoes, backpacks, and camping gears. You also need to always have the funds to go on weekends or multi-day hikes without compromising other important things. You and your partner are expected to work on this together. If you end up always picking up the tab then you have a big problem at your hands.

Ever experienced the hurt when you already have your bags packed, your excitement on the roof, and you’re just waiting for the time to depart only to receive a text from your partner canceling on you and feeling sorry, expecting you to accept his/her damn excuses. If this happens every so often then maybe you’re best to go on traveling alone. The last thing you need is someone who would always ruin your plans and would make you feel like you didn’t matter.

Notice that your partner cancels on your travel plans most of the time but whenever his/her friends are on board, he/she’s the most excited. Notice how he/she willingly does every activity he/she is usually reluctant during your trips together. It will certainly make you question yourself and you will start thinking maybe, something’s wrong with you. You don’t really need to blow your brains out for the answer is simple. He/She just doesn’t find your company good enough and you don’t have to put up with that.

One of the best qualities of an ideal travel buddy is someone who takes good photos or someone who goofs around with you and the camera effortlessly. Of course, we have to draw the line between taking excessive photos to the point of overlooking appreciation and understanding of the place and taking just the right number of photos or videos enough to memorialize the trip. If your partner is someone who scowls at you every time you ask for a photo or a video then maybe you are better off traveling with a tripod instead.

Traveling is done best experiencing the most bizarre of things and you won’t get to do that with someone who is not open to that idea. If your partner refuses to try a new restaurant or try on ramen or pho for a change to his usual pancit lomi, what makes you think he will enjoy sampling local foods during your trip. If he/she is so uptight then he will find immersing with cultures difficult. You don’t really want to travel with a person who will make you feel awkward sharing your experiences or a person whom you can’t have a decent and insightful conversation about the food, culture, and people from your trip because he/she refused to get out of his/her comfort zone.

At the end of the day, these are merely my points of view and barely an expert’s opinion. Seeing one or a few of these signs on your partner doesn’t automatically equate to breaking up. It only means you enjoy traveling while your partner is into other things. If you can work out the relationship despite your differences then good on you. If not, the best of luck looking for your match. Until next time. Ciao!