👩🏻❤️👨🏼 Are they your soulmate? Travel together first!
Plus: Mark Twain, the Tree of Life, Rugby Sevens, and Puerto Rico
Hi there my friend!
Welcome to another road snack of travel inspiration. I’m Daniel and excited you’re here. There’s 250+ people who subscribe and I’m very grateful.
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In case you missed it, my last Itchy Feet talked about the importance of journaling.
You can give it a read here:
This week, let’s talk about something just as important: Traveling as a couple.
Let’s dive in! 🤿
Reading time: 6 minutes
Is your partner a soulmate or just a seasonal romance?
Planning a trip together is one of the ultimate tests to see if this person is truly meant to be.
A trip with a boyfriend or girlfriend goes beyond regular two-person travel.
When traveling with a friend, you can keep things superficial or break off to do your own thing.
Traveling with a couple means you’re more committed, more intimate, and usually more vulnerable.
You see how they act when they're:
Stressed when a flight is delayed.
Sad when the tour is overbooked.
Fatigued after two planes and a long bus ride.
Frustrated when the Airbnb isn’t as described.
In the day-to-day life of a relationship, you may never see these sides to your partner.
Be warned: Traveling can be the impetus of a potential breakup.
Here are a few signs you might be with the wrong person:
Your partner doesn’t spend quality time with you.
They get drunk the whole time.
You can’t find them.
They don’t stop venting about their problems (or your relationship).
You can’t make any decisions together.
They refuse to do any of the things you want to do.
They aren’t nice to hotel staff, servers, or ride-share drivers.
They constantly complain when things aren’t what they expected.
My advice: I’m no expert, but try to resolve any fights BEFORE traveling together.
As the saying goes: Never go to sleep angry at each other. The same goes for traveling: Don’t start a trip angry.
However, traveling makes your relationship stronger, more united, and happier if completed successfully.
Here are some reasons why traveling with your boyfriend/girlfriend can be a game-changer:
You connect on a much deeper level.
You create a unique experience filled with fun memories.
You discover new (and good) details about them.
You understand them better and this builds connection.
You have stories to laugh about together.
You prove to each other you can plan, budget, and execute projects together.
You learn how to work as a team.
In conclusion, traveling with your boyfriend / girlfriend is one of the best filters to determine the long-term potential of your relationship.
Back to you: Have you traveled with a boyfriend or girlfriend before? What did you learn?
🚀 Travel Quote of the Week
“I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.”
-Mark Twain
🤲 Did You Know?
A single baobab tree can store up to 1,000 gallons of water. Also known as the “Tree of Life,” baobabs are found in Africa, Australia, and Madagascar.
Their signature massive trunks and tiny branches give them an alien-like appearance. The oldest are more than 2,500 years old.
The widest circumference of one of these trees is 150 feet! Sadly, climate change and drought are affecting the baobab population.
Note: Thank you to my wife Yesi for finding this!
🎏 Culture Corner
One of the biggest costume parties on earth isn’t Halloween or Carnaval.
It’s a World Rugby Sevens Series match.
What is Rugby Sevens? It’s a faster and more exciting version of traditional rugby. Sevens involves two 7-man teams playing for two 7-minute halves.
Rugby sevens became an Olympic sport at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The World Rugby Seven Series, also known as the SVNS, is hosted by seven cities from around the world each year. Each tournament has men's and women’s national rugby teams.
Besides the wild style of play, Rugby Sevens is popular for its “fancy dress” dress code. A longstanding tradition is for fans to attend the matches dressed in funny costumes. You may encounter Avatars, Super Marios, Mandalorians, lumberjacks, wild animals, or Disney characters. You don’t have to be a rugby fan to enjoy the vibe.
The core values of rugby are teamwork, enjoyment, respect, discipline, and sportsmanship. Despite the raucous atmosphere, fans usually adhere to the same values.
It’s not just festive at the matches. The host city often has viewing parties and fun events to celebrate the Rugby Sevens tournament.
The next tournament in 2025 is in Cape Town, South Africa.
🌆 Fun things to do around San Juan, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island nation and commonwealth of the United States since 1898. Despite its small size, there are 360 miles of coastline.
The country has seven primary islands and a slew of smaller ones. According to Rome2Rio, San Juan is a 5-ish-hour flight to Miami.
San Juan is the nation’s capital on the main island of Puerto Rico. Here are some fun things to do in and around San Juan.
Explore el Morro: The Morro Castle is almost 500 years old! It’s the oldest New World fortress with incredible views of San Juan Bay. (Source: PuertoRico.com)
El Batey Tavern: This no-frills watering hole in Old San Juan is packed with history...and patron signatures on its walls. The Rolling Stones used to drink here, and it’s even mentioned in The Rum Diaries novel by Hunter S. Thompson. (Source: Uncommon Caribbean)
Day trip to Rincón: You can easily drive or take a bus to Rincón, along the west coast. Rincón has a historic lighthouse from 1892 that's still operating, the Punta Higüera. The "Surfing Capital" of the Caribbean, it's known for pristine beaches. Visitors can also enjoy the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve. (Source: Discover Puerto Rico)
Visit an old pirate hideout: The Puerto Hermina Ruin in Quebradillas is a 90-minute drive from San Juan. This historical port was a hiding spot for Roberto Cofresí, the country’s most notorious pirate. (Source: Atlas Obscura)
Take a ferry to Culebra: You can take a 45-minute ferry from San Juan and get to Culebra Island. You can enjoy local cuisine like fried snapper and wander award-winning Flamenco Beach. It’s also a popular snorkel and scuba destination. (Source: PuertoRico.com)
For more trip ideas, trip coaching, and fun travel chats, get in touch here. 🤝
Ok everyone, thanks for reading. Let’s take a brief layover.
I hope you enjoyed the post and wish you a great start to your week.
More travel inspiration is coming soon. Take care!
Much love,
-Daniel
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P.S. Want some extra travel inspiration? Here’s a related post:
• 🛠 Should you trust other people’s travel recommendations?
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Good read, Daniel, but I have to disagree with the edict that a couple should "never go to sleep angry at each other." It took me a few years, but I finally realized going to sleep angry would permit both of us to cool off when we woke up the next morning.
My favorite "rule:" Never marry someone until you pitch a tent together when you go camping.
“They aren’t nice to hotel staff, servers, or ride-share drivers.” This is my biggest dealbreaker when traveling with other people and would cause me to re-evaluate our entire relationship.