To Travel or Not To Travel With The One You Love

Sometimes people are afraid to travel, because they don’t want to travel the world alone, or they are waiting for that special someone to travel with. I was once afraid. Now, I have traveled to over 25 countries! I have traveled solo, with friends, and with lovers. Based on my experiences, here are some of the reasons why I think it’s important to experience traveling alone and with the one you love.
 

Here are 5 reasons to travel solo:

 
1. Spontaneity.
You can do whatever you want. Whenever you want. However you want, and for as long as you want.
You have no one to answer to. If one morning you wake up and you want jump on a plane to the next destination, you can, because you don’t have anyone else to consider. That is freedom. You are free to go anywhere, anytime and spontaneity is the best part of traveling.
 
2. Some things must be experienced on your own.
It’s nice to travel with a friend, with a lover, or in a group… but these are all cushions. When you travel by yourself, you are exposed to everything. Sure you have to be more aware of your surroundings, but it is not unsafe to travel alone. Anything can happen to anyone, anywhere at anytime… so if fear is what’s holding you back, let it go because nothing good comes of it. When you travel by yourself, you uncover dimensions of yourself that may have been hidden for years, or perhaps unknown altogether.
 
3. Alone time.
Sometimes we forget how important it is to take time for ourselves for our thoughts, our dreams, and self-reflection. When you are solo, you are able to reflect deeply. Away from the distractions of routine life, you can get back to the most important part of life: yourself. Traveling solo empowers you to learn that you can do anything your heart sets its mind to.
 
4. You are present.
Sometimes when we are with others, we get wrapped up in unnecessary drama and distraction. When you are solo, you can focus on your surroundings, and on yourself. You are humbled by the new experiences you have been blessed with, and those moments of silent presence truly make you appreciate the here and now. Meditate in any form as much as you can while traveling — you can journal, take photographs, do yoga, sit in stillness — all of it keeps you in the present moment.
 
5. You proved it to yourself.
This is YOUR life. YOUR dream. YOUR journey. There is no better way to personalize your life than by traveling by yourself. Living your dream, and proving to yourself that you can do it — that you can do anything you set your mind to — is an inspiration to yourself and others. Travel is the best education we can ever get about ourselves and what we want most out of life.
 
Traveling alone is very empowering and rewarding. If I didn’t take the leap of faith and go to foreign lands by myself, I never would have gone. I would not have learned how to heal from difficult personal happenings, and I never would have learned so many things about myself. If life pushes you to discover the world alone, embrace it. Traveling alone can lead to beautiful freedom, self reflection and in the end, some much needed inner peace.

 
Now that we’ve listed some of the benefits of traveling solo, lets talk about the many reasons you should also experience traveling with the one you love. Some things are just better when you can share them with someone else.
 
If traveling is a passion of yours, find a person who shares this passion and go! Relationships are all about creating memories and growing together. And I can safely say that there is no better way to do so than traveling the world hand-in-hand!
 

Here are 5 reasons why you should experience traveling with your lover:

 
1. You experience things together — no one gets left behind.
This is very important, because it happened to me. I’d been seriously dating someone for a while, but we grew apart after I realized he didn’t want to travel. I was in love with him, but without his willingness to travel, it wasn’t enough, which is why we grew apart. It’s important to share your travels with your lover because these experiences will forever shape you as a couple. Traveling together builds a stronger bond.
 
2. Discovery beyond routine.
You learn things about each other that a daily routine may not reveal. Spontaneity is a huge factor, and with that comes adapting! There are challenging moments whilst traveling, from language barriers to missed flights and all the unexpected. But you learn a lot about each other during these stressful moments.
 
3. A kiss on the beach.
The notion of traveling is romantic in and of itself, but when you are with your love, the romance is heightened. You share a kiss during a beautiful sunset, or make love in a bungalow on remote islands. Travelers know that every day something memorable happens. Sharing pinnacle moments in life deepens your connection and love for one another.

 
4. Partner in crime.
Someone will always be there to have your back. When you get sick, when you need help with your bags, when you are going to take a sketchy overnight bus — you will feel more at ease with someone that loves you. You are partners in crime for all the crazy adventures that come your way!
 
5. Make or break your relationship.
Truthfully, this is the top reason you should travel with the one you love. You will learn things about each other that will make or break your relationship. It is almost like expediting the process, because everything will rise to the surface. This traveling-together-as-a-form-of-truth-serum is an intimidating yet necessary challenge for your relationship!
 

Always take the leap with that someone you love. Always. Love is a pair of wings setting you free in the world of travel and discovery. So open your heart to the one you love, and together you’ll take flight!