5 Tips to Get Through a Backpacking Trip with Your Other Half in One Piece
So you’re planning to go on a backpacking trip with your other half? Make sure you have all bases covered so you both make it in one piece.
Manage expectations
As romantic as the thought of going backpacking with your loved one is, things can sometimes get ugly, especially when you start to get on each others’ nerves. While traveling as a couple is supposed to be a great time to bond and strengthen your relationship, some trips don’t end up the way most couples want it to just because of unmet expectations.
Communication, as always, is key. Learn to manage each other’s expectations to avoid any unnecessary conflict. Talk to each other about your habits and preferences. Know what you’re getting into before you take the trip so that you don’t get caught off guard down the road.
Plan thoroughly
A hiking or backpacking trip works best when not done on a whim. Careful planning needs to take place before setting out for the great outdoors.
If you’re comfortable and well-fed, things will go great. But it’s not always like that. Trust us. We know.
There are just some things that are beyond your control like the weather. It is always best to anticipate what could happen and prepare for a worst-case scenario by packing the right equipment and tools to help you when you get in a jam.
It’s okay to bring something a bit luxurious
Just because you’re going to rough it doesn’t mean you can’t bring with you some big-city luxuries that you’re used to. It’s okay to pack those chocolate bars or aged whisky.
What’s even better is if you pack stuff for your partner and surprise them when you get to camp. This gesture will show that you gave careful thought to the trip and gave them comfort some great consideration when you packed your things. Score one point for you.
Assign certain tasks that you can do to make the trip easier
The thing with backpacking trips is it can get exhausting which could lead to some tension between you and your partner. Minimize this by dividing the tasks to get more things done in a shorter time.
Play to your strengths. Take care of gathering firewood while your partner can work on the laundry since there’s no laundromat in sight in the wilderness. Perhaps one of you can cook dinner while the other one sets up your tents and sleeping bags. Work together, not against each other.
Have some me-time
With all the time you will be spending together alone, there may come a point where you might feel suffocated or just simply get tired of each other. It doesn’t mean that you don’t want to be together; it’s just that you need to be alone and recharge your batteries for a bit. Especially if you start rubbing each other the wrong way.
In most cases, this has nothing to do with your partner. So if you start to see something like this coming, excuse yourself for a while and spend some time apart. Stay up a while longer to watch the stars as your other half settles for the night. Get up earlier in the morning to spend some quiet time and enjoy the beautiful sunrise. Some me-time goes a long way.
The main goal of these types of trips is to strengthen the bond between you and your partner. It’s worth thinking each step through before going on the trip to make sure that you achieve your goals. If you both survive this trip, that’s a story worth telling and remembering for the rest of your lives.
