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NAVIGATING the PANDEMIC journey TOGETHER

Travel Companions: 6 Ways to Avoid Driving Each Other Crazy

11/12/2015

14 Comments

 
​“How do you deal with fights with your husband while you’re traveling?” It was the first question asked by a member of a book club I was Skyping with last week, discussing my latest memoir, Adventures of a Railway Nomad, about our three-month train odyssey. “You don’t write about any arguments in your book, but there must have been some.” 
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Does too much togetherness sometimes make you both a bit edgy?

​As it happens, Rich and I are both blessed with easygoing temperaments, but yes, of course there were the odd moments of disagreement and discord during our 83 days on the road. But during our 31 years together, we’ve worked out strategies that help us avoid allowing minor differences to escalate into major explosions. These strategies may not work for everyone, but they make it a lot easier for us to live and travel together amicably.

1. Discuss trip parameters in advance. Do you want a vacation or an adventure? Are you dreaming of five star hotels or funky Airbnb apartments in the bohemian quarter? Would you prefer to take it slow and easy or see everything you can possibly cram in? As familiar as we are with each other’s travel styles, Rich and I always spend at least one evening, preferably in a congenial pub with low lighting and good wine, refining our vision for the trip.  ​


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2. Debate issues on their merits. Rich and I have this crazy idea that if you each lay out the facts as you see them, often you’ll arrive quite naturally at a mutually agreeable solution. Say you’re in Bari, Italy, trying to decide whether to take the ferry to Croatia, Albania, or Greece. A little Internet research about each destination, some honesty about your preferences, a bit of give and take, and you’re likely to be on your way. On the other hand, you may be stuck in Bari forever if the discussion involves rehashing every controversial decision you two ever made about home equity loans, the kids’ education, and that investment in your old school chum’s start-up. Sort out the ferry on its own merits; rake over the past later if you must. 

3. Agree to respect a veto. If one of us is keen to do something and the other cannot abide the idea, we agree from the outset that the veto will be the deciding vote. One person’s whim shouldn’t force the other to do something truly excruciating. For instance, last time we were in Boston, I was mildly curious to see the new Frost Ice Loft, the world’s largest permanent bar built entirely of ice. However, it struck Rich as a gimmicky tourist trap, and he wanted nothing to do with it. A veto allowed us to break the impasse without a fuss and move on. Vetoes should be rare occurrences; if they become frequent, it’s time to revisit point #1. 


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Harriet Vane and Lord Peter Wimsey, harmony restored by the "beastly spasm" remark

​4. Allow each other the occasional beastly spasm. In an old Lord Peter Wimsey mystery, the famous sleuth makes a mildly infelicitous remark to his love interest, then instantly retracts it, saying, “I beg your pardon. It was a beastly spasm. Won’t happen again.” He gracefully defined the moment as a personal lapse — a reflection of his own failings, not Harriet's. Now, when one of us utters a cranky remark we know to be unfair and uncalled for, it can be annulled and forgotten by simply saying, “Sorry. Beastly spasm.” It’s a sort of linguistic “no harm, no foul” ruling. 

5. Accept setbacks with as much grace as you can muster. A wise reader once wrote me, “Never chase a missed train … get a pastry and wait for the next one.” In a crisis, often the only sensible thing to do is regroup over coffee and pastry until your perspective is restored and you're ready to cope. This goes double when the crisis is your companion's fault. Did you miss the train because somebody took too long in the shower or got confused about the schedule? Then you have the high moral ground; don't squander it by throwing a hissy fit. Be nice. The other person will feel guiltier and try harder to do better in the future.

6. Rest when you’re tired. Traveling is fun but it’s also hard physical, mental, and spiritual work. Pressing on when you're exhausted and overwhelmed can turn the trip into a series of beastly spasms, arbitrary vetoes, and ad hominem attacks. What fun is that? When you feel yourself flagging, suggest taking a break. If your companion is eager to carry on, let him or her go solo for a few hours while you relax with a book on the beach or the porch of your B&B. 

​
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​Traveling with others makes us up our game, often calling forth greater strength, patience, and generosity of spirit than we believe we possess. We are reminded that the people we love don’t have to be perfect to be convivial comrades, and that luckily, no one in their right mind will expect us to be flawless either. Our faults and imperfections make us who we are, lead us into adventures, and send us home changed in ways that will linger long after the photos are posted, the laundry is washed and folded, and the suitcases are stashed in the attic, awaiting the next journey. 

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14 Comments
Angela link
11/12/2015 04:45:05 pm

This is so perfectly written and explained. I completely agree on all fronts, and learned that beastly spasms were, in fact a real, named thing! ;) Exciting times. Thanks, as always, for a great read. xoxo

Reply
Karen McCann
11/13/2015 03:41:54 pm

Glad you liked to post, Ang. Yes, beastly spasms are very real. And I figure if someone like Lord Peter — the quintessential proper British gentleman — can get away with having them, then I can, too.

Reply
Alicia Bay Laurel link
11/13/2015 05:42:57 am

Sound advice even if the reader is not on the road. I'm thinking that your modest statement about being blessed with easygoing temperaments belies 31 years of work well done in your marriage.

Reply
Karen McCann
11/13/2015 03:49:24 pm

Thanks, Alicia. It's true that we work at it, but it also helps not to be insanely temperamental by nature — and to be keenly aware how ridiculous someone in a snit appears to those around them. Makes it a bit easier to stop before going too far down that path...

Reply
white one
11/14/2015 06:23:28 pm

OK that was a good one...now consider who gets to lead on a daily basis...agreeing where your going is one thing but deciding who leads is another...or do we go to the ...Veto decision.
OK for one of your next additions ..why not write about how you handle money? Credit cards? Rail pass? cash and what kind of cash?

Reply
Karen McCann
11/16/2015 08:37:07 am

A post about handling money is a good idea. I often refer to specific strategies, but have not written an overall guide. Thanks for the suggestion!

Reply
Linda link
11/15/2015 08:29:55 pm

Are any of your books available in paperback or are they all kindle? I am old school I still love a book!

Reply
Karen McCann
11/16/2015 08:43:50 am

Yes, Linda, I have two books available in paperback: Dancing in the Fountain, the story of my transition to expat life in Seville, and Adventures of a Railway Nomad, which chronicles our three-month train trip through Central and Eastern Europe. Both are available from Amazon worldwide. You can find them here: http://smarturl.it/AmazonDancing, http://smarturl.it/RailwayNomad. I love "real" books, too; one of the biggest thrills as a writer is holding my own, freshly published books in my hands!


Reply
Kaley link
11/17/2015 03:17:57 am

I loved Point 5! It rings so true ...

Reply
Karen McCann
11/17/2015 07:37:11 am

Thanks, Kaley; that's a big one for me too!

Reply
Steve McC
11/23/2015 04:20:01 pm

Words of wisdom!

The parameters in number 1 are so important and I think often overlooked by many travelers or vacationers. Thanks for the succinct, wonderful advice!

Reply
Karen McCann
11/24/2015 08:08:34 am

We all get tripped up by that one if we're not careful! Glad you liked the article, Steve!

Reply
Fran
1/11/2016 10:18:27 am

How to get along when traveling? Don't be afraid to give each other space to explore by themselves. Give a day of lone traveling or meet me at a designated time and place.

Reply
Karen McCann
1/11/2016 04:06:08 pm

Yes, you are so right, Fran. Time apart is often the best way to keep things working comfortably on the road (and at home). Everyone needs space and down time. And afterwards it can be a pleasure to reunite.

Reply



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    PictureKaren McCann
    Welcome! 
    I'm an American travel writer based in Spain and currently living in California.

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