Nothing puts a relationship to the test better than traveling with your significant other.
Add flying over international waters to the mix and you’re upping the ante. If you’re like me, travel is a personal passion and a dating requirement. So naturally, my boyfriend and I planned a trip to the most romantic city in the world: Paris.
Spoiler alert: Over a year later and we are still together. Here are 5 tips for enjoying every step of the way.
1. Plan to a certain extent
Because I’m an over-planner, my boyfriend’s laidback personality brought a balance to our planning process. Instead of creating a daily itinerary, which I normally would do, we discussed each other’s must-see’s and then left the rest undecided. I learned to embrace the idea of wanderlust and loved every minute of it.
2. Talk
“Communication is key” sounds cliché, but it is SO true. You may be in love but that does not mean you can read each other’s minds. Navigating an unfamiliar city, translating a foreign language, and figuring out the transportation systems require communication and patience.
3. Take time for yourself
I like to share experiences, but there is something very personal about traveling to a new place. When I saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time, I took a moment to just soak it in. I then smiled and squeezed my boyfriend’s hand, secretly hoping he felt the same thing.
4. Packing essentials
These definitely come in handy when traveling with that special someone.
- Camera – It’s time to graduate from iPhone selfies. Invest in a nice camera to document your travels together.
- Headphones – You’re sig-o’s voice may make you go weak in the knees still, but after 9 hours of flying it’s time to turn on your chill playlist.
- Pepto – Pack this for obvious reasons; you’ll thank me later.
- A small blanket – From snuggling on the plane to picnicking at Versailles, this versatile piece of fabric will come in handy for creating romantic and memorable moments.
5. Enjoy
Traveling can be stressful (think the Home Alone airport scene), but overall it’s worth it. The best memories are laughing over bottles of wine, getting lost and then finding your way, and experiencing something new together. Travel is a story you’ll always share together.
Bonus: Make sure to bring home some souvenirs for yourself. For this trip, we bought:
- A box of Laduree macaroons for the flight home.
- A watercolor painting of the street we stayed on in Montmartre. It is now framed and hanging on our wall as a reminder of our first trip together.
- Multiple €2 mini Eiffel towers. One for my desk, one for his desk, one for our bookcase. Just a glimpse makes me smile.
Article written by Katie Habig.
