THE TEST YOU CAN’T STUDY FOR

As I am sure we have all been told at some point in our lives, you find yourself when you travel on your own. It is something I can attest to and now tell others about.

Similarly, when you travel with someone, you tend to find out how compatible you are. Whether you are traveling with a friend, a boyfriend, or almost a complete stranger, there are so many tests you will be put through to find out how the two {or many of you} work together.

You gon’ learn today!

I have travelled with my boyfriend many times. We are in a long distance relationship so most of our time IS spent traveling. One of us is usually away from our home, or we are both traveling to a country, as foreigners, together. We have experienced too many airport goodbyes for me to count, but have also grown as individuals and a couple from each experience.

I have also travelled with my best friend for three weeks straight on a yacht, secluded in the middle of the ocean. We were also tested as travel buddies, but learned quickly how to adapt to each others travel styles. You never know how you’ll react when sharing such a small space together for 24 hours a day. Or the memories you’ll make because of it!

And I’ve travelled with strangers! Well, not entirely strangers. When studying abroad in New Zealand, I found my clan of friends pretty quickly and within a week we were off on our first adventure to Auckland. The trip started as a 8+ hour bus ride and followed with a group of five of us sleeping in a room fit for two. AND later being told our hotel had double booked and we needed to remove our things and find a hostel for the following evening. Again, this all happened with people I barely even knew. But we became the closest of friends and they all still remain some of the most incredible people I have ever met. I mean, we didn’t even kill each other when the five of us all slept in a five seater car together.

No matter who you have in the passenger seat, you will find out what you are both capable of when you travel together.

This past holiday to Bali definitely proved that to be true.

No one expects the worst when embarking on a holiday. Unless you are a complete pessimist. We tend to expect the best. It’s a holiday. It takes us away from reality and responsibility. You invest money, time, and months of planning into a holiday. For many, it only happens once a year. Or maybe once a decade.

So when the unexpected occurs, the pressure is on.

For Eric and I, this was the first time we had seen in each other in five months. The second time we had seen each other in two years. And another four month wait to see each other was on the horizon upon leaving Indonesia. Talk about pressure. We were tested in so many way. This is the kind of test you can’t study for. But somehow we made it out the other end.

We compromised, we communicated, and we cocktailed.

I attempted to adventure out of the resort and spend time with him floating in the ocean. He stayed in and watched national geographic with me. I read my book in the shade while he surfed with locals. He took a million photos of me while I  interacted with monkeys for hours. We both attempted to drink many, many cocktails to lighten the mood. But we also participated in activities independently from one another. I needed to stay indoors with the air conditioning blasting and Grey’s Anatomy on. So, he took an afternoon diving class.

We made the most. And that’s all I could have asked for.

I didn’t leave Bali feeling guilty or as if I had ruined his trip. It was so important to have someone who could go with the flow, participate in independent activities, and attend to any emergencies I was having, without allowing it to compromise the holiday.

Life can be messy. But it helps to have the right person by your side to clean it up.

If you are ever questioning your relationship with anyone in your life, take a trip together. And not a weekend getaway to your favorite beach front a couple hours away. Get out of your comfort zone. Go far, far away.

Work together to understand directions in a foreign country where neither of you speak the language. Stay in a hostel where living conditions are less than ideal. Spend ten hours on a train ride where you lack wifi, but gain an amazing conversation. {Around hour 6 most people get delirious and start telling the best stories}.

I promise you,  you will learn something. And if you’re lucky, it will bring you closer than you could have ever imagined.

And that wraps up my time in Indonesia!

Now that I am back in London, I have so many blog posts on the horizon and lots of new content. Spring has sprung and the sun is shining! It’s been close to 80 degrees the last few days… I know, I didn’t  believe it either.

Having a cuppa and turning on some Grey’s Anatomy. Now I’m hooked. So I guess I received some good binge watching from Bali. Glass half full?