We’ll Take That Bet!
I remember sitting at a dinner with friends weeks before we left as they were taking bets that Stephen and I would not last a full year traveling full-time together. Honestly, I had my reservations as well. Here’s the thing, we are not the 20 or 30 something YouTube vloggers who built their life early on in this travel lifestyle. No, for close to 30 years, we created a conventional life together with lots of daily distractions.
While we had always made it a priority to be radically transparent in our relationship, inevitably work, raising a child, owning a home, and family commitments created the distractions necessary to lower the priority of these deeper conversations. You know what I am talking about. The in-your-face issues can often arise in relationships, but because life is hectic and messy, it’s hard to sit down and discuss them because you have other things to attend to.
So, admittedly, I did wonder, “Are we still going to like each other after so much uninterrupted time together?” “Will we get bored with each other?” Being together 24/7 in small spaces, a 16-foot travel trailer to start, then airplanes, hostels, and hotels, what are we possibly going to talk about every day for a full year? Again, no distractions!
It was a rough go at first, I will tell you. I think we fought and tussled every day for the first two weeks. We often laughed and made jokes about it. Could we make it to 10 am the next morning without getting into an argument? It was hard, but it was rich and necessary, and we did it.
The truth is, nothing becomes more clear about yourself and your relationship than being all in, all the time. It may sound scary but wow what an amazing opportunity.
Here is just a touch of what we have learned so far about being together in this unconventional life of full-time travel.
You will likely have some rough times in the beginning. But in the midst of those, if you can, throw up a little clap of thanks because those interactions are actually a prerequisite for the great times that will follow.
When you travel with a partner you collect life experiences everywhere, all the time. And most of that, you do side by side. Record yourselves. Sometimes what you remember can be skewed toward the negative, but when the fun is documented — the truth is clear.
Without realizing it you come to a place of enjoyment where you know what might bother the other, or what they might enjoy, and you seamlessly move in the right direction.
The best part is you don’t even have to think about it. Fun, joy, friendship — all become intertwined in the adventure. Travel companions deepen the journey.
So, to my friends who bet we would not make it. No need to collect our winnings, we have already won!
Thanks for following us on our journey and if you want to learn more about how we make this lifestyle work, join us on Saturday, December 18th at 10 am MT for a 20 minute Facebook Live to hear more about this crazy, topsy-turvy world of traveling as a couple.
