What It’s Like to Take a Solo Trip While Dating Someone.

Walking alone among the beautiful colonial mansions in Havana, Cuba’s lively capital, got me thinking about this post. My boyfriend and I have spent the last two beautiful months in Guatemala talking, drinking beer, trekking, working, cooking, reading, and doing nothing else. After crossing the Mexican border, we took planes to various parts of the world since life necessitated that we part ways for a while. and I arrived in Cuba, a nation whose revolutionary past and culture have always captivated me.

People sometimes think incorrectly that I travel alone because I don’t have a “special someone” in my life when they read about my solo excursions. that I’m seeking for love (I’m not), unmarried (I am), and single.

Others frequently complain that they can’t go alone because of their personal ties. That we may decide to go somewhere alone, without our partner’s company, is nearly unthinkable.

To be honest, the initial days are the most difficult. In addition to attempting to navigate your new environment, you’re attempting to navigate life on your own. There is no one you know with whom you can share your feelings of astonishment or the thrill of excitement that runs through your body.

Consider me: Before I even reached Havana, a lot had already happened: the flight captain warned that the weather over Havana was unsuitable, so we might need to make a detour and land on the coast to refuel; the electricity went out in the immigration line (hello Cuba!); they confiscated my meek Indian passport for additional scrutiny at immigration (that’s another story).

And I was unable to share those moments of perplexity, excitement, and wonder with the one person with whom I had spent the previous two months sharing many special moments. I was unable to experience the bizarre sensation of arriving in Havana and seeing the paintings of Che Guevara glaring back at me with defiance, or of arriving to a forgotten island where Fidel Castro was once imprisoned.

However, time eliminates the “why am I doing this to myself” thoughts and solves the need. Time not only makes things better, but it also makes you appreciate that you’re working alone.

Or, perhaps more accurately, more people speak to you. The fact that lone travelers are still seen as strange in most areas of the world, I suppose, is somewhat advantageous.

For example, I have traveled with my boyfriend and alone in Guatemala. Despite the fact that locals are generally pleasant, I ended up speaking with far more of them while I was alone myself. Together, we frequently try to engage in conversation with others but ultimately retreat into our own small world. Additionally, individuals are less inclined to approach you or engage in meaningful conversation when they perceive that you already have someone with whom to chat.

The anonymity of travelling solo while in a relationship can be rewarding

What if you could wake up one day and change into the person you desire to be? Nobody in your immediate vicinity is aware of your background, your typical attire, or your place in society. That is a lot like traveling alone, even if you are with someone who knows you very well.

When I travel alone, I frequently find myself in a world where nobody is aware of my anxieties or characteristics. If I want to, I can push myself, surprise myself, and try new things. In situations like these, I’ve found myself sleeping on a Mauritius home’s roof, hitchhiking in the Indian Himalayas, and climbing alone in the Ecuadorean Andes.

I believe that taking someone you spend a lot of time with for granted is just human. You don’t hide your anger against someone you’re always around or your failure to recognize their significance in your life. That’s how a lot of relationships I know have become worse over time. (And no, I don’t believe that having children is the answer 😉.)

However, you will undoubtedly gain perspective when you spend time alone, apart, reflecting on your relationship and what makes the other person unique. Spending time with your lover is probably something you cherish far more.

I’ve discovered a lot of unexpected things about myself when I travel alone, independent of my partner or anybody else. particularly the stuff I’m not very good at. For example, navigating maps and instructions, managing stressful circumstances while crying uncontrollably, being abruptly disconnected, and enduring very difficult travel days.

I’ve gained some emotional independence by learning to recognize, accept, and work through my weaknesses—even if I’ve come to the realization that I can’t figure out instructions. How? By not relying on someone else to manage things or feeling overburdened by the things I expect to feel overburdened by.