I travel a lot, at least for someone with a professional, 9-5 type job. It’s my passion and each new trip gets those butterflies buzzing around just like they did the first time I had my passport stamped. On Tuesday I leave for Australia, but I’m a little nervous. I think it’s more than just the normal jitters, it’s been a while since my partner and I have traveled as a couple and I’m worried.
The last time we traveled together on a vacation was in February when we spent a week in Hawaii, but even that was arranged in advance for us. Excluding Lanai, the last time we traveled together on a trip we organized ourselves was more than a year ago, which has me a little nervous. Even though Scott is an experienced traveler, I’m the one who organizes everything, from flights to meals it’s all a result of my planning. That means, in my mind at least, the entire vacation experience and what we take away from it is up to me, for better or for worse.
We’re going to be in Australia for almost two-weeks and there are a lot of moving pieces, from the freakishly long flight to tours booked and reservations made and I’m worried something won’t go according to schedule. When it’s just me traveling, I don’t mind the small hiccups in a trip, they usually make for a good story if nothing else. But when I travel as part of a couple, I feel the responsibility weighing on me to make the trip as enjoyable for both of us as possible. Scott has a high pressure job and doesn’t take a lot of time off from work, not nearly as much as he could (and should). This is his big trip for the year and I just want to make sure that it counts.
I know that there will be problems, but that they won’t really be all that bad. Well, unless one of the million poisonous things found in the Outback gets to us. And I know that my fear of not having the perfect trip is a ridiculous one, but there it is, hovering in the background like a mopey specter.
If you travel as a couple, is there one person who usually handles most of the details? How do you (they) deal with these worries?
If something bites you try and get a photo of it…especially if its a snake. There are different anti-venom’s depending on the snake.
It looks like a fantastic itinerary and I’m sure you guys will have a fantastic time, I’m looking forward to hearing about you outback adventures.
I know you meant well, but the snake advice kind of freaks me out. :)
lol, I’m sorry! If it makes you feel any better I lived there for 15months and saw no snakes and only 2 spiders.
It’s winter Matt. Most snakes still tucked up here in central Australia. Nearly all in fact. (Well, I did see one a while back, but it was moving slowly.) All good!
When I travel with my partner I’m usually the one planning the details of our trips, i.e. the accommodation, the transfers, the transport options, the whole schedule. There’s only so much info you can gather, and the rest needs to be dealt with on location. So for peace of mind I just have a list of important phone numbers ready (and a phone that works abroad no matter what), from my bank’s number back home to insurance contacts, etc. And there’s not much more you can do I think, apart from trusting in the fact you’ve prepared as much as you possibly could. That’s usually what puts me at ease. And if I want my partner to relax I just take care of any problems myself and tell him to let me handle it – done. I think you’ll have a great trip, and if you run into any problems, you’ll make a few Aussie friends, they’re very helpful folks! So no worries!
You guys are travel beautifully together! If you start to get on each others nerves drink some wine or listen to your ipod. ;-)
My husband, who I love dearly, does almost zero planning for our trips. On our recent ten-day trip, I made every reservation, researched every restaurant and activity and 100% felt the onus was on me. When we had a bad meal at a restaurant I had chosen, based on a recommendation from a trusted source, my husband was very disappointed and I felt like I had let him down.
When I had all the travel hiccups trying to get to Vancouver in June, I thank my lucky stars more than one time that it was just me traveling solo. Solo = they made a great travel story. As a couple = a tense, stressful way to start a trip.
I know you guys are going to have a great trip though!
I’d be worried, Matt. As an Aussie, I can assure you that snakes are the least of your worries – especially if you stuff up some of the planning!! :)
Having said that, if Oprah can survive travelling Australia with about 400 people, you can probably survive with just one…