While many couples dream of a romantic date, the first road trip together is the ultimate relationship test and all too often turns out to be a dating disaster.
Relationship problems Archive
Half of all couples break up after their first trip together, according to a recent report by Dating.com.
“A couple's first trip together is a major milestone in their relationship, whether it's in the first six months of their relationship or on their honeymoon,” said Maria Sullivan, vice president and dating expert of Dating.com, in a statement, writes nypost.com.
“Spending a few hours with someone is not the same as spending a few days with them, and even spending weekends together is not the same as spending a few weeks together.”
No matter how long you've been dating or how often you're together, you're more than likely to discover something new about your partner's habits.
And unfortunately, many don't like what they find.
For example, an alarming 31% of couples ended their relationship after being consistently woken up too early during a getaway.
And while a nap and a cuddle might save your relationship, they might not if they collide with hunger pangs. About 38% of people admitted that they decided to break up after their partner repeatedly made them late for dinner reservations.
But the worst relationship problem is closer to home.
Sharing a bathroom with a lover often leads to anxiety, but the real reasons aren't what you'd think.
Almost 40% of respondents said that seeing their partner leave their toothpaste in the sink and forget to change the toilet paper while on holiday can ruin their Saturday romance.
However, traveling with a partner doesn't just give you insight into how they treat you. It can also expose how they treat others under stress.
Seeing their partner yell at a flight attendant, tour guide or waiter led 31% of those surveyed to end a relationship.
Some picky eaters have also found that habits like leaving food out, wearing clothes “from outside” in bed and poor packing skills pushed them to leave a partner after a trip, but 44% of people said they had major revelations about their compatibility as a couple.
The bright side is that, according to the study, half of daters return from their first trip with their relationship intact — and their feelings for each other may have grown even stronger.
“On your return, you may decide to break up,” Sullivan said. “But it's also possible to still be a couple and love each other even more than before”
To help couples succeed, Sullivan suggests “plan your itinerary well and prepare yourself emotionally for either outcome. A trip as a couple is a trip worth taking: to get to know your partner better and to find out if you might want to take on your life and world with someone new“, said the expert.
